Favorite Christmas Present

thanks to cousin Jessica

In case the Christmas card doesn't get sent...

Here's a few photos from our photo shoot with our friend Rose

Presents

Sonja loves presents, cards, and anything that arrives in the mail.

She also has a lot of hair, but she refuses to wear a ponytail or clip.

3:25 am

Sonja stayed sound asleep for our annual HAPPY BIRTHDAY photo at 3:25 am this morning

2 years ago today...

Sonja started making her entrance into the world.

Ryan and I ate pumpkin pie at Grand Central Bakery as the contractions began.

To celebrate today, we took Sonja to Grand Central at lunch for some pumpkin pie!

Great-Grandma

Sonja's Great-Grandma Rosenkranz passed away this morning. She will be missed. Sonja spent the day with sad family in Yakima. There is such comfort in having joyful children present in such times.

Pumpkin Patch

(they don't look alike at all)

Fall Update

Babies...Sonja loves babies!

Here she is with my cousin's baby girl.

This month, a few friends have had babies.
We've brought them meals and Sonja runs right to the couch so she can hold the baby.

When we get in the car, Sonja asks if we're going to see babies.

Krumkake

On a whirlwind trip to Portland, we stayed with Grandma Grandma Sylvia and made
Sonja's favorite dessert-krumkake.
Pumpkin Patch

While in the Portland area, we visited a pumpkin patch on a lovely Saturday morning.

We took a "wee" ride (hay ride), picked out a few pumpkins, climbed on hay bales, and watched pumpkin bowling.

Even Grandma Grandma took a "wee" ride with us. Sonja pointed to "the man" driving the tractor and talked about "the man", the "wee" ride, and "grandma grandma" for days.

sawn-ya

Finally! Sonja says her name.

There are many things we've begun to intentionally teach her over the past few months (numbers, letters, colors, animals, names, manners, etc.). But, I forgot to teach her to say her name. I assumed since she hears it enough, she'll pick it up soon enough.

We were out for a walk last week and I asked her, "Say hi, Sonja" when we met someone on the street.

She said "Hi Sonja"!

She pronounces it like many of our friends and family did when she was first born, "Sawn-ya" rather than "Son-ya" with the "o" sound. Maybe she'll convince us to change the pronunciation!

Airplanes

The following is my conversation with Sonja after her nap today. When I went to get her, the curtain had been pulled back into the crib with her.

Ryan: Hi
Sonja: ......
(I pull the curtain back from the crib without saying anything so as to not reinforce her messing with it)
Sonja: I see airplanes!
Ryan: Were you able to see them? (her mini-blinds were closed)
Sonja: Yeah!

We figure that when Sonja finally climbs out of her crib that she will use the curtain as an escape-aid. I was glad to know that it had only been pulled back because of Kenmore Air this afternoon.

Anytime she hears sirens or seaplanes she asks "I see?" I think we will spend an upcoming Saturday morning at the newly opened South Lake Union park so she can watch the seaplanes take off and land.

eyescoom

AKA Ice Cream

Words...and other updates

Last Saturday, we wrote down all of the words that Sonja could say and understand. I think there were about 30 words on the list, including names. By Wednesday, the number doubled and each day she adds a few more. Mama, Dada, Auntie, Papa, Emma, Amiee, Hannah, Missy (Marissa), Becky, Asher, Nell, Dee (Katie), baby, peas, cheese, agua, teeth, various commands and directions. Yesterday, Ryan heard her talking after nap. Sonja was holding one of her dolls and saying "baby, no shoes...baby, no shoes...baby, no shoes". All day, she talked about shoes and feet. Today, she talked about shoes and feet. I anticipate that tomorrow she will talk about shoes and feet.

She's grown up into quite the little girl this summer. She carries her little watering can across the parking lot to water the vegetables. She eats raw snap peas and tomatoes from the garden. She climbs on everything (linen closet shelves, pedestal sink, kitchen counter via the bar stool, the toilet to see out the window, playground equipment and rock climbing walls, etc.). She is aware of painted nails, jewelry, and teeth. She loves to dance and we regularly have dance parties in the living room, initiated after dinner by Sonja.

We have enjoyed many activities and visitors this summer; 2 trips to the mid west (car + plane), a few ferry rides, first swimming pool, a trip to a beach house with friends, and an early summer camping trip in the rain. We're hoping that Sonja will take round #2 of the camping this week in style. She thought it was time to party when Ryan and I zipped open the tent last time and refused to keep sleeping. We hope to post a picture of a well rested little lady later this weekend!

Granite Mountain

A couple of weeks ago, Sonja and I joined some friends and their son for a Sunday hike. I knew that it would be strenuous and I knew that I'd have at least 35 pounds on my back (Sonja plus the backpack and some snacks). I did not know how tired I would be only 1/3 of the way up. Early on, the weather was foggy and we couldn't see anything in the distance but clouds. A couple hours in, the trail opened up, the weather cleared and the work was more rewarding. Sonja had a good time pointing to the trees, the "agua", rocks, dogs, and "Ashoo" (aka Asher-our 10 month old hiking buddy). She is wearing his hat in this photo.

We also hiked across snow near the summit. Sonja didn't want to touch the snow until I made it into a snowball for her to throw. We enjoyed views of Mt Rainier and the mountains near Snoqualmie Pass. The old fire lookout was closed, but there were a few small chipmunks there to keep us company.

All in all, it was a great day for a hike. It was also Sonja's first day without a nap in her entire life. She did great, but we won't let that happen again unless we're hiking!

Heavy Sleeping

Sonja has been sleeping pretty heavy lately.

4th of July outfit

Hair

Waking Up

Sonja was REALLY sleepy this day. Normally if we go in to wake her up, she sits up when the door opens. This day we went in, turned off her fan, opened the blinds, rubbed her back, and then started putting stuffed animals in the crib with her. The shirts she and I are wearing were my father's day gifts from this year.

Hiking

Sorry for the lack of posting for the last while. We have been out having lots of fun, which means lots of good photos to post. I'll start with the most recent.

Yesteday Sonja and I and a friend of mine headed up to the Olympic National Park. We hiked a few miles up the Elwha River Valley, explored some old cabins, and enjoyed some great views of the river. Here are Sonja and I looking up the Elwha Grand Canyon.

Sonja was a little ham when we broke for lunch. She walked around using my hiking poles (I shortened them for her), had fun looking for bugs and telling them to get off the log she wanted to sit on, and pulling her shirt over her head.

"I'm Flying, Jack!"

Sonja takes any chance she gets to act out her favorite scenes from "Titanic"

Looking Outside

Seattle Sunshine

Family Photo

More Camping