Sweet Sofia

Baby Eve

2010-05-07T18:57:00.000-07:00

Last week I got it in my head that I NEEDED to be in California for my little brother's graduation. I was TAKS testing at school and as I was walking around and monitoring I began to plan the entire trip. During one of my 15 minute breaks I ran to the computer lab to see what the ticket prices were like. I told myself I would only go if it was less than a certain number. When a fabulous deal showed up, I called Jimmy to see if I could have an early Mother's Day present. He agreed, so I booked the flight for 10:30 p.m on Friday night, two days later.

Sofia and I had such a fantastic time. She was great on the plane, a little fussy at first but she fell asleep after about 15 minutes and slept the entire way there. Graduation at Pepperdine was beautiful and we were all so proud of Tay. I was able to see all of my family and LOVED it.

The best part of all. My sister in law and BFF Jordan was due to have a baby in about another week. I had been depressed for months knowing that I wasn't going to make it back to CA before late June to see the newest baby. We thought this trip was a little bit too early and the next one would be a few months after the birth. Monday morning, my last day in town, my brother Spencer called to let us know that they were on their way to the hospital. About 3 hours later, Eve Taylor arrived. I was beyond ecstatic that I was able to hold that sweet baby before I had to head back to Dallas. She is beautiful and it was such a gift to be able to be there for all of that!

Spring

2010-04-26T13:17:00.000-07:00

We have been having lots of fun playing outside lately (or pretending that we are playing outside by hanging out in the blow up pool). Here is Sofia enjoying the springtime!

My Cheerleader

2010-04-15T05:14:00.000-07:00

I have been attempting to drop some lbs for a while (well...basically I have been doing that my entire life....). I started working out again ( first real work out since Sofia was born...don't judge me) around December, but I finally realized it was time to cut out the ice cream and cereal. And it is rough. Jimmy and Sofia are trying really hard to encourage me to keep it up. And this gem was sent to my work e-mail the other day. Doesn't it just melt your heart?!?

Here Comes Peter Cottontail...

2010-04-06T15:14:00.000-07:00

Easter has come and gone, and we have lots to show for it. There are a few new bunny books on our shelves, more bubbles to be blown, stickers stuck on clothes and walls, some hilarious froggie finger puppets that cause lots of giggles and a new rabbit friend to carry around.

Sofia really enjoyed the day. Our fantastic friend, Melanie, was in town and Sofia was IN LOVE with her. It took her a while to warm up, but soon she was following her all around the house and trying to spend time with her in the bathroom. We went to GiGi and Great Harry's for lunch and Sofia got some more Easter goodies and spent time with her big cousin Elijah. He walked with her all over the farm and jumped with her on the trampoline. He even planned Easter Egg hunt for the adults (Sofia helped a little bit too). Sofia really loved all of the attention and friends and family around.

These pictures are totally out of order....and I am not sure why. But you get the general idea of the day.

Moms and Dads

2010-04-01T20:11:00.000-07:00

So many times during my day I think to myself "I wish I was at home with my baby...." I have become a somewhat bitter working mother. I am always trying to figure out how to cram hours of activities and books and quality time and nutritious food and bonding....into the 2-3 hours I have with Sofia in the evenings and the weekends. I feel guilty when I am at work and heartbroken on the days when I walk through the door and she barely notices me. I sometimes (often) find myself envying moms who get to stay home and soak up all of this precious time with their children. I worry that Sofia and I will never be very close or that I am less of a mother because I am away from her during the day....

All this to say, I realized the other day as I was driving to work that I am EXTREMELY lucky that I have a husband who is willing to work night shifts so that he can stay at home with our daughter, and who tries his hardest to do all of those things for her that we both think are important. He does everything I ask (I am kind of a backseat driver when it comes to parenting...I love to "suggest" things he should do during the day with her) and he does it with a smile. He makes her spinach and carrot smoothies in the morning, be reads books to her, he talks to her in Spanish all day long, he makes her take naps at the same time everyday, he takes her to the park, he lets her play in fountains and touch turtles at the lake, he puts her on Skype during the day so her grandma in Peru and my parents in California can watch her playing...he is an amazing father and Sofia is flourishing because of their time together. She usually is waiting for me at the top of the stairs when I get home, and if she isn't it is because she is laughing hysterically at some kind of game she is playing with her dad. She is learning so much from him and we are all so blessed that our lives have led us to this point in time.

