Sophie's photo session

When they've been quiet for a while while you were trying to get something done, you know they are up to something.  I was busy in kitchen and on the phone when I decided I needed to check on a little one who had been just a bit too quiet.  This is what I found.  Sophie had gotten her hands on my good camera, lined up all her babies and was having a photo session with him.  

 I guess for most 3 year olds this would be pretty dangerous but Sophie has always been a very careful little girl.  She very rarely gets hurt and she is super careful with most things including my camera.  I let her have her fun and I grabbed the iphone and snapped away.

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The Bed....Part 5

I spent yesterday putting up the new bed and getting all the covers washed and the pillow shams ironed.  When I was finished, Sophie looked at the bed and said, "me want my baby bed back."  I know how she felt.  But it doesn't take long to get used to change and in no time Madison had her excited about sleeping in her new bed.  He crawled up in it with her and together they talked to Katelin Farmer  (Madison's girlfriend) via Facetime and I thought how funny and sweet it was to have my two kids playing around in the same bed.  One 17 and one 3.  It wasn't so long ago that he was little and moving out of a baby bed.  I am happy to say that Sophie did great her first night in her "big girl" bed.  Daddy couldn't help but go in there before work and wake her up.  He crawled up next to her and loved on his baby for a few minutes.  He couldn't do that when she was in a baby bed.   Even though it's a twin bed she looks so little in it and I realized that just because she is out of her baby bed, she will always be my baby no matter how big she gets.

The new bed.

Sophie trying out her new bed.

Talking to Kaitlin.

Waking up in her new bed.

The Bed...Part 4

My Dad, Pappy,  and I took his truck to pick up the new bed.  He then came over to help me take down the baby bed.  Camden came home from work and said, "maybe we could just leave it up a little longer.  If she stays in her baby bed then she stays a baby, right?"  I wish it were that easy.   This ended up being harder than I thought it would and I began considering putting this off for a few more months.   The problem is, even though we were having a hard time letting go, Sophie was excited about her new bed and so we kept going.  

The Bed....Part 3

So I realize that Sophie is going to need a new bed soon and I'm going to have to replace the beloved baby bed with something special but I have a little problem....... a really tight budget.  What do you do when you need a new piece of furniture with a certain look and you need to do it with as little money as possible......?  Why you call in Mamoo Bobby of course.

My Mom aka-Mamoo Bobby.

My mom loves furniture.  I cannot remember a time when she wasn't buying old furniture, refinishing it, trading it or moving it around the house.  We joke in our family that there isn't one person (I have 27 first cousins mind you) that doesn't have something in their house that once belonged to my mom.   She has helped out everyone.  Her specialty?.......beds.  My mom is obsessed with "good" beds.  She has 5 bedrooms in her house and each bed is as comfortable as the next.  She has a lot of company and she wants them all to have a nice bed when they stay at her house.  I have seen her pull out every pillow at TJ Maxx and squish it to make sure they are just right.  Not too soft, not too firm.  The sheet thread count has to be high and the mattresses have to be soft.  My cousins and I tease her that it's because she grew up with nine siblings and she spent most of her life sleeping on a rollaway bed with 2 of her sisters in the middle room of a shotgun house.  If she were Scarlette O'Hara she would be holding up her fist exclaiming, "As God is my witness, I'll never have a hard bed again!"

When I told Mamoo what I needed she was ready for the hunt.  We started with the local Peddler's Malls, hit a couple of Goodwill Stores & Habitat for Humanity.  We made our way to a few of her favorite antique malls.  We even drove to Elizabethtown.  

Sophie pushing a cart through the Peddler's Mall.

We shopped for a week but found nothing or at least nothing we would have for a special little girl.  Then my mother remembered something that just might work.  Years ago she had bought an antique white wrought iron twin bed from an old lady who sold them out of her home.  My mom had special mattresses made for it because the bed was a little larger than the twin beds you buy now and she wanted them covered in ticking stripe material just like what  would have been on the bed originally.    It was in our house for years but ended up with my niece Victoria when she was a little girl.  Mom remembered her saying recently that she had outgrown the bed and hadn't slept on it in years.  I couldn't remember what the bed looked liked exactly but I trusted my mom.  Victoria sent me a picture of the bed and I knew it was perfect!  Not only was it pretty but I loved the idea that it was staying in the family.  

   

The Bed....Part 2

All of my hard work getting Sophie's baby bed together paid off.  She loves her bed.  She has always been so easy to put to sleep.    I will read a few books, rock her, say prayers then kiss her sweet cheeks and neck as I lay her down.  She will curl up in the corner and happily go to bed.  

What I see as I enter her room each morning.

   

Sophie has never done some of the things other kids do in their beds.  She has never tried to climb out.  She has climbed in to get a doll but then she will yell for one of us to come get her.  She never  sits up or stands  in her bed.  When she wakes up, she will yell, "mom" and wait for me to come in.    When I do she is still curled up in her covers, cuddled in, waking up slow and lazy.

