Summer has begun

The nice weather has allowed us to do all sorts of activities we miss out on during the cold winter months.  Over the last month or so, Sophie and I have been keeping busy, as usual.  We meet friends from the south at Edworthy or North Glenmore Park and go for walks or play at the parks. 

While home, we take many, many walks around the block; sometimes we go three times around the block at once, the first trip is in the wagon, then the pushcar, and the final lap is in the stroller.  We stop and pick up rocks along the way, and we often make a stop at the park on our street. 

The park is most fun when we run into someone we know, either Jack, Danika, Chris, Sophia, Emily, Sannah, the other Danika or Austin.  The boys usually want to walk Baron around the park, with the exception of Chris who is usually already out walking Caramel, and the older girls think Sophie is so cute and try hard to get her to play with them or go down the slide with them.  Unfortunately for them, Sophie is mostly interested in picking up the rocks.  We bring a pail and a shovel and she can spend a significant amount of time just sitting and scooping.  Sophia and Emily are the same age as Sophie so they are usually happy sitting in the wagon together as I walk them in circles.  It can lead to a disaster if we run into them with the pushcar because only one child can sit in it at a time and it is hard to share at this age.  Sophie is getting better though.

A couple weeks ago we met Nat, Rob, Shay and Tova at the zoo.  Sophie enjoyed seeing all the amimals.  She had a hard time understanding why she couldn't give them all hugs.  She hugs her dog all the time and he loves it!  She also learned a new word while we were there - peacock.  She had trouble with the pronunciation and could only manage to get the last half of the word out.  I had a hard time not laughing since this lovely bird has free range of the zoo and seemed to show up where ever we were encouraging Sophie to yell out her new word.  Kids do say the darndest things! 

One thing Sophie loves is babies, real or pretend.  She now has a second baby doll, given to her by her other Mamie, who she carries with her all over the house.  When we visit friends, Sophie is more interested in watching the babies than playing with the older kids.  Is she trying to tell Ryan and I something?

Once a week Sophie and I go swimming.  At first Sophie didn't really seem to enjoy the pool but now she loves it.  When we get dressed or do the laundry and she comes across her swimsuit, she insists that I tie it around her neck and goes straight for her shoes.  When I tell her we are going to the pool, she calls it a bath.

It has been so much fun watching Sophie learn to talk over the last few months.  She is picking up new words daily and putting ideas together that amaze me.  It has made it easier for her to let me know what she wants and we enjoy listening to her think or play out loud. 

To see our pictures from the month of May, click here.