And as for me, I am thankful that I can help provide for my family, I am thankful for the weekends and the nighttime routines and summer vacations and Spring Breaks. I am thankful for a job that ends at 4:00 and a husband that cooks and does laundry so that I can spend all of the free time with my baby girl. I am thankful for a husband that has dedicated himself to his children and his family. And I am thankful for my sweet Sofia!

Fun Fotos

2010-02-13T08:23:00.000-08:00

I have taken a lot of pictures of Sofia lately....but we are dealing with an ancient computer/digital camera combo that makes uploading them close to impossible. I had a marathon picture uploading and editing session yesterday...so we are good for the next 2 months. Here are some of the cute shots that we have gotten of Sofia since Christmas!

Enjoying some spaghetti.

Just some random pictures of her playing one evening. She is like The Incredible Hulk. She is always picking up her bike and wagon and carrying them around the living room. Here she is taking Big Bear for a spin on the bike.

Sofia decided to wear her Peruvian poncho to help me pick up the mail.

Jimmy and Sofia picked me up from work one night and we took Sofia to play at the playground inside the Galleria. It was a good time to go because there weren't many kids there (we are super nervous when 10 year olds tear through the playground knocking all of the toddlers down).

I am not sure how she ended up in this outfit, but I wish I could find an excuse for her to wear it more often! She loves wearing her hair in a 'pony', by the way. I realize that she looks like Pebbles, but she thinks it is so hilarious to look at her self in the mirror.

These are the pictures that I included in Sofia's Valentine's cards that she sent to grandparents and aunts and uncles. She is wearing pajamas in these shots, but I thought they were too adorable to go undocumented.

These shots are of Sofia playing at various parks. It as been way to cold lately to participate in her favorite pastime, but we are looking forward to the day when the sun shines on our neighborhood park again.

Happy Valentine's Weekend!

Snow Day!

2010-02-12T09:25:00.000-08:00

Dallas is covered in SNOW! Luckily school was cancelled for me today, so Jimmy and I were able to take Sofia to the park and frolick in the snow. She is wearing some really awesome shoes that are too big...that coupled with the fact that the snow reaches her knees made it really hard for her to get around. Here are some pics of our adventures.

Christmas at GiGi and Great Harry's

2009-12-24T07:36:00.000-08:00

One of the biggest blessings that Jimmy, Sofia, and I have here in Dallas is our extended family. When we decided to move here after we got married, I knew that having my grandparents and Aunt and Uncle here would make it alot easier to adjust, but I never realized what a huge difference it would make in our lives. They do so much for us, and I am not sure how we would function here without them. The best part of having family here is how much they love Sofia. It means so much to me to have people here who want Sofia to be happy and who are willing to babysit her, who invite us over to dinner and spend the whole evening holding her, who delight in her happiness and who spend lots of time loving on her. We miss my mom and dad and Jimmy's mom so much, and I wish that Sofia was getting to know her grandparents more, but I am so thankful that she is getting to know her Gigi and Great Harry and Aunt Jan and Uncle Randy.

Last night we had our first Christmas celebration and it was a blast. Sofia was so little last year that we didn't do much for Christmas, so this was her first real taste of the season. We went to Gigi and Great Harry's house in the afternoon and spent lots of time outside. It was a beautiful day, so we were able to just play and play in the yard. Sofia loved playing with GiGi's big blue ball, watching the puppies run around, looking at Great Harry's reindeer in the front lawn and getting LOTS of attention from everyone. After a yummy dinner, we put on Elmo's Christmas Countdown for Sofia to watch while everyone opened presents. The hight light of my night was the gift that Aunt Jan and Uncle Randy gave to Sofia. Every year on Christmas Eve Harry would read The Night Before Christmas to my brothers and me. My mom even has a picture of him reading to us all in our Christmas P.J.'s. Jan found a recordable version of the book and recorded Harry reading the book to Sofia. It was such a moving present and something that I am so happy I will have for my children to listen to every Christmas Eve!