She is slow waking up in the morning and afternoon.

I've known for a few months now that I needed to start thinking about a "big girl bed" for her.  Even though she is content in her baby bed, she has been wanting to sit in it and look at books.  She has also been potty trained for awhile and I felt she needed to be able to get up and go potty if she needs to without having to wait on someone to get her.  The time just seemed right.

The Bed....Part 1

I love Sophie's baby bed.  When we decided to adopt and knew that it would be a little girl I had an idea of the kind of bed I would like and this one was it and so much more!  It is a creamy white with beautiful tall posts and you can even add a canopy to if you choose.  A perfect bed for a baby girl.

 Like most of the furniture in my house, my mom found it for me.  I was working at Brown Forman one day when I got a call from her telling me she saw the prettiest bed at Marshals and I need to go look at it.  I headed over there after work and from across the store, before I even got a closer look, I said "that bed is going home with me today!"  It was the one.

When we moved into our current home, putting that bed together was one of the first things I did.  It sat in Sophie's room for almost a year as we eagerly waited the day when she would occupy it.  

I made the bedding and purchased the softest, pinkest, cuddliest covers I could find.  It was really important to me that she have a nice, comfortable bed.  I knew living  in an orphanage our daughter probably wouldn't have a nice bed and so I was determined she was going to have a wonderful one in her new home and this bed fit that desire.

I didn't think it could get any better....but

I have gone to scrapbook camp twice a year with same wonderful ladies since Madison was a baby.  It's my time to get away for a weekend with other women who have my same interest, scrapbooking.   We share ideas, family stories, laughs and our troubles.  I love these women who range in so many ages, backgrounds and styles.   This year it just wasn't in the family budget and I was so disappointed.  On Friday I got a text from Jill that said, "just come up on Saturday and spend the day."  (It's good to have one of your best friends in charge)  I jumped on this, threw some photos and supplies in a bag, got up early Saturday, kissed the family goodbye and headed to Indiana.  I am very rarely in the car by myself on such a pretty day and I took advantage of it.  I hooked up my ipod, turned the music up and just enjoyed the 30 minute drive.  As I turned off the exit, it felt in a way like going home and seeing family and I was so glad I made the effort.  After spending the day laughing, catching up and doing a few pages I said my goodbyes, packed up and headed home.  It was a great day.  After arriving home, catching up with everything and hearing all about how UK won the game today, I picked up my little girl and headed to the rocking chair.  I didn't think the day could get any better till that little bundle of sweetness cuddled in closer and said, "me so happy your home mommy."   

Loppies, bubbles and fertilizer

I LOVE THIS FACE SO MUCH!!!!!

It was nice to have a warm day after so much winter weather.  Sophie and I had to run to Target and while there I let her pick out a new bottle of bubbles.  She loves them and she picked out the biggest pink bottle Target had.  We came home and she slipped into her favorite "too small" loppies and headed out front for some fun.  Pappy was tending to one of his spring chores, fertilizing his front yard and Sophie waved to him and showed him her new treasure.

I'll never stop worrying about him

Several months ago Madison asked if he could drive to Cincinnati to see his girlfriend, Kaitlyn.  At the time I said yes thinking I would worry about it later.  Well later came and on Friday, he headed out of town.  I was angry the whole day.  I was angry at myself because I said yes, I was angry at Camden because he wasn't worried with me and I was angry at Madison for going!  Madison is a great kid.  He is very responsible but he has never driven outside of Jefferson County.  His friend Brandon was going with him.  They printed their map on Map Quest, made their playlist and headed out.  It was his first "road trip".  I held my breath and prayed for two hours and was so relieved to see the text "we are here".  Now I could relax till Sunday when he would be driving back home.  I cannot tell you how happy I was to see that old white station wagon pull in my driveway this afternoon.  I know he has to grow up and do grown up things but it's hard on a mamma.  I'm not sure I'll ever quite worrying.

Baaaste

I have no idea how to spell my title.  This is the best I can do.  This is what Sophie calls her brother.  She has since she started talking and won't even try to say his name right.   When I tell people that I have a 17 year old son  they always want to know how he is with Sophie.   My answer is the same.  He is a great big brother and loves her very much.  He is also a teenager and is busy with work, friends and school.  Lately he has been even more busy and he hasn't much time for her.  This weekend he put aside some of the things he needed to do and made time for his baby sister.  I couldn't have been prouder.
Last night he put on her shoes and coat.  Strapped her into her car seat, drove her to Walgreen's where he let her pick any candy she wanted.  She chose immy immy's (M & M's) and a Hello Kitty pez dispenser.

Even though he works as a Lifeguard at the Y, he took Sophie there today on his day off to swim because he had promised her he would on the way to church.  Baaaste is a great big brother and Sophie is so lucky to have him.