Sweet Soph,

Here are a few picture from Christmas. You got more toys and gifts than any of us know what to do with. You lucky girl. I love you.

XO,
Mom

My Soph,

I can't believe how big your getting. I was looking at the picture below and thought to myself, "You look like a little girl." You no longer look like a baby. Where has the time gone? I used to hate when I'd hear people make comments about how their boy who just left on a mission was a baby just yesterday but I'm starting to understand now.

You've said your first legitimate word. It came on Christmas Eve and it couldn't have sweeter. Your first word: SANTA. I about died when I heard it come out of your mouth. Of course, you can say things like "wa wa" for water or "ba ba" for your binky, bottle, or ball but I was so excited to hear a full word come out of your mouth.

What a sweet girl you are, Soph. You make me so incredibly happy! I sure love you. I hope you never ever forget that. EVER! I love you.

XO,
Mom

Walking in Secret

Sweet Soph,

The other day I was in Julie Brenning's kitchen doing her dishes for her when out of the corner of my eye I see you walk from her living room into her kitchen. WHAT?! Since when you could even take a few steps? I burst out laughing because I was so surprised.
The best part about the whole situation is that whenever I look over to watch you walk, you smile at me and sit straight down on your bum. You don't like walking when people are watching. You've done it over and over the past few days. The only way we can get a peek of you walking is if it's out of the corner of our eye and you don't know we're watching.
You funny girl! I sure love you. You never cease to make me smile or make my heart melt when I think of you. Never forget how special you are to me.

XO,
Mom

Lesson #4 - Share

Sweet Soph,

I can hear you in your crib as I write this. What a good girl you are. I am beyond blessed to have you.

Today we were playing outside in the sandbox. You loved it and wanted to eat the sand and wood chips on the playground. As I was observing the other kids outside I noticed how many of them don't know how to share yet. This is such an unappealing, selfish trait in people. Of course, the kids playing outside today were little and didn't know any better. Don't be one of those kids though.

Share your toys, nice words, and smiles. Share your happiness, your wonder for life, and your well mannered spirit. Share your food with those that don't have any and your friendship with everyone. Share! It's important and it will make you so much happier when you learn to give what you have so others can be happy too. An unselfish person is one of the most attractive traits in a person. Be that person.

I sure love you, Sophia. What a blessing you are in my life. I wonder every single day how I got so blessed to have such a perfect, well mannered, happy, easy baby. Never change. Okay? I love you, Sophie. I always have and I always will. XO

Love,
Mom

My Sweet Soph,

You're growing so big and it's happening far too fast. You're 1! It seems like you should still be a few months old. Where did this past year go? I always thought people who said that were dumb and exaggerating. I was wrong - so wrong. This past year has gone faster than I've wanted or have been able to capture. Just like that it slipped away. I still can't believe it.

We went out for a one-year-old birthday shoot with grandma yesterday and this is what we came up with:

I thought going into this shoot that you'd only eat about 1/4 of the cake. I was wrong - very wrong. You ended up eating the entire cake all to yourself. You are your father's daughter. You love to eat. You never get full. I love that about you.

The past week or two I've watched you explode with curiosity, wonder, and adventure. I can't tell you how fun it has been to watch you explore, find interest, and try to figure things out. You're so smart and getting so big. Please never lose that sense of wonder. I love that about you.

Slow down with the growing, please. It's happening too fast. I sure love you, Soph. I always have and I always will. You never ever forget that. Ever.

Love,
Mom

Lesson #3 - Laundry

Soph,

Just a little tip about laundry - separate your whites/lights and your colors. It will make life so much easier and your clothes last so much longer.

I did a colored load of laundry tonight with one of your light colored outfits. After it was dried I finally  realized how dingy and warped the colors are.

Do yourself a favor and separate your laundry before putting it in. You'll be glad you did. I promise.

I sure love you!

