More Beautiful Each Day

Sophia turned 9 months old on May 30th. With each day that passes she grows more beautiful. I can't even count the number of times Ryan and I have looked at Sophia, and then turned to one another to remark, "Our little baby isn't a baby any more. She's already our little girl!"

Sophia is stubbornly independent, especially when it comes to grabbing hold of something she wants (like Papi's iPhone). She's also a constant jabberer. Her little rolls are super ticklish, and she simply cannot get enough of blowing raspberries at Mami and Papi. Her smile is dynamite. When Sophia grins, her lips part to reveal what I can only describe as genuine joy (along with two little teeth). She still enjoys eating anything we put in front of her and is an absolute wiggle worm. Although our little girl isn't crawling yet, she is certainly yearning to be on the move. And when that happens, we are going to be in for one wild ride. Look out, Mocha!

If I had to pick one thing that Sophia loved more than anything else (besides Mami and Papi), it would be music. Her eyes light up and she starts grooving her little body as soon as she hears a beat, especially a Latin beat. Sophia loves making music nearly as much as dancing to it. She pounds on her alphabet drum, the piano, and her flower chime garden.

In less than a week, I'll be out of school for the summer and can't wait to spend that time with Sophia. What have we got planned? Lots of stroller rides to the park, trips to the kiddy pool, and enjoying a little baby story time at the library. We can't wait! Tia Emily has moved close by as well, and Sophia is pretty sure her tia won't be able to stay away from her sweet cheeks for more than a day or two.

Besides that, we'll be helping out with some of the Friends of FANA events this summer. There is a garage sale, golf tournament, and silent auction. We're hoping Sophia's supporters (aka family and friends) will be interested in helping us raise money for the orphanage where Sophia lived for the first 2 1/2 months of her life, as well as for the Hogar where Sophia's birth mother stayed when she was pregnant. Let us know if you'd like to know more. There are many simple ways to give back to the place that gave us the sweetest gift of all.