W e had to do an outfit change because Sofia kept getting into all of the mud and water bowls and other yucky outdoor things.

Watching Elmo with GiGi and Great Harry.

Ready to go home with her new dolly from GiGi and Great Harry.

Festive Fun

2009-12-22T12:46:00.000-08:00

Here are some shots of what we have been doing on our VACATION!

We helped GiGi and Great Harry with the hay on their farm

We went to Santa's Village in Richardson. It was OUT OF CONTROL. I am not sure that Sofia knew what to make of all of those people.

Sofia helped me bake some Christmas cookies. She LOVED the green sprinkles.

We went to hear Santa Claus read a story at Northpark. There were sooo many kids there. After the story Sofia had some fun playing on the planters and looking at the turtles and ducks.

Here are some pictures of the Christmas decorations that my mom sent me. We didn't get a tree this year because we knew that Sofia would have pulled it down in like .02 seconds. My mom was sweet enough to send us some fun blue and green ornaments that we could decorate the house with instead of a tree.

We also have not purchased a stocking for Sofia yet....it is her second Christmas and we are still rejecting her. Nice.

It's nice to be home :)

On Vacation!!!!

2009-12-21T11:16:00.000-08:00

We are so excited for Christmas in a few days! Well, I am excited, Sofia has no idea and Jimmy is just putting up with me at best. The best part of all is that I get TWO WEEKS to spend time with my little girl. We have big plans....library, Elmo, Santa at Northpark, the lake, walks to the park....basically everything I wish that I could do with her on a daily basis!

Here are some fun pics of took of Sofia this weekend. I was trying to get a good shot for our Christmas card, but she did not want to keep her hat on or look at the camera. She is way to busy for me and my camera....

P.S. Side not on Sofia's new Vans....I always read this blog Lullaby Lubbock and dream that I had the style and creativity of these ladies. They are always doing the funnest things with their kids and embarking on new crafty adventures. Their babies have rockin Vans, and Jimmy has been trying to talk me into buying Vans for Sofia since birth basically. I found a website www.6pm.com that sells discontinued styles of Vans for like 60% off....and I was hooked. Be expecting a pair in every color soon.

Hope that you all have a Holly, Jolly, Christmas!

Happy Birthday Sofia!

2009-11-30T10:56:00.000-08:00

I cannot believe that my baby girl is already one! It seems like the last year has gone by soooo fast. I remember so clearly being pregnant with her, and the days leading up to when she was born, but the fist few months of her life went by in a blur. It took us a while to really get into the groove of things. She has brought us so much joy, I cannot even imagine what we did or looked at or talked about before she came along!

We had quite a birthday extravaganza last weekend. On Friday Sofia had some friends from her play group over for a small par-tay/play date. It was so sweet of them all to make the trek on a Friday afternoon. Our little home could barely hold everyone, but it was lots of fun. I am crying inside because I really didn't get that many pictures. There were about 6 babies/toddlers there and 10 adults. Sofia wasn't really sure what to do with that many people in her house, but she took it in stride and learned to love her company.

Saturday was equally as exciting because Grandma and Cousin Ellie, Aunt Jordan, and Uncle Spencer came into town. They came for Thanksgiving/Sofia's birthday and we were sooooooo happy to have them here. We had been talking about it for months and Sofia was pumped. It really made her birthday so special to have such important people here to celebrate with her. When Sofia and Ellie saw eachother at GiGi and Great Harry's, they became fast friends. Ellie is a fabulous cousin and was so sweet to Sofia.

