First Quarter

One Month

Two Months

Three Months

Dear Sophia,

Congratulations on the completion of the first quarter of your first year! Even though the time has gone fast, your Dad and I are thrilled that it is still just a small percentage of the many years we have to spend with you.

We were recently asked what surprised us most after becoming parents. Your Dad said, "How much I enjoyed spending time with her from day one". (He knew he would love you right away, but was looking forward to playing and thought that might take a while.) I said, "How hard it is to complete one load of laundry while taking care of an infant". I have a renewed appreciation for single Moms as well as a renewed sense of gratitude for your Dad and the many people who love you and help us.

Sophia, when I look at these pictures it reminds me how quickly you are growing in such a short span of time. So, when you fall asleep in my arms and I am tempted to quickly lay you in your bed so that I can throw in that extra load of laundry....I linger a bit longer to feel the warm weight of you, to listen to your soft breathing, and to soak in your tiny features.

As first time parents, we aren't really sure what is normal baby behavior and what is unusual. We are amazed or terrified by just about everything you do. After spending my pregnancy with you doing constant research on how to incubate a human, I decided that once you were here I should read a little bit less, and focus more of my energies on just being present with you. 

We have gone to your doctor's office several times now for regular check ups. At every visit he asks us what you have been up to, and tells us what to look for next. I listen to what he says, but try not to think too much about it. You will have your own timeline, and it is a very rare adult who never learns to walk on two feet.

So far you have done everything the doctor has asked us about, but this is our own list of favorite things from your first three months:

1. Your facial expressions:"sour face" and "side glance"

2. Sometimes after you sneeze you let out a little sigh

3. The way you study the birds on your bouncy seat and lean in to stare at faces

4. When you wake up, you stretch your arms out,and turn your head from side to side, while sticking out your chin, raising your eyebrows, and pursing your lips

5. When you smile so big your nose wrinkles and how often you are this way upon waking in the morning

We love you lots Sophia,

Mom and Dad

P.S. The elephant in these pictures is one that your Grandfather Condon had when he was a little boy.

Family Firsts: Trip to the Beach: Part 1 and 2

First Trip to the Beach: Part 1

When Sophia was only a couple weeks old we brought her to the beach a few miles from our home. 

Our pediatrician told us that she wouldn't be old enough for baby sunscreen until she was 5 months (November), so Joshua kept her completely covered.

Aunt Aimee, Nephews Blake & Aaron, Aunt Becca & Mark

While our nephews enjoyed finding shells, Sophia didn't have much of a view, but two months later she was surveying the sand......

First Trip to the Beach: Part 2

 

This was a long weekend trip to the Jersey Shore. A tradition that began before I was born with my father's side of the family coming from New York City.

It included her first toe dipping in the ocean....

http://youtu.be/mYu1ddYI9c4

Family Firsts: Meeting the Greats

Great Great Aunt Anna Mary [L's Mom's Dad's Sister]

I come from a small family. I have one sibling and my parents have one sibling between the two of them. Our closest family was in New York City, about two hours from where I grew up. 

However, I married into a large family. Thanks to a couple of family reunions this summer, she had the opportunity to meet all of her 'greats'. 
 

Great Aunt Jan & Uncle Ray [L's Mom's Sister & Husband]

Great Great Aunt Betty [L's Mom's Mom's Sister]

Here my 93 year old Aunt has taken to the floor to get a better look at Sophia upon arrival. She did get a chance to hold her while sitting on the couch as well.

Great Grandfather [J's Dad's Dad]

Great Aunt Sandi [J's Mom's Sister]

Great Uncle Lee [Aunt Sandi's husband]

Great Uncle Dick & Aunt Linda [J's Mom's Brother & Wife]

Great Aunt Connie and Great Uncle David [J's Mom's Sister & Husband]

Great Uncle John and Aunt Chris [J's Dad's Brother & Wife]

Great Uncle Randy & Aunt Sheryl [J's Mom's Brother &Wife]

Great Grandmother [J's Mom's Mom]

Sophia is her great grandmother's 28th great grandchild. Meeting her Great Grandmother was particularly meaningful, as sadly she passed away a few hours after we left. We didn't know that day would be her last, but we are grateful that Sophia was able to meet her and that her Grandmother found pleasure in their time together.

Feline that Fetches

Sophia's first feline is named Betty.
Betty is a member of our local animal shelter's foster program.

She had lived with an older woman in an apartment complex, but the policy changed, and cats were no longer permitted. Little cues like Betty attempting to sleep in our bed, and seeking to drink water right from the tap, lead us to believe that this was a cat who was very much loved.

So far Sophia's only interaction has been to headbutt Betty. Fortunately, Betty is tolerant, and aside from an occasional sniff, (this is progress from when she initially ran away from Sophia) she pretty much ignores her.

We had been participating in the foster program for several years before Sophia was born. When we learned we were expecting a baby, Joshua would have had to take care of the litter box, because of the potential risks with pregnancy. His response to this was, "I'm going to be dealing with a lot of poop very soon." There was really no way to argue with this. 

When Sophia was about a month old, the foster coordinator ran into Joshua at a restaurant. She asked him if he was with a church group (he was) and then said she would 'pray that he would say yes to taking a cat again'. Again, there was little argument here. So, now Betty is staying with us.

Betty is a rather extraordinary cat, she has removed an impressive amount of paint from the outside of our bedroom door, she has scratched our faux leather couch (which we had purchased after researching materials that cats don't like to touch), and she fetches......