Santa

Sophia created a wish list (more like a wish book) for Santa this year. The items she consistently asks for are a "Pee Pee Dolly" (a doll that comes with a potty), a dinosaur and a donut shop. She had more things she cut out and put in the book but she only really asks for those three things. When we ask if that is all she said, "That's enough."

She did not want to sit on Santa's lap again this year. We waved to him a few times at the mall. This weekend we went to the train museum and Santa was making an appearance. There were no lines to visit with Santa so I sat down with Santa and talked to him. Sophia then joined me and told Santa that she wanted a "Pee Pee Dolly" and a dinosaur. Santa asked Sophia to leave some cookies for him and some carrots for his reindeer. We then took a train ride with Santa. He handed out candy canes. Sophia was thrilled.

Sophia loved the museum. We need to visit again when we can spend more time outside (it was COLD) She was hoping to see Thomas but he wasn't there. Maybe we will see him this Spring. She loved checking out all the trains and couldn't believe how big they were.

It is so nice to see the joy in Sophia's face. She truly appreciates the little things in life. She throws her arms around me and says, "Oh, thank you, Mama" when I straighten her room. Sophia and Baba had a special night on Thursday while I was out at a meeting. They ate dinner picnic style on the rug, went to the park, played cards, read and watched TV. She told Baba when he was putting her to bed, "This was the best night." She says it with such sweetness it could bring tears to your eyes.

Thanksgiving

We have so much to be thankful for. It has been a hard year for so many people. We are thankful to have jobs, even though we sometimes complain about going to work. We are thankful to have a house, even though it is a very tiny one. We are thankful for good health. We are thankful to have wonderful family, some close and others farther away than we would like.

We were able to spend a day with family that live close by, Grandma Beadle, Grandma Bev and Pop Pop. We had a wonderful Thanksgiving dinner and spent some time looking at videos of Nick when he was young.

Dance Recital

Sophia took a ballet class through the Rec Department. She loved the class. We take gymnastics every week which she LOVES but it is a parent-child class. I was a bit worried on the first day of ballet that she would want me to go in to class with her. We talked about me waiting outside the room and how she would go in all by herself. To my surprise she walked in without looking back. She was so proud of herself. She told her teacher that she could come in all by herself and that mommy was waiting outside. She is really growing up.

The ten week class ended with a small dance recital. Sophia was in the purple Angelina Ballerina class. On the way to the recital Sophia announced that she had to go potty NOW. We pulled over at a fast food restaurant and sure enough she had to go. We finally got to the school where the dance recital was taking place and she went in to sit with her class. After the first number she turns to me in the audience and says I have to pee. We run out. As soon as we left, they called her class to the stage. The entire class and audience waited for us to return. She joined her class on stage and danced a beautiful dance. She seemed to shine on stage. She remembered a lot of her dance and her favorite part was walking around in a circle holding hands with a friend and taking the bow.

We went out for her favorite food, Chinese, of course, after the recital. We hope to enroll her in another session this winter.