Sophie's Update

Sophie is growing! She is 39 inches tall and weighs 38.5 lbs (90 - 95%). At her check up, she got to do a few new things. First they wanted to check her eyesight, so they showed her the chart with all of the pictures on it. She said she didn't know what they were and wanted to just read the regular chart with the letters. She did perfectly, and the doctor and nurse were very impressed that she knew all the letters. At the end of the appointment, Sophie got to pee in a cup for the first time. She kept saying, "This is silly. We don't pee in cups mommy, we pee in the potty!"

Sophie is a very bright little girl. I know everyone thinks that about their child, but she truly is one smart cookie. She loves to learn and asks lots of thoughtful questions. She is currently learning how to write her letters. She can write her name, but she doesn't usually get the letters all together, they're mostly just scattered across the page! She loves to read and spends lots of time reading by herself. When I read to her before nap and bedtime, she prefers longer stories such as the classic Beatrix Potter stories, and she will even listen to stories with few pictures now. She once insisted that I read a Judy Blume book to her that she had found, but that only lasted for one chapter! Sophie really likes TV, and we try to limit her viewing to one show per day, and many days we don't watch at all. She really loves to watch movies on Saturday nights too. Her favorite movies are Toy Story and any Winnie the Pooh movie.

Sophie is more of a tomboy than a girly girl. She enjoys playing with her dolls and occasionally likes to play dress up, but she really loves to get dirty and play with the boys! Every once in awhile she'll ask for a barrette in her hair, but it only lasts a little while before she gives it to Zoe. Sophie is very creative and loves to make up elaborate stories to act out with Zoe and her toys. She also is very good at making up songs, either to melodies that she already knows, or lately to made up tunes.

When is comes to eating, Sophie takes after her father. When she finds something she likes, she sticks with it and is cautious about trying new foods. Lately she's been willing to try new things as long as we remind her that she can spit it out if she doesn't like it. Her favorite foods are yogurt, pancakes, most fruits, salad and raw veggies, and cheeseburgers. She has a terrible sweet tooth and can be pretty crafty at trying to get candy. A typical trick is, "Mommy, I'm going to eat three more bites of carrot and then I'll get to have a tootsie roll!!" We try to stick to the rule that if there's no more room for healthy food in your tummy, then there's no room for sweets. But it's also fun to take her out for an ice cream cone for no reason other than it's a hot sunny day.

Sophie is a very independent little girl. She did great during her first year at "school", and at times I wished she would be just a little sad to see me go. She had her own little group of friends at school, but I was told that she was really good at inviting other kids to play with them. Sophie is very caring and has a lot of concern for others. She's also very observant and has a memory like a steel trap. When going to visit my mom in Pennsylvania this past Spring, Sophie remembered (from the year before) that my mom's car was red and that there was a basket with kitty toys in it near the bottom of the stairs. She also remembers different cars that Andy drives home and then recognizes those same kind of cars on the roads when we're out driving.

Some of Sophie's strongest traits, such as her intelligence, advanced verbal skills, stubborness and passion for playing, can create a challenging atmosphere. So far 3 has been much more difficult than 2, but hopefully together we'll ride out the storm and be greeted by a rainbow. We hope you continue to check in and see how our oldest girl grows up!