Sunday was Sofia's actually birthday and the family party. Aunt Jan let us have it at her house (we learned our lesson on Friday and opted for a larger location on Sunday), Aunt Jan and Uncle Randy, Cousin Elijah and Cousin Kyndal, Gigi and Great Harry, Grandma, Aunt Jordan and Uncle Spencer and Ellie and Mom and Dad all helped Sofia celebrate one fabulous year. My mom bought some flowers and balloons to liven up the place and I made the same bumblebee cupcake that I made for her play group (since she was a bumblebee for Halloween). Jimmy made a video showing pictures from Sofia's first year (it was so sweet and he worked hard on it!) that we watched after dinner. Sofia LOVED her first taste of cupcake...she dove right in and didn't look back. She also got some great presents (an Elmo music c.d where Elmo says Sofia in every song!, some great shoes and an outfit to match her cousin Ellie, and her very first tea set.) It was a great birthday and we are so thankful to our family and friends for helping us to celebrate.

Here are some pictures....somehow in all of the hustle and bustle, my camera didn't really make it out of the case much.

The bumblebee cupcakes. They were a hit!

Some friends at the party. It was so sweet of all of the ladies to brave Friday traffic to celebrate with us.
Opening presents. Sofia's little friend Kameron was so sweet. He handed her all of her gifts and made sure she was excited about each one. He even helped her try on her new Dora sunglasses.

Watching a little Elmo's World together.
Playing with her new Fridge Farm from Issac.

All ready to go and get Grandma from the airport.

Sofia and Ellie playing at GiGi and Great Harry's house.

Enjoying some pizza and salad at the party on Sunday.

Sofia LOVED her birthday cupcake. She really went to town.

She also had lots of fun playing with the balloons that Grandma got for her party.

This is a rough shot, but it is the only picture we got together on her birthday.

Since we missed Ellie's birthday in September, she also got some presents to open at the party. Here she is swaddling her Elmo doll.

Sofia is rocking her new b-day pj's and playing with her new tea set.

It was a great weekend! More to come on Thanksgiving week.

Cruisin'

2009-11-03T08:58:00.000-08:00

Sofia has been really interested in her wagon and her little bike lately. Here are some shots of her cruisin around the house.

She and Jimmy took a trip to the lake in Rowlett yesterday and he took some cute pics of her walking on the bridge.

Here she is with our new Swiffer...ready to help us clean.

Just some fun pics of our curious baby girl!

Buzz, Buzz, Buzz...

2009-11-03T06:52:00.000-08:00

First of all, a million thanks to my fantastically talented BFF Emily for re-doing my blog for me. I love the new design! She is so talented and creative and I always love it when she gives me something that she has made or designed (i.e. she has given me some ADORABLE personalized stationery). If anyone is looking to spice up their blog, Emily is your lady! She also designed her own blog, which you can check out here.

Now, onto Halloween! Sofia borrowed a costume from my friend Kelli's daughter Elizabeth, and it was a hit! She was the best looking bumblebee in town. She loved to look at herself in the mirror in her costume....she knew it was pretty impressive.

Jimmy and I took her to a family fair in the afternoon. There were booths for the kids and lots of information for parents, some bounce houses, trick or treating, and a costume contest. We even found a consignment shop in one of the rooms selling gently used toys and books and games for kids. We were able to score some birthday gifts for her for quite a bargain!

I also met up with some friends from work to take her Trick or Treating. We had so much fun (even though we went a little too early and were hard pressed to find anyone ready for Trick or Treaters...still awesome). Sofia had fun hitting the town with Avery the ladybug and Cameron as their bodyguard.

After Trick or Treating we went out to eat with GiGi and Great Harry and Aunt Jan and Uncle Randy. I was supposed to cook dinner for them, but the day did not go as planned, and I basically failed at that so we went out to eat instead. She LOVED all of the attention from her great grandparents and great aunt and uncle and she had a blast walking around the restaurant, showing off her costume. All in all, a successful first Halloween!

Pumpkins, Parks, and Pajamas

2009-10-04T20:09:00.000-07:00

This post has a ton of pictures, so just make sure you are ready for that!

We are stoked that it finally feels like fall here.

