Monday, June 24, 2013

Lubbock

So Sonja and I went to Lubbock for about 3 weeks. Our excuse? My youngest sister, Rebekah, graduating from High School! Say what??? How did she get that old???

I decided that if I was going to go, I might as well stay a while, let my family enjoy Sonja and give Sonja some exposure to more people than.. well, me and the few friends I have managed to make here in California.

I am so glad I did that. I kind of wish I had stayed forever.

Sonja and I slept in my sister, Rebekah's room. I slept in her crazily comfortable bed. I'm not sure why it was so amazing but I swear I've never slept in a bed that comfy before. Sonja slept in her pack-n-play except one night when she slept next to me cause she was fussy.

It was amazing. We didn't necessarily do anything too crazy while we were there, but just being around  my family and the people I love and watching them fall in love with Sonja and her fall in love with them... it was heaven. I feel like she grew a lot, socially. She really loved Bev and Bekah, and it was so nice to have them around to entertain her when I needed to pump. I also didn't feel overwhelmed out there, because I wasn't alone all day like I am here. It was so awesome.

While I was there, I also managed to go to crossfit with my sister, Meghan, and her boyfriend, Nick. It was also awesome. I got my butt kicked so hard both times I was destroyed for at least 2 days afterward. More like 4. Just ask Rebekah... I complained a lot.

My dad sang to Sonja when she got fussy and it always calmed her down. And, of course, Sonja still LOVES her Aunt Meghan. She and I got to spend the night over at Meghan's house when the big storm came with 80 mph winds and knocked the power out along with my dad's tree. She went from fussy and sad to instant happiness the minute she saw Aunt Meghan.

At first, Uncle Nick scared Sonja. He is a tall, broad guy and I'm sure in many ways intimidating since Sonja hadn't gotten a lot of exposure to men, other than Jeff. He won her over by the 2nd or 3rd visit and then she was in love with him too. She really took to him and it was adorable watching them interact.

Rebekah graduated, it was great. I got to watch her graduation and her IB pinning ceremony. She is going to BYU this fall and I am so proud of her. She has blossomed into a beautiful, intellegent, and very sweet-natured girl. She has the kindest heart. I really love that about her. I had so much fun getting to spend time with her and see what she has matured into.

Some of the fun activities we got to do while in Lubbock were going to the Parade of Homes, seeing a Museum, seeing family during the graduation, crossfit, and family dinners. Sonja had a rough time adjusting at first but got over it within the first 10 days or so, and I feel like she still misses everyone. Maybe I'm just projecting though.

I wish I had stayed longer. I guess there is not really a good length of time because I wouldn't have ever really wanted to leave. I just loved every minute of it. I think Sonja enjoyed most of it too.

So.. that was Lubbock.

Sunday, June 16, 2013

Sonja is 5 months! (A little late)

Sonja turned 5 months old while we were in Lubbock staying at my Dad's house for 3 weeks. It was a great time and Sonja developed a lot of new skills while we were there.

I took some photos to commemorate the occasion:

She loves to chew on EVERYTHING including her own fingers.

She's really into the hunger games right now...

Sonja chatting with her Grandma Beverly. She LOVES Grandma Bev. Loves her so much. They are so cute together.
I didn't have the frog with me, so I used a brush to show how big she is!
This month was full of all sorts of developments!

*Sonja has gotten a lot more social, she now babbles a lot and squeals with delight at things.
*Sonja tried her first taste of food this month! She has had rice cereal, bananas, licked a few watermelons, refused a nasty pre-made pear puree and (at 5 months 1 week) tried her first taste of sweet potatoes.
Grandpa feeding Sonja rice cereal
*Sonja is also a lot more aware and interested in her surroundings. She loves shoving things into her mouth, but also seems to acknowledge more things at once than zoning in on one thing at a time like she used to.

She also enjoys channel surfing with Aunt ReRe
*She's more people oriented than she was, and bonded well with all of her family including Aunt Meghan, Uncle Nick, Grandpa and Grandma Hoke, Aunt Rebekah, and of course the dogs...


This is Aunt Meghan's idea of a funny joke
*Sonja flew on her first airplane this month (May 26th)! She's now been on 4 airplane rides! She even got her own pair of wings! 

*wings not pictured here
*Sonja has gotten really good at sitting up! She's very close to being able to do it on her own.

I don't even need this boppy pillow
*Sonja also developed a taste in classic cars (Mommy is so proud).

I mean.. seriously.. what more could a woman want than all this???
*Sonja got into fashion...

like a boss
A mafia boss...
*Sonja acquired some new toys.. like the jumperoo...




But her favorite toy of all time is still her stuffed kitty

*Sonja recognizes Mommy and Daddy for SURE. She definitely is happier in Mommy and Daddy's arms but slowly grew to feel safe and happy in my family's arms as well.

*Sonja still isn't rolling much on her own, but she can.. and she does.. she just seems more into scooting or attempting to crawl (but this developed right after she turned 5 months)

She still hates tummy time.. she looks like a soldier crawling out of a war zone!

*Sonja saw fish for the first time this month... and at first was indifferent, then grew to love them.

I haven't seen "Finding Nemo" do something to impress me

And, of course, Sonja is still making hilarious faces and fun noises. She is really a sweet thing. She loves to pull hair, scratch mommy with her crazy sharp baby talons, and screetch in my ear. She has started doing this weird back arch thing when people hold her, where she puts her arms out like she's going to fly and arches her back, making it hard to hold her at all. That seems like it might've been a phase, though, since it has been happening less frequently since she turned 5 months old (so a week or so of her calming down with that).

She's really adorable, loves kisses, and nuzzles her face into mine. She is my sweet pea.

Her current favorite songs that mommy sings to her are:

*You're my Schweet Schweet Pea
*Who's that Baby Girl?
*Who's that Baby?
*Baby Mine
*Sonja Aurora in the Deep Blue Sea (Like Baby Baluga)
*I see the Moon
*A Bushel and a Peck

Her Current Favorite Activities are:

*Playing in her Floor Activity Center
*chomping on things
*Being held and carried around in someone's arms
*Getting out of the house (But not too long)
*eating

We just found out that we will be leaving California on July 24th, so we will be going back to Austin for a few weeks until we figure out exactly what our next move will be! Can't wait to get back to Austin and see all my old friends!  I will write more about out trip to Lubbock later.