Sophia's birthday party

We threw a party to celebrate Sophia's 1st year... and I lost my camera that day... well, I didn't really lose it, it was just put away in a special place that I'd forgotten about.... until after the party was over. :(

as a result, if you didn't see it yourself, you'll just ahve to believe me that everything was beautiful and that I wouldn't have been able to do it with out my party helpers....

and if you were there and took a picture.... can I get copies of those from you?? :)

the little church

when we were on vacation, there was a TINY Church that we would pass on our walks, we'd tease Matthew that we were going to take him there and that he'd have to say Mass because there would be no room for anyone else in the Church....

a few weeks later, he asked when we were going to go to that tiny Church. ... :) His memory amazes me sometimes. :)

Fire Aunt Will!

a little transformers mis-communication....

Thanks for the gift!

Another little tradition that's gone on this week is the sharing of toys with dad for work time use.

let me explain....

Just before Erik will leave for work, if we're awake, Matthew will find a toy and give it to his dad to borrow for the day, you know, so he can play with it at work when things are slow...

imagine Matthew's delight when dad came home with a gift for him...

that's right- not only did Erik bring back the truck that Matthew handed over that morning- he also pulled a used sandwich container and a picture of Matthew as a baby out of his backpack. Matthew was over the top thrilled, he rushed the gifts to his room, where they stayed until he fell asleep that night.

Erik didn't mean for these things to be 'gifts', but I guess when you love someone that much, it doesn't matter what they hand over. If you perceive it as a gift from the heart, it's as good as gold!

Yum

Oatmeal chocolate chip cookies are good.

We made these by request of Matthew, who likes to take a cookie back to his room after dinner so he can sit with Dad and "talk about our day".

needless to say, Sophia has to eat her cookie in the kitchen in her high chair.

So cute how little things become traditions....

we're out of the cookies now, so maybe we can swap in an apple....

us

here's a self portrait of us. in most that we took, Sophia was smiling way more than this, and Matthew was looking off to the side or making a funny face. silly kids. I love them so much. :)

masked vigilante

Sophia found it quite fun to join in the super hero fun last week. She cracks me up with some of her little "requests"- for a bow in her hair or some other accessory. It amazes me how she can communicate to well with hardly a word.