Love,
Mom

My Sweet Sophie,

I just couldn't get enough of you today. Putting you to bed for the evening was the hardest thing. I wish I had hours more to squeeze you, kiss you, and adore your smile. How did I get so lucky to have such a perfect baby? I ask myself that every day.

I'm lying in bed right now wishing I could just freeze you in time - your smile with all eight teeth showing, the way you blink both your eyes when I blink at you, your love for your blanket, your petite body, the way you cuddle in when you get tired, the small gap in between your two front teeth, you laugh, your ticklish belly- every single part of you. I wish you could stay like this forever. It makes me sad knowing that you can't and even more sad to know that one day you are going to grow up and move on. You'll always my Sophie no matter where life takes you. Always.

I sure love you, Sophia Madeline Bellamy! I always have and I always will. You will always be the girl I thought I'd never get - my best friend in the entire world. Don't you ever forget how much I love you. XO

Love,
Mom

Lesson #2 - Be nice!

Soph Soph,

One day when you are a little older you are going to realize that there are a lot of people in the world who are different than you. Some may have different beliefs, are involved in things that you've been taught are wrong, from different countries or practice different religion, may not have a lot of money, look or act different...etc. The list goes on and on. Be nice to them! Be nice to everyone but don't overlook the people who may be different than you. I'm not asking that you become best friends with them, just that you are nice to them when they see you. I hope people look at you and know what your standards are and know that even though you may practice different beliefs or ideas, or have a different situation, that they are not judged by you - that you can still be nice to them. That's important. All it takes is a smile, or a wave, or a simple "hi" as you pass them. It makes a world of difference to so many. Be nice. Don't jeopardize your standards to fit in and be best friends with every person in every friend group but make sure to be nice to everyone regardless of if you are in that group of friends or not. Take it from me Soph, you'll be so much happier when you do that. I sure love you, Soph. So much. I can't wait to see you grow. XO

Mom

Lesson #1 - Wipe your bum.

Sweet Soph,

In a year or two kids your age are going to go through a phase where they forget to wipe their bum after going to the bathroom. I don't know if they really "forget" or just feel lazy. Regardless, You are NOT allowed to go through this phase. It's one of the yuckiest, dirtiest things a kid can do and no matter how clean the little kid really is, they just seem so dirty. I can't tell you how bad I just want barf when I walk in the bathroom, go over to the toilet, and see a little poop sitting there with no toilet paper. I don't know what's worse - not wiping, or leaving evidence that you didn't.

Take it from me, Soph, you don't want to be known as the girl who doesn't wipe her bum. Gross! So, in the future when you go to the bathroom and the little kid who used the toilet before you forgot to flush AND wipe, don't you dare try experimenting what it's like. A million kids your age already have.

So, wipe your bum. It will save skid marks in the undies and assumptions that you're dirty.

I sure love you, Soph! I always have and I always will. XO

Mom

My Soph,

I'd like to inform you about a new found interest you quite enjoy doing lately. BUM ITCHING! Now, it's not quite "new", you've always done it, but lately it has been quite frequent and you seem to like itching under the diaper. I'll turn around or look over in the car and you will  be strapped in your car seat with a leg lifted in the air and both hands itching. It doesn't matter how many times I pull your hands away - they go right back down there immediately. Your bum is pure jello. It's not even dough - it's so squishy. I can see how it may be fun...just not appropriate. I do secretly find it pretty dang cute though! I sure love you Soph! Don't you ever forget that. XO

Mom

My Sweet Soph,

The past few days we had the chance to stay in this beautiful cabin in Heber for our Bellamy family trip. Saying that you were a good girl is such an understatement. Despite having no naps, a new place, and sleeping in a pack and play, you were phenomenal. I am the most blessed mom in the world. Seriously. You were so good THE WHOLE TIME! Gosh, I'm lucky. Here are a few pictures from the trip. Hope you love them as much as I do. I love you, Soph!!! So much! You make my world so happy. You never forget that. XO

Mom



I loved this picture of you and Matthew on the couch in your hats. Your face is the sweetest. It makes me want to squish those cheeks of yours.



