Returning From Our Summer Hiatus

Well, maybe...at least I'm making an effort to update this blog again. Summer, for me at least, has been unbearably hot. The heat, mixed with feeling queasy all the time and usually not having a car, basically led to Sophia and me spending a lot of time inside. Kind of sad, but I just didn't have the energy or will most of the time to step outside.

Now, temperatures are where they should be, I'm not feeling queasy anymore, Henry finished another quarter of school, and I can still sleep on my belly. Life is on the up! And therefore, I'm ready to post some more pictures and clips regarding some of our recent adventures. And I'm working up the energy for some hot topics as posts. I mean, what would my blog be without some steamy discussions?? Anyway, some of the fun things we've done recently are:

• picking fresh raspberries with Sophia. Henry and I gathered about 1.5 lbs, and Sophia ate probably just as much. She was the perfect berry finder this time, because she'd discover all the berries on her level that no one else would notice because they were so low.
• going on a fun date, walking along Olentangy River in downtown Columbus, while having a little picture taking competition. It was fun, relaxing, and romantic - topped off with some hot chocolate at the end of the date.
  
  
  
• visiting our friends in NY, seeing the state fair there, Sophia going on her first ride (she chose the merry-go-round and was beaming for the whole ride), kajaking with Sophia (I was really paranoid and nervous at first, sure that she'd jump into the water, but she did fine), swimming, playing, making smores for a fireplace FHE, ...
  
  
  
• making ravioli from scratch (we opted for a butternut squash filling with pecans and sage, and an orange-butter sauce - it was time consuming, and the dough was a bit tough, but the flavors were great).
  
  
• offering friends, who just had a baby, to bring dinner, and then having to try a new recipe that day, which turned out to be a completely awful meal, that then I had to bring and serve (I just wanted to die, and have promised another meal to redeem myself - unfortunately it was Sunday, and so I couldn't dash off to the store to get other stuff for another meal). I recommend not trying new recipes when you bring dinner somewhere else.
• Henry scheduled a physical months ago, and just had it on Friday. When he went, complaining a bit about a sore throat the day before, they found he had strep throat. Great timing. He also loved that they flushed his ears. I think he still struggles to hear me though.
• We're about to harvest our last tomatoes for this season, which pretty much breaks my heart. Why do they only grow a few months a year?
  

Sophia has been up to all kinds of fun stuff as well. I can't believe how much she's grown and how quickly she's changed from my little baby to...my big girl (baby). Here are some up-dates on Sophia:

• She loves, no wait, LOVES to draw. If I give her a coloring book, she'll sit almost indefinitely coloring away. Her drawing has really taken on shape, with more circles and dots, and her trying to draw specific things. I also noticed that when she colors in her coloring books that she only colors in certain parts (like noses, eyes, teeth etc.)
• She's turned into a little jokster. The other day Henry put her in time-out, and she snuck into the bathroom, and closed the door. She remained completely quiet, until Henry, who was searching for her, trying to figure out where she'd gone, opened the door. Then she burst into wild giggles. I had to laugh so hard, and it was difficult to keep on a straight face while finishing the time-out and keeping up the discipline. Another one of her jokes included snatching a shirt I was about to put on and then running of with it in loud laughter, and only speeding up as I tried to chase her down. Ha! She really cracks me up.
• Sophia's balancing bike arrived. She's already ridden it a few times, even though it's her birthday present, and she thinks she's so cool riding a bike. However, I've noticed that her favorite feature is her helmet, not the bike. She's insisted on wearing it in the house, and to eat, read, and get diaper changes with it on.
• Sophia's understanding keeps growing, which is so fun. It still surprises me at times, when she totally understands certain questions, or what's going on. She's also developing her ow will, telling me what she wants to do or eat, or not, or how she feels. She'll often tell me that she's 'traurig' or 'gluecklich' or 'soooo muede' or that's it's time for this or that.
  
• Sophia LOVES her daddy. I guess she likes me ok, too. But when daddy comes home there is no containing Sophia. She'll giggle and laugh, and hop around, and just wanting to hug Henry and play with him the second he walks in. She often times gets really sad when Henry heads off to school, and will often wake up and comment on how Daddy is at school if he's not home.
• Sophia is full of song. There are so many songs she knows, and where she knows the words, but it's almost impossible to catch her on camera with it. She always wants to watch the 'movies' on the camera, once I pull it out, instead of singing.
• She's gotten more daring. She'll try and 'huepf' (jump) down curbs, chairs, couches, and has been hoping into the pool. She'll also climb as high as it goes on the play ground jungle gym. She still doesn't slide down the tube slides, though.
  
• She says her 'r's like an American, to my dismay...I know she can say the 'r' the German way, but usually she doesn't. :(
• Sophia is still a wild girl in Sacrament, but she totally loves going to nursery. I always have to laugh when I see her around other kids. She usually isn't particularly reverent for prayer at home, but if other kids are around, suddenly she'll sit there arms folded, eyes closed like she does this all the time. What a show-off.
• Sophia is still the sweetest girl towards others. She'll always be willing to hug and kiss others, and spontaneously tell others that she loves them. She is still doing great with sharing, not really throwing any major tantrums, and just in general being obedient.