videos

It's been awhile since we've posted any videos...so here are a couple from tonight. The first one is of Sophie's laughter that we just cannot get enough of. The second one showing some fun times in the tub (maybe we have a future ballerina???).

Hope they make you smile (:

p.s. just a disclaimer, I go back to work on Monday so the posts will slow down. Just trying to cram as much into a break as possible!



** the second video was deleted by photobucket because they considered it obscene. Trust me it was cute though!!

zoo

Yesterday Sophie and I went to the zoo with Oma (Mike's mom). It was great since most of it was indoors. We took the monorail around the rest of the zoo to see the other animals as well.

watching for the dolphins

pet the sharks tank

looking at animals

we had to stop and say "cheese" - she insisted

on the monorail...those are bison that we're looking at


time to go night-night...she was a tired little girl by the time we got home!

hodge podge

here's a sampling of the past several days...

"I didn't do it" - gansta Sophie (yes, she walks around with this on)

Thursday night "vigil" across the street from Maxwells

sporting our Maxwells gear at our first try at finding a temporary relocation

at the Children's Museum, sitting on THE steps at the Sesame Street exhibit

learning how to snowboard

future teacher?

playing in the water...she would have spent all day here if she could

visit to KC

Got a little sidetracked with Maxwells, but here are some pictures from this past weekend when Sophie and I flew down to KC to visit my family. She again did fantastic flying. We even had to fly through Chicago, so there were 2 flights and layovers to deal with but she never really put up much of a fuss. I'm hoping that she'll always do this well traveling but I'm sure it'll come to an end at some point!

maxwells

Today a fire pretty much has destroyed (so it seems) our favorite, and really only, regular hangout. For the past 7 or 8 years, we have shown up there. I can't think of a single Thursday that no one from our group has been there, including holidays. Now, to a lot of people you won't be able to understand how important of a place this was to us. It probably sounds weird to hear people so bummed about a bar, but here are some of the reasons why this place has played a significant role in not only our lives, but most of our closest friends -

* it's where we always knew we'd be able to see our friends in the midst of increasingly busy lives
* new friendships were made as the group got larger
* numerous games of cribbage have been played
* many family dinners
* celebrations...birthdays, achievements, goodbyes
* date nights for Mike and I...we loved the times we could go and hang out there just us
* many of those friends who have moved away try to make sure they're in town for a Thursday night
* this is where we told many of our friends when we found out we were pregnant with Sophie
* we had incredible service, and even had our own waitress, Kari, who took care of us and always stopped by to chat
* we were given Maxwells glasses for Mike's birthday, a Maxwells onesie when we had Sophie
* and finally, maybe even most importantly, it's the place that became a comfort to us whenever we needed to be together. Most recently when Carleton died, we all knew we needed each other and there was not even a question of where that would be.

Without getting too overdramatic or cheesy, it is tough to lose a place that has meant so much. I think we all feel a little lost. We rarely went anywhere besides there or someone's house when we'd get together outside of Thursday nights.

Sophie's first trip to Maxwells

celebrating Greg's graduation

mike's dream...

good memories...

sad day

fully covered in ice
(thanks to our friend Jim for sending us these pictures)

busy busy busy

today Sophie and I took advantage of our new family membership to the children's museum. She had a blast and was all over the place. I was even worn out when we got home! They had a Sesame Street exhibit there and she walked right up to the picture of Cookie Monster and did her Cookie Monster impersonation. It was hilarious! Here are some of my favorite pictures from today.

shopaholic?

Tonight Sophie and I met a friend of mine at the mall. She insisted on carrying her bag as well as Lindsey's (which she also put her blanket in). It was quite a sight to see her walking around the mall carrying 2 bags. Lindsey and I thoroughly enjoyed having Sophie entertain us tonight (: (as well as having a chance to catch up!)

hanging out in the kids area

she spent quite a bit of time just hanging out in this boat

just a cute picture from today...she pulled her bumbo seat (she's started enjoying it again) up to her music table to play today. Lazy or creative? Not sure yet.

superbowl party

We went to the the party room at some friends' loft to watch the Superbowl. Sophie was a champ and made it through the game without any major fussing. She even had some moments where she had us all laughing.

watching the game

time to get silly

uncle matt making a sophie burrito

the silliness continues...

she really had way too much fun with this table runner...