Crystal Lake & Mohonk Lake

We arrived at Crystal Lake in Averill Park New York on a mid-June day in jackets.

                                          

Joshua, along with friends Diane and Betty donning their wet suits, were the only ones brave enough to swim in the chilly water.

We were visiting because our friends Rob and Diane had invited us to spend the night at their home and then to travel on to Mohonk the next day.

Sophia's Godmother Carolyn and Uncle James joined us as well.

           

We were there on Father's day, which is the Sunday on which we were married seven years ago.  

We had a wonderful brunch (bringing Sophia back and forth to the buffet tables helped to break up the sitting during the meal for her and also supplied a constant stream of different foods to try) and then spent the rest of the afternoon exploring.

This was Sophia's first trip to Mohonk, and we loved bringing her to the garden where our marriage began.

Columbiana County

My Mom grew up in Eastern Ohio, and every summer we make the pilgrimage back to Columbiana County. 

This year we rented out a Bed and Breakfast, The Columbiana Inn B&B.

Sophia loved the swing on the front porch. And after she went to bed we were able to all visit out there with the aid of the baby monitor.

Sophia was able to spend time with her Oldest and Youngest Aunts on her maternal side.

 

She also met several relatives for the first time, from my Dad's side in Chardon, Ohio:

And from my Mom's side in Salem, Ohio:

We were also able to celebrate my Mom's birthday with about thirty of our Schaeffer relatives at the annual family reunion.

Sophistication

December 2013

At this point in her life Sophia considers ice cream a finger food, and thinks it is hilarious if you hide behind a couch.

There have been some advancements in her sophistication during this first year. For example, she is now more likely to turn the pages of a book, then to chew them.

Still there remains additional progress to be made. For instance, we expect someday she will find it less thrilling to throw food on the floor. At the same time, I hope that years from now she will enjoy a meal so much that part of it will again end up in her eyebrow.

For her first year of life, I primarily focused on her comfort and survival. Now I am becoming more aware of my role in teaching her how to become a civilized member of society. I am simultaneously excited and overwhelmed by all there is for her to learn. Until recently, she was unaware that putting your foot on the table while eating is frowned upon.

I am constantly weighing risks to safety while encouraging her to explore her world. I am realizing my potential to squelch her spirit in juxtaposition with my responsibility to guide her, as increasingly restrictive demands are placed on her behavior. 

Sometimes I struggle with not having a specific reason for requesting a more socially accepted behavior. Usually it comes down to two things: 1. A respect for other persons and 2. that it will help her to be able to relate with others. At times though I find it is simply about my own embarrassment if she isn't doing what others expect. 

She needs me to say "no", to show her where the boundaries are, to model how to use a spoon and a fork, but also to get messy with her, to be silly and to ultimately teach her that sophistication is not synonymous with driving a particular type of car or wearing a certain brand of clothes. The next goal is learning the difference between edible and non-edible objects.

Sophia's first Birthday Letter

Every year Joshua writes me a letter for my birthday, which is always my favorite gift. Featured below is Sophia's first birthday letter from her father:

My dearest Sophia (favorite nicknames from this year included: Chicken-monkey, Chippa, Smiss, Pia, and Little One),

One! Congratulations on celebrating your first year! Your mother and I are both excited and relieved for this day. We are learning along with you, and can’t wait for the years ahead together. (Well maybe your Mom would like to freeze you in time sometimes).

Your first year has been enormously fun. You have joined us for trips to 15 states, and we have enjoyed incorporating you into our everyday lives. We have struggled to know the best way to care for you many times, but have marveled in how resilient you are, and how social you are with others. Stan (our pastor) has commented that you are a good ambassador for us, and I couldn't agree more. You are quick to make friends with passengers on the train or plane, and attract attention from young kids in the supermarket and older folks walking on the sidewalk.

When I called to make the first doctor’s appointment for my daughter Sophia, it felt strange to say that, but having you around didn't. It does seem strange now to think of Chateau Archambault without its youngest resident.

One of my biggest fears about having kids was getting less sleep, and that has proven true. However, it has not been as bad as I expected, your mother has let me sleep in on numerous occasions, and I have caught myself enjoying a few of the 3:30 am wake ups that resulted in us in the rocking chair while we worked together to get us both back to bed.

My job switch, shortly after you were born, allowed me to work from home often. It has enabled me to experience so much of your first year that I would not have otherwise. I have been able to go to all of your visits to the doctor, and read books after lunch on many days. I have tried my best to be in the moment and take full advantage of our Tuesday mornings together when Mom has gone to work early, and not think about work until your first nap of the day.

