Our birthday girl!

Our sweet pea is officially one!  Sophia has brought so many smiles and giggles into our home, and we are so blessed to have such a wonderful little girl. 

With a birthday so close to Easter, we thought it would be fun to do an Easter egg hunt birthday party to celebrate our little lady's first year.  

Sophia posing for her birthday invitation.  

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Sophia's personality is starting to blossom.  Since birth, she has been such an easy baby.  She slept through the night so early, and I would have to wake her at 830 am to take Jack to school.  When I was pregnant with Sophia and Carl was deploying, I was always worried about how my stress during that time would impact her.  I somehow got the most easy going little lady.  With that said, she is starting to develop quite the personality.  She is a little more adventurous than her older brother and clearly lets you know when she is not happy about something. However, as soon as you remedy the issue, she is all smiles.

Sophia with her birthday cake.

 Sophia LOVES to eat.  Her absolute favorite food is still blueberries.  She eats them by the handful, and she  could honestly eat a whole carton in one sitting if you let her.  She is becoming very independent and wants to eat everything herself.  She will eat a few bites of yogurt from your spoon but then wants you to fill the spoon and let her feed herself.

Before Sophia began eating solids, Jack would sit with us at the table in a big boy chair.  However, now he insists in sitting in his highchair so he can get close to Sophia and feed her off of his tray. Today, I glimpsed over and they were just sitting there holding hands.

Getting ready for bath time

We have been struggling with the layout of the rooms in the house.  We made the decision to make the back room a "toy free" zone, and have moved the playroom into my old office.  Carl and I are sharing an office now so the kids' playroom can be close to the kitchen.  Jack helped me do a little painting of the room.

A girl thing:  Sophia loves dolls and all stuffed animals.  Jack never really liked them until  he found his one perfect stuffed animal, Buddy, the puppy.  Sophia hugs on every stuffed animal, and finds the dolls and loves on them.

Sophia is starting to talk.  We were sitting at dinner this past week, and all of sudden we heard her say "EAT." It was clear as day, and all four of us giggled. 

For Easter, Carl bought Jack his first fishing pole.  

Showing Jack the bait.  Jack loves to match Carl.  If Carl is wearing his hat, Jack runs out and says" Momma, I need my hat."  

Our first day of fishing

Jack attempting to cast

Walking down to the dock. So excited about their first father-son fishing excursion

We soon realized that Jack needed a life preserver when he was out there.  He now has one!

Where are all of the fish?!?!?

Sophia joined in on the action.  Carl also got Sophia a pole too.

Daddy-daughter momemnt

We are really starting to enjoy our backyard and front yard.  Carl has become Farmer Freeman!  He just finished planting carrots, green beans, tomatoes, cucumbers, strawberries, and new orange and olive trees.  We have four blueberry bushes, which should keep Sophia happy for about two days:)  We also have about 50 little peaches and another 50 baby nectarines and the rest of the citrus are coming along nicely.  We may be self-sufficient by summer!

There were about 180 eggs hidden for the hunt.  I am still finding them.  

Bummed that I am stopping the fun for a picture

Margo and Kim posing for a picture with their new babies!!!

It is hard to imagine that college was 11 years ago.  

Having some lunch!

 When you normally throw a party for a one year old, they barely realize what is going on.  Sophia had such a blast.  She was in the thick of it all.  Crawling and cruising everywhere, and playing with all of the little kids.

Tracey and Tabitha

We were so excited to have the King family at the party.  Margo played such an important role during Sophia's birth and we were so glad she could make it to celebrate her first birthday.  Aunt Jess was also in my thoughts on Sophia's birthday.  I couldn't have done it without those two fabulous ladies!

Margo now has a baby of her own.  Juliette is absolutely beautiful, and I can't wait for Sophia and her to grow up together.

Sophia playing with Cora

Margo and Sophia

Loving on her daddy!

Bethany, Lucy and the newest member of the Farms, Abigail!!!

Sophia has a special attachment to her Daddy.  When he comes home, she wiggles out of my arms to get to him.  He LOVES it too!

Our fab friends, the Harmons!

The super cute Thakkars!

Bethany and Juliet!

Carl giving Sophia her first taste of the icing

Once she tasted that icing, she put both hands on the cake and tried to pick it up. It was too dense and heavy.  

When picking it up didn't work, she decided to go full mouth into the cake and refused to let go!

She literally stayed like this for 10 minutes.  She actually sucked the cake out this way!

Jack was such a great big brother.  For weeks before Sophia's birthday, we talked about the fact that it was coming up.  He loves birthday parties.  He also has pointed out every new toy that we have from the party, and tells me which ones are from her party.  

Still holding on for dear life

Finally she comes up for air!

More cake

Sophia and Juliette

Jack is becoming such a little boy.  He loves to sing songs to me.  In the mornings, I awake to Jack loudly singing Old McDonald at the top of his lungs and he sings all of the animal sounds as well.  There is no better way to start a day.  He  loves his friends, and talks about doing different activities with them.  With every day, he comes up with new phrases and surprises me with how much he understands.

Jack may have a real future as a negotiator.  Recently, Jack has started to 

She made it to every table to play!

Opening her presents!!!  At one year. Sophia weighed 21.1 lbs (50%), 29 1/2 inches long (75%) and had a head circumference of 17 3/4 inches (50%).  The doctor said she was in excellent health. She was a little feisty with the nurse though!