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