Sofia has been on the move lately. She started walking a few weeks ago (at almost exactly 10 months), and she is VERY proud of herself. She is not really what I would call a professional, but she can sometimes make it across the room without falling. We have been taking advantage of the cooler weather and enjoying the park nearby. We spend most of our time on the swing, kind of checking everything out. We also went to the pumpkin patch this weekend (which was more of a hit with mom and dad, but Sofia was cool with it) and we had to go on a shopping spree. The combination of cooler weather and Sofia's size required us to stock up on a few essentials. She is so tall that we had to buy 18 month clothes for her. All of the 12 month outfits are pretty unattractive length wise on her...and probably uncomfortable.

Jimmy had a night off so we went all out and made a trip to Ikea. Because of the cool weather, Sofia NEEDED to wear her baby Uggs...

Loving the swing!

More fun at the park....

These are some of Sofia's new P.J's. I love babies in pajamas....

We went to a pumpkin festival in Flower Mound on Sunday. It was glorious! The weather was a little rough...kind of muddy and drizzling, but other than that it was great. We had a little picnic, took tons of pictures, played in the bounce house, rode the train and found three perfect pumpkins.

We had a great time and can't wait to go back next year!

Sneak Peek

2009-08-25T18:58:00.000-07:00

Sofia had her first official photo shoot while we were in California. A good friend of mine from childhood has become an AMAZING photographer. She took our beautiful engagement and wedding pictures (which I absolutely love) and she offered to take some pics of Sofia and her cousin Ellie. I am so glad to have these adorable pictures of the girls together. If anyone is in the California area and looking for a great photographer, Joy is your lady!

Here is a sneak peek:

http://wildflowersphotos.com/blog/ellie-sofia-their-parents/

Beach Babe

2009-07-17T22:40:00.000-07:00

We continue to take advantage of our time in California with trips to the beach, pool parties, fireworks, walks on the pier, ice cream, swinging, uncles, sand castles, sunglasses, tennis, picnics, crawling...

Summer is too short!

SoCal

2009-06-29T20:40:00.000-07:00

We have been in sunny California for about 3 weeks now and we are really loving our time here with family and friends. I am so excited for Sofia to get this much attention from her grandma and grandpa and all of her uncles (and fabulous aunt!) She is also getting to do lots of fun things with her adorable cousin Ellie. They have been swimming in their mini blow-up pool, they went to see farm animals and pick fruits and veggies at a local farm and and Ellie introduced Sofia to the California shoreline.

"Swimming" in the backyard.

At the beach.

Enjoying a MumMum.

We also had the chance to spend some time with our good friends Heather and Pancho and their daughter Kendra. Heather and I met while teaching in Chile and we both met our husbands there. Their daughter Kendra is a cutie ...she is smart and full of energy. She is like a miniature version of both of her parents.
Kendra busting a move.
Sofia loved eating all of Kendra's toys.

Mommies and babies.

Life

2009-05-30T08:00:00.000-07:00

We celebrated a half birthday at Casa Chalco-Paz last week. Truthfully, we didn't actually celebrate, we just mentioned the fact that Sofia was already six months old. I can't believe how quickly the time has flown. I love the age that she is right now, learning something new every day and growing more and more independent, but at the same time, I am already missing those early newborn days when we just held her all day long. Some of the things that Sofia has been blowing our minds with lately:

She can sit up all by herself.

She can pull herself up in her crib when she is already in the sitting position.

She is eating rice cereal and we just started her on vegetables this week. So far we have had some avocado...next on the list is sweet peas!

She has just barely started sleeping though the night....a combination of sleep exhaustion on our part and her refusal to cuddle with us anymore has forced our hand. We just put her in the crib and hope for the best and she seems to be loving her new found freedom. She has slept for about 10 hours a night for almost a week now.

She has been swimming and she LOVES it. I foresee a summer filled with trips to the pool.

She found her voice...and loves to holler and yell when the mood strikes her.

She hates to hug or cuddle with us...but she will give kisses (or eat your nose) when forced.

She likes to play hide and seek with her dad...I know that you aren't buying that one, but I promise it is true. It is the funniest thing to watch. I need to post a video.

Here are some shots of how awesome she is at six months:

Checking out the ice skaters at The Galleria.

Picnic at the lake.

Play date with Maxwell and Hayden. Impossible to get a picture!

