Sophie's first birthday

Today is Sophie's first birthday. It is so hard to believe! It seems like just yesterday that we were headed to the hospital. Of course, being the girl in the family, you may remember that she made her grand entrance right on the cