ONE

Every time I say it I feel like such a cliche... and I don't think you get it till you've been through it, but man - this year has really flown by. I've got to be honest, it's been an emotional time... between weaning (we made it the full year, YAY!), and Sofia turning one, I've been kind of up and down. The best way I can describe it is that it feels like a mix of accomplishment of making it a year and sadness that my little baby is growing up so fast. It's so hard to believe one year ago today, I had just given birth! I feel like it was just yesterday and I feel like I remember every detail still. Mike and I did lots of "this time last year we were...". It was also very cool that I woke up and looked at the clock this morning and it was 6:45 AM, right when Sofia was born last year. Truly the best day of our lives. I still laugh to myself that the day I was in the most physical pain of my life was also the happiest and most joyful day ever. But, it was the day we officially became a family and when our lives took on a whole new meaning.

While I get nostalgic about when she was just a tiny newborn, I also get excited about all the new and great things she is doing. I am relishing every new little thing she does that makes her more and more of a little person each day. There's not a day that goes by she does not make me laugh. She's quite the little character, that's for sure.

All in all, it was such a happy day and I can definitely say Sofia enjoyed it. She was all smiles and laughs the whole day. We started out with birthday waffles that Daddy made special for Sofie Lu. After her morning nap, we visited Dad at work and had lunch. Then, we did our usual Wednesday at Betty Brinn with August (who turns one tomorrow!) and Ali. They played and played and when we left, August gave Sofia a birthday kiss! The sweetest thing - I really hope Ali's picture came out! Finally, we had a birthday dinner here at home with Grandma and Grandpa S (Grammie Lu gets here Friday, yay!) and out for frozen yogurt which Sofie of course LOVED. (We're saving the cake for her party!) It was a day 100% filled with love.

Our little Sofie, Happy first Birthday to you. You are hands down the best thing we could have ever asked for and I never could have dreamed how much love we could possibly have for you. Each day that love grows and grows and we feel so thankful and blessed to have you.

Where is?

Sofia is getting smarter and smarter. She's saying a a few words I mentioned before and now she also is saying "up" when she wants to be picked up. She'll crawl over to you, pull up on your legs and say "UP!" Sometimes it comes out as "PU". Also, she's identifying objects. A few she knows are: ball, spoon, baby, toes, and she knows people too. The first is a video of the "where is..." game.

Also, she is a dancer. Maybe when she's older I'll have to stop saying "shake your booty" to get her to dance, but right now it's funny. The second is a tame video, she usually gets so into it and shakes her WHOLE body. Where did she get those moves??? ;)

Baby Races

Sofie "the Speeder" Schnieders participated in her first race at the Bucks game this afternoon. Mike and I have been beaming all night just b/c she was so hilarious. Besides being the hammiest little girl out there, she also WON! Super exciting! She clapped when they announced her, and she stopped mid-crawl to wave at Bango and the camera, and only wanted to follow Bango. I used puffs to try and lure her, but she wanted Bango and Bango only...

Try to ignore what I look like here - I just think it's cool Sofia's name is up on the jumbotron

And here's the video of the crawl...

Swim Class

Sofia has been enrolled in swim lessons since she was six months old and we've been taking her consistently. Not only is it a blast but we both think it's important for her to be comfortable in the water and hope she will one day be a strong swimmer like both of us :) It's important with so much of the summer spent at the lake!

So, we finally got around to filming our class last week. Mike came and she was sooooo excited when she saw him (as she always is when she sees her Daddy). She "swam" right to him. Then she practiced a couple of her "jumps".

The Point

As promised, a picture of the point. Talk about capturing the moment. I was just taking a cute pic of her all messy in her high chair and she pointed at me. Love love love it!

Poor lil lady has had a little cold the past couple days. She's pretty much fine overall but extra cuddly which is the only good thing about having a sick baby. She has cuddled so much and let me rock her to sleep twice now. It's the best feeling to have your baby just relax in your arms. It makes me know she feels safe and loved with her Mommy, and that's exactly how a child should feel. I am just so in love. . .

Pointing, Sharing, Snowing

It may be rude to point, but it's way cute when Sofia does it. I still have to try and get a picture or video of it but it happens so randomly and quickly that I can't really get it. She'll point with her whole hand but angle her pointer finger down at whatever she wants to point out. Sometimes she uses her middle finger. It's so funny...

Eating is a whole new ballgame these days now too. We could not figure out why she was always so fussy during mealtime and I think I have figured out that she just wants to feed herself. This is no clean feat...always a huge mess, but I suppose it's something she needs to learn to do! She's already such an independent little girl, ha! She also likes to share with Baxter.

Also, I've included a video and pic of her in the snow after the huge blizzard we got! She enjoyed the snow for a short time... it was cold!