Date:

May 1st, 2003

1 May 2003, by

Yesterday I told Sophia that tomorrow was going to be her father’s birthday. Her eyes lit up and she said “baglaglagla” which is Sophiaspeak for balloons. I told her I thought balloons were an excellent idea. Apparently, in Sophia’s world, birthdays and balloons are inextricably linked. This morning I asked her if she’d told her Daddy “Happy Birthday” yet. She immediately turned to him said,”Happy Birthday” much to our astonishment. She understands quite a lot of what we say to her and each other. It’s amazing and terrifying at once. She’s also started greeting people when they come in the room “Hi Mama!” she’ll say cheerfully when I approach her. Then, after I’ve said my hellos, she’ll add “How you doin’?” to which I’ll reply that I’m well. This works both ways. If I ask her how she’s doing she says “I fine.” I find it so sweet that she’s excited and eager about all these little social transactions.


So, Easter was fantastic. We took Sophia to the sunrise service and she was mostly well-behaved, though we did have to take a walking break when she got restless. Then when we got home the Easter bunny had left her a basket. Outside in the yard he’d left her plastic eggs and she caught on to the concept of hunting the eggs and putting them in the basket very quickly. All the grandparents went completely overboard with the gift and candy giving, so we had to implement a severe rationing system. The words candy and chocolate were both learned in the space of the weekend, chocolate with an enunciation that approaches perfection. Sophia does not want to be misunderstood when asking for chocolate. I would say to her “You may have one chocolate egg. Just one.” She’d look at me solemnly and repeat “Just one.” I’d unwrap it and give it to her and she’d gobble it up, relishing it and giving herself quite the smeared face. Then she’d sip some water, look up at me and say “Chocolate egg? Just one.” I’d then have to explain that she’d already had the just one. She didn’t really put up too much of a fuss when I wouldn’t give her more, though, so I think she was just seeing how much she could get away with. She got about 6 little plush bunnies, half of which I’m putting away so that she can get them again next year.


This past weekend was also full of excitement and fun, as Sophia’s Grandma and Grandpa came to visit. I told her they were coming several times in advance, so I think she was eager to see them. They all had a great time. They got Sophia her birthday gifts, and they were extra cool. They got her one of those turtle sandboxes, and she loves to play in it, even though it doesn’t even have sand in it yet:






They also got her this super cool picnic table that turns into an easel:







She spent the better part of the weekend in the backyard drawing with markers I had bought for her on that table. After every couple of scribbles she’d hold up her paper and call “Grandpa! Grandpa!” at which point he was supposed to look over the artwork and admire it, which of course, he dutifully did.


Yesterday Sophia refused to sit for a portrait. This is the second year in a row that she’s flatly refused to have her picture taken. The daycare provider said she was so traumatized that she had to sit in her lap all during lunch and be fed.

Continue reading

Powered by WordPress