Reading with Mommy.

Bathtub shenanigans.

Swimming.

Cousin Brooks' Birthday.

Walking at the lake.

We cannot wait to head west in a few days for the whole summer!

Yummy

2009-05-10T20:11:00.001-07:00

We couldn't wait any longer so we introduced Sofia to some delicious rice cereal the other night. It was a huge hit.

She as not a big fan of the high chair...but the food obviously blew her mind.

Here are some other random pictures from the weekend.

We have a glorious limousine of a stroller, but Sofia prefers to cruise in this $20 umbrella stroller...go figure.

She is waiting so patiently to go out to dinner with Emily. Such a good girl!

Happy Mother's Day!

2009-05-10T19:34:00.000-07:00

What a fabulous first Mother's Day with my sweet Sofia! All day long, I just kept remembering how lucky I am to have such a smart, sweet, healthy, beautiful baby girl. I love being Sofia's Mommy and I pray that we have many more Mother's Days together.

Jimmy planned a very fun day for us. We had a delicious picnic at the park and just spent some time hanging out and enjoying our little girl.

Sofia slept through the first 30 minutes of our picnic.
The glorious spread.
Sofia made a lovely centerpiece.
What a princess.
Having some lunch.

I love these pictures of Sofia and her daddy.

Happy Mother's Day everybody!

Riverdance!

2009-05-10T19:12:00.000-07:00

We got a new toy for Sofia the other day and it really makes her kick up her heels and get groovy!

COUSINS!!!

2009-05-06T19:03:00.001-07:00

This past weekend Sofia's cousin Ellie came to visit with Aunt Jordan and Grandma. It was so fantastic! We spent lots of time catching up, eating, going on walks and enjoying some fam time. We wish that they all lived in Dallas so that we could live it up like that all of the time! I can't wait for Sofia and Ellie to be BFFs like their moms. Someday....

Ellie was very sweet with Sofia. Hey, want to be friends?

Sofia and Grandma. Sofia is ecstatic that she gets to spend the summer with Grandma!
Ellie got some awesome new boots for GG's house.

First time on the trampoline at GG and Great Harry's house.
Ellie lending a helping hand.
Giving kisses.
Loving the trampoline!
Sofia is really getting into reading. I love this picture!
We took the fam to the Dallas Aquarium, our favorite place. We think it was a big hit.
With GG and Grandma.
Grandma with her little ladies.

Great Harry took the girls for rides on the tractor. It was obviously thrilling for them! Somewhere there are pictures of Ellie's dad and me at that same age, cruisin on the tractor!

We had a glorious time with our California Kin and we can't wait to spend more time with them this summer.

2009-04-26T15:45:00.000-07:00

We have forgotten to take a lot of picture the past few weeks. Here are some of the things we did capture on film:We have so many cute dresses that people have given Sofia but most of them have been too big up until now. This winner is from her Tia Stephanie!

Just hanging out at home.

The lake near our apartment.

On Saturday we went to the art festival in Southlake. We think she has learned how to work it for the camera. As soon as we pulled it out she started flashing us her winning smile.

Happy, Happy Easter!

2009-04-12T18:33:00.000-07:00

Hope that everyone had a fabulous Easter. We had a great weekend. Friday I had off from school so Sofia and I were able to meet some friends for a play date. Sofia really enjoyed it and we both felt like it was a great way to kick off the three day weekend.

Our neighborhood had a pretty sweet Easter party on Friday afternoon so we took Sofia to check it out. There were bounce houses, a DJ, face painting, and an Easter Bunny. Obviously Sofia was too young to enjoy most of it, but she always loves to people watch outside.

The Easter Bunny stopped by our house and left Sofia some goodies. Naturally she was blown away by her gifts.

Sofia loved the presents that Grandma and Grandpa sent from California!
We didn't really get a great shot of her in her Easter gear. She looked cute, I promise!

After church we headed out to Ovilla to Gi-Gi and Great Harry's house. Sofia loved watching the older kids hunt for Easter eggs.
She and Daddy were ready for a nap by the time we got home. It was a fantastic first Easter with our sweet baby!