I have started to learn unique aspects of your personality, and I look forward to seeing what sticks and what fades.  You are extremely persistent and let your opinions be known. You love to laugh loudly, but can be very serious and solemn. You are up for risk, enjoy riding fast down the grocery store aisles, and squawk with pleasure when big gushes of wind make you close your eyes and push your hair back.

You LOVE to read. It doesn't matter the time of day or even your mood, you now are very likely to pick up a book, hand it to me, and crawl into my lap. I also catch you reading alone, just flipping through the pages of one of your books on the living room floor.

They say boys are the most active and physical as children, but I think you might give them a run for their money. We often end up on the floor wrestling as you just want to crawl and climb, and I want to be hanging out while being as close to a napping position as possible. The only three times you sit still are when you are: very tired, not feeling well, or are reading a book (although we often only make it half way through before you decide you want to pick the next one to read). It is this love for movement that has resulted in you and I spending hours walking around Quincy just to pass the time. Good thing I have been wearing my pedometer lately to record the days we walk 15,000 or 20,000 steps.

You had some great fangs this year as your teeth grew in, and are still learning what a kiss looks like as you are prone to either head-butt us or slobber on our checks. (But your Mother swears you know exactly what you are doing.) You dance to even the short musical interludes on NPR when it is on the radio in the kitchen, love to clap, and wave to people (often a good 10-20 seconds after they first waved to you and are walking away, which makes me smile). All elements of your social personality.

A favorite activity right now is to push one of your carts around the downstairs screaming with delight at the top of your lungs. We let you slam into the cabinets, the couch, the refrigerator, and trash can mainly because we just love to see you enjoy yourself so much. I guess in year two we should work on turning. Just like most things in life, we all keep taking steps to learn how to improve.

I am so excited for you to grow up. Not because I want to rush it, but because I have found that each month has revealed new things about you or how you relate to us. Years of experiencing that sounds like a grand adventure, and I can’t wait to update my database about you as we go along.

We thank God for the blessing of last year, and look forward to more to celebrate next year.

Love,

Dada 

(or that is what it sounds like currently) 

First Birthday

The first birthday celebration began in New Hampshire.

Photo credits: Becca Archambault

The day Sophia officially turned one, her parents, and her Gran and Uncle James woke her by singing happy birthday. She kept her eyes shut and swatted her arm at us.

She seemed more pleased with how her day ended. We served a meal of her favorite foods including Salmon, Mango and Avocado Salsa and broccoli. 

After dinner she enjoyed opening cards and presents.

For dessert she had chocolate ice cream (frozen bananas and unsweetened cocoa powder)and cake made from bananas, apple sauce, oats, whole wheat flour, coconut oil, baking soda and cinnamon, with a cream cheese and apple juice icing (without added sugar it tasted more like a muffin than cake).

The celebration also included a dance with her Dad. A birthday tradition I shared with my own father for 19 years.

Fourth Quarter

10 Months

11 Months

12 Months

Dear Sophia,

At night when I am nursing you, I often stare in wonder at the length of you. I know all Mamas say this, but when did you ever get this big?

As we come to the end of the fourth quarter, you have clear preferences. You will crawl over to your bookshelf, pull yourself up and pry "Pat the Bunny" from the center of the books. It is your current favorite, particularly the page where you can play 'peek a boo with Paul'.

You have language, you sort of say Mama, and you definitely point at things that you want, pull at my shirt when you want to nurse, and turn your head away and shake it when you are done eating. If we say 'no', you look very displeased. The other night when your Dad read the word 'kiss' in a story, you attempted to kiss the book.

Grammy Archambault describes your Dad as constantly in motion when he was your age. You are the same, whether you are going up and down stairs, pushing your cart, or dancing. If we are listening to the news on the radio you will dance to the brief musical interludes between segments. You do not like to be limited by the straps of highchairs, carseats, or strollers. We will be challenged to keep up with you when you start walking; for now we relish the cuddles we can get when you are sleepy enough to be still.

For the past 12 years I have felt some sadness when the leaves start to change because that is the season when your Grandpa Condon died. Now I feel a happiness when they begin to bud because it reminds me of the season in which you were born. I've spent the last week remembering what I was doing a year ago while anticipating your arrival.

We are so glad you're here.

Happy birthday Baby Girl. You are loved.

Sophia's First Car

There are many May birthdays in the Archambault family including Sophia's Aunt Aimee, her cousin Levi, her cousin Aaron, and her Grandpa (Sophia's actual birthday is on the same day as one of her Great Great Grandmas).

We went to New Hampshire last weekend to celebrate them all.
One of Sophia's birthday gifts from her Archambault Grandparents was her very own car. 

Her favorite thing about it is the radio....