my little Sophie Wren

So, I had to change my clothes 4 times today. I think we've gone through 2 rolls of paper towels and half a bottle of Resolve, and Roy picked up a package of potty-train-your-dog-pads that I used to line the couch, floor, and pillows where Sophie was laying, watching Sesame Street and Angelina Ballerina. Yes, for the last 24 hours, my child has been a little puke fountain.

Sorry if that grosses you out. I'm well beyond the point of gross.

Tonight she walked up to me at 7:00, said "night" and laid her head in my lap. When I didn't oblige quickly enough, she went to Roy, repeated her desire, and he scooped her up and took her to bed. This is highly out of the ordinary.

For some reason this makes me want to highlight some of Sophie's cuter personality traits that have started to show themselves. I guess it's because even though she was feeling yucky today, she was still her normal self. Silly, serious, talkative, and affectionate. Sure, now her talents include hitting MOST of the bucket when she pukes and eating - well, drinking - chicken broth without the cumbersome addition of a spoon, but oh, she is so much more.

One of the things that brings my heart so much joy is her love of music. She loves a wide variety, but what really makes her stop is opera. If she's fussy in the mornings while we're trying to get ready for work, I turn on channel 19, the Fine Arts Channel. She has loved this channel since she was brand new to the world, but her interest in opera has grown with her. It's as though my Grandpa Bixel is whispering the story in her ear. And whenever I see her stop and look, I feel an immense amount of pride and feel him with us.

That being said, she does love her some Noggin... and what is it with kids and laundry baskets?
She also loves to dance, but rarely alone. If something with a good beat comes on, she'll run up to us and say, "DANCE!" "DANCE!!" She doesn't seem to mind my lack of coordination.
Sophie has this expression she makes when she sees something that makes her happy. It could be the dog. Me or Roy. Granny. Her baby (which deserves it's own blog post). A cracker. It's been difficult to capture on camera, but Riley did a great job of getting this shot at Aaron and Katie's wedding. It's not quite, but pretty darn close.
She is quite the girly girl. She loves dresses, shoes, and jewelry. When Carrie was in town and we were looking through her things, she repeatedly chose the most expensive necklace in the bunch and would wear it around looking proud and beautiful. When Carrie isn't around, however, she goes for the beads. Oh, she also loves wearing very few clothes and has now learned to take off her diaper.
While she is an incredibly silly, social girl, she is also very serious. She is like my dad in a lot of ways, and they share the sign Virgo. If she sees a puzzle piece laying in the middle of the floor, she will put it away before moving on to something else. Her attention span is long. She will get frustrated and get upset, but for the most part she will work on something longer than even I could. Recently, she has fallen in love with the rain.

As she nears the beginning of her 22nd month, I am simply astounded by her old soul and the personality that has flourished. Before I was pregnant, I said in jest that I would be able to bend and control my child to my will. I am shocked - and pleased - to discover that I have no desire to.