Aunt Hils let you borrow that clip for the day and I couldn't help but take a picture. I was convinced that clips wouldn't stay in that wispy hair of yours but I seemed to be wrong.



Now, I know this may not be the best picture but I loved it. This is the classic Bellamy family cousin picture on the stairs. You sat there like a champion all by yourself.



Gosh, I love you!



You are your dad! 100%!!



I am so glad that your trained in front of the camera. You know just what to do the second a camera is pulled out. Those photo shoots with grandma have really paid off.



I had to throw this is. I hope that one day you can look up with oodles of family pictures.



Your Birdie and Lu love you SO MUCH! They couldn't get enough of you the whole trip. You couldn't have a better fan club.



What a good girl you are. Even with sunscreen in your eyes and a rash on your face, you still were such a good baby!



I love that face of yours.



Of course I had to take a picture of you in the bath. You love your baths (thankfully) and you're just too cute.



I adore this picture. That face of yours makes me smile.



Look at that smile. You're always so quick to grin. Please never change!!



Lu - your second mother. She fed you, changed your diapers, helped pick out your clothes, and carried you around with her the whole trip. Gosh, she loves you.



You and your Lu!!

My Sweet Soph,

What a happy, good baby you are. I have wondered to myself literally every day since you have been born how I got so dang lucky to have you as my baby. I still haven't found the answer. I'm just grateful you're mine.

I'm also grateful that you have those little bunny chompers in your mouth. They make me so incredibly happy to see when you smile as silly as that sounds. Dad tried convincing me the other day that you had more teeth coming in on the bottom next to your middle two. I didn't believe him. I fed you your bottle the next day and sure enough there is another little tooth popping up. Oh, how I love that.

Here are a few pictures from recently. I hope you love them as much as I do. I sure love you Miss Sophia. You make my world so incredibly happy. You never forget that. XO

Mom

Dear Sophia,

On Friday I got my wisdom teeth out. Your dad said on the way home I balled and balled as a result of me telling him how you were my best friend and how I wished you had teeth and could talk to me. Not more than a few hours later one of those wishes came true. You have two little bunny chompers coming in right in the middle of your mouth. I can't wait to until they pop up more fully. I sure love you so so so much. Don't you ever forget it.

XO, Mom

Dear Sophia,

Today was Race for the Cure down at the downtown Library. You were such a good girl. Here's a few pictures. I love you.

XO, Mom

Dear Sophia,

Today we woke up and went outside to play on the swings in the 400 court with all the other kids. In the mornings everyone meets over there to play and in the afternoons everyone comes to the 500 court. You sure love those swings. You could sit there for hours if I let you.

I sure love it here, Sophia. This place makes me happy. Today I looked around while you were sitting on your blanket under a tree, playing with all your toys and was so happy. It was sunny and all the moms were out chatting. One of Olga Moses's girls was jump roping in the shadow of building. Jocelyn Isaacson and Jeseppi Depola were in the sandbox throwing sand and playing with each other, Annie Moses was dragging a plastic play vacuum behind her bike, Knox McFarland was riding his bike around the court, and other kids were out playing on the playground or seen pushing the big, red plastic car around the court. It made me happy. I may take this back when we buy a house one day but this little place is close to perfect. Even with it's cinder block walls. It's safe here and we live in this little community where you have the chance to get to know your neighbors so well. Everyone is in our same situation and our ward is wonderful. Aside from all those wonderful things, the thing that made me the happiest this morning was the little body sitting on her blanket in front of me.

I have been a terrible slacker with this blog. I am so bad at keeping up one, let alone two. I hope that one day you can enjoy all these pictures and letters even though they come over long period of time. Enjoy. I LOVE YOU!

XO, Mom

This was from today! Gosh, you love those swings.

This was also from this morning. I love that little face.