Roll Call

2009-04-12T18:23:00.000-07:00

Here is a video of Sofia rolling over! This is the first time Jimmy and I have seen her do it, although we have reason to believe that she did it when we weren't watching...

Dallas World Aquarium

2009-04-05T18:45:00.000-07:00

This weekend the Chalco-Paz fam headed to the Dallas World Aquarium for a day filled with rain forest creatures and sea animals. We had been considering hitting up the aquarium for a while, but after the disappointment that was the Dallas Zoo, we were reluctant to spend the money. Luckily, the aquarium was AWESOME. It was totally worth the money and we can't wait to go back! We are just waiting for someone to come and visit us in Dallas so that we can take them there. Obviously Sofia was too small to really love it the way that Jimmy and I did, but she was as interested as one can expect from a 4 1/2 month old baby.

Sofia wasn't really sure if she was cool with what was about to go down.

The layout of the aquarium was pretty neatt. You start on the top floor and spiral your way down through the wonders of the rain forest. We are ready to go!
It was so crowded that we had to squeeze into the corner to take a fam picture. We don't get many pictures of the three of us, but we were excited about this one!

She fell asleep for about 30 minutes in her stroller, but by the time she woke up we were at the coolest part of the aquarium. She seemed really interested (or else she was just being nice and pretending like she was interested for Jimmy and me).You can't tell here, but we are in the shark tank. The penguins were adorable. I had to include a picture.
By the end of the day, Sofi was ready to roll on home. We all had a fabulous time and we can't wait to go back!

What a Weekend

2009-03-31T19:14:00.000-07:00

The Chalco-Paz family had another rockin weekend in Dallas. Sunday was Jimmy's birthday, so we did some fun B-day things ( it is interesting that Jimmy and I both just dreamed of sleeping in and laying around the house on our birthdays....we don't get many opportunities to do that). Saturday was FREEZING so we spent a lot of time in the house. You can only do that for so long, so we eventually escaped to do a few laps walking around Northpark Mall. Sofia loves to watch the people there and she even sat in her stroller for about 20 minutes.

On Sunday Sofia and I let Jimmy sleep in and then the 3 of us went on a picnic at the nearby park. It was glorious! Sofia loves anything outside, so we are always looking for new (free activities) where she can enjoy the great outdoors. That evening we had a delicious meal cooked by my Aunt Jan in celebration of all the March birthdays.

Sofia continues to blow our minds ( in a good way). She is grabbing on to EVERYTHING (especially Mommy's hair!!) and she loves to play with toys that she can grasp. She is so close to rolling over, we think she is going to bust that move any day now. She had her four month appointment last week. She gained SIX lbs and she grew several inches. She is getting large and in charge! She is totally in that gloriously cute chubby stage ( basically the only time in your life when it is acceptable and encouraged to be that chubby!). We are loving watching her and the new things she discovers everyday.
Some may say that Sofi is not really old enough to ride in her stroller without the infant seat. I can't say I haven't noticed the looks from other mothers when they see my 4 month old cruisin' like this...but it is the ONLY way we can get her to sit in the stroller for more than 30 seconds!
On a walk with Dad at the lake. Just checking things out.
Sofia is really starting to love looking at herself in the mirror. Nothings cracks her up more !
Jimmy got her some awesome new outfits and fun bibs and shirts in Peru. Here she is wearing the 100% Peruvian bib that he got her.
Afternoon at the lake for Jimmy's birthday. Sofia is starting to boycott the camera, so we have a hard time getting any good pictures of her smiling. We are trying to get creative with our shots...but this is the best we could do!

Feliz Cumpleanos

2009-03-25T17:59:00.000-07:00

I realize that this post is totally out of order, but I wanted to put up some pictures of my awesome birthday a few weeks ago (the 14th!)

The day started off magically with Jimmy offering to hang out with Sofia early in the morning so that I could go back to sleep for a few hours. When I woke up he sent me off to Target to spend a gift card that he and Sofia had given me. All I really wanted to buy were cute ensembles for Sofi, but I managed to find a few things for myself.

I noticed that morning that there were quite a few people in our hood decked out in green and walking toward Greenville Ave with coolers and lawn chairs. We were not quite sure what was going down, but then we realized that a St. Patrick's Day parade was headed our way and we wanted to be a part of it. We raced around the apartment attempting to dress Sofia in her finest green threads, put on a hat and boots, strapped her in the Baby Bjorn and headed outside...only to discover that the masses were all headed back to their cars and the parade looked like it was over. We were slightly disappointed, but when we realized that most of the parade goers seemed to be inebriated, we decided that it was not the place for our 4 month old baby.

Jimmy and Sofi took me to a delicious lunch at Primo's in Uptown instead. I love Mexican food, so it was the perfect choice.

Sofia and I in our St. Paddy's Day gear at the restaurant.

My delicious Birthday treat!

Sofia helping me blow out the candles.

A fantastic birthday/early St. Patrick's Day!

Welcome Home Papa!

2009-03-23T18:24:00.001-07:00

Sofia and I just returned from a successful trip to the airport and we brought Jimmy back with us. Sofia was very excited to see her dad again and we are all happy that he had such a great time in Peru!

Jimmy had a fabulous trip visiting his family in Peru. He especially enjoyed some much needed time with his daughter Adriana. We can't wait for Adriana and Sofia to meet...as soon as Sofia is old enough, we are winging our way to South America for a sisters reunion! Jimmy and Adriana spent lots of time with cousins and they even found time to start the process on Adriana's passport. Hopefully she will be able to come to the States soon to visit us!

While Jimmy was away Sofia and I tried to keep ourselves very busy. We were lucky enough to receive an awesome new toy, on loan from our friend Elizabeth. Sofia is really enjoying rocking out in her new excersaucer!

On Sunday Sofia and I made the drive out to Ovilla to visit GiGi (aka Doris). We had a delicious lunch at an Italian restaurant and Doris made us some peach cobbler. We went out to look at the horses, but Sofia wasn't really that interested and one of the horses tried to eat her. I think we will wait a while before hanging out with the horses again.

I am so sad that I have to go back to work tomorrow. It was amazing getting to spend so much time at home with Sofia. I felt like a real mommy! I am sure that Sofia will be glad to be back in her routine with Jimmy, but I can' t wait for summer!!

Laugh Attack

2009-03-20T07:59:00.000-07:00

For those of you who missed this...

New on the Block

2009-03-19T19:22:00.000-07:00

I have been stalking various blogs for a few months now, wishing that I had something cool enough to blog about myself. Now that Sofia is on the scene, I figured it was as good a time as any to enter the blog world. Hopefully our family and friends will enjoy catching a glimpse of Sofi and our daily life!

This week I am on Spring Break and Jimmy is in Peru, so it is just the ladies at home. My college roommate Emily came for a few days to visit and we had a fabulous time. Basically we spent the past 5 days eating and watching Sofia. We went to the Arboretum with Kelli and her daughter Elizabeth on Tuesday and we went shopping and had Sprinkles cupcakes on Wednesday. Sofia loved spending time with Emily, she was mesmerized be her the entire week. I loved having some helping hands and catching up with a fantastic friend!

Sofia is getting bigger every day! She has been a funny baby from the beginning, she just wants to see the world. She is the most content when someone is holding her and she is facing out so she can watch what is going on. When I was pregnant I pictured myself getting back into shape by talking long walks with Sofia siting happily in her stroller...still waiting for that to happen. She will sit in a stroller for about 2 minutes and then she starts screaming until someone picks her up. You would think that the answer to this problem would be the Baby Bjorn, but she hates that as well. Something about being in our arms....at least we know she likes us! She loves to grab at things and she really throws a party when we put her on her floor gym. She can play with that for hours (well 15 minutes, but we take what we can get)! We are still working on sleeping in the bassinet or crib...she is getting there, but she would much rather someone hold her the entire time she sleeps. I try to appreciate all of the time that we get to spend holding her...someday (probably too soon) she is not going to want us to hold her that much.

We are having a great time together, but we will be excited when Jimmy comes back!