Say Cheese!

We are back in action . . . photography wise that is. Once the appropriate morning period for the theft of our beloved camera (may she live long in ghetto of Kansas City) was over, we set to work at finding a new camera. No, our morning didn't last long . . . after all our kids are changing everyday, so it was important that we get a new camera quickly so that we may document their growth appropriately. And there was the blog to consider . . . So we found a camera that we are very happy with (we decided on a digital SLR), and we're putting the injustice of having our camera stolen behind us.

So, what's new with the younger Fergusons? They really are changing and growing everyday. Sophia has turned into quite the Big Girl. The other day she told me, "I don't want to be tiny. I want to be big." Sophia has taken to doing all sorts of things by herself. She enjoys picking out her pajamas (Mommy still gets too much joy out of picking out her daytime clothes to let that one go), and has even learned to put some of her clothes on by herself. She also prefers walking over being carried. I have to admit that while I enjoy seeing Sophia reach new milestones and take on new challenges, it makes me a little sad to think that I don't have a baby anymore. I may have a harder time with Sophia turning 2 than I did with turning 30 myself!

My girl does have a way with words. A while back I wrote that Sophia found great power in the phrase "That's mine!" She has recently moved on to "It's my turn!" Like the original "That's mine", "It's my turn!" is used in an attempt to get whatever it is that Sophia wants but is being denied. The other day Sophia was having a grumpy day (we all do occasionally). She had tried fruitlessly to work the powers of "It's my turn!" numerous times to get whatever Grant was playing with at the moment. At one point I picked up Sophia and she started crying. I asked her what was wrong and she said she wanted her blanket. I handed it to her and said, "Sophia you don't need to cry. You blanket is right here." Sophia cried harder and said, "It's my turn to cry!" You know, I can't blame her. Sometimes, for no good reason, I just feel like it's my turn to cry, too. We all have those days.

On a happier note, Sophia and I like to spend quality time together coloring. I remember spending a lot of time in my childhood at the dining room table coloring with my mom and marveling at what a great color-er she was. It is fun now to sit at our little kiddy table coloring with Sophia Grace and having her ask me to add special details to her pictures. She often asks me to "draw Sophia". Sometimes this means she wants me to write her name and other times it means she wants me to actually draw a picture of her. Sophia especially likes it when I add pig-tails to the pictures that I draw of her. I will relish this time in her life when she thinks I am a good artist (if only my high school art teacher had be half as impressed . . . the only "C" I've ever received). I will say that Sophia is quite the artist in her own right. It is fun to watch her concentrate on her artwork and then hear her proudly declare that she has created a "froggy" or "flower" or "turtle".

Grant reached a milestone this week, too. We have been stuck in the house a lot lately because of the cold, so on Sunday afternoon we took the kids swimming. Grant has always loved swimming and has never really been afraid of the water. He took it a new level this week as he learned how to go underwater by himself. He was so proud of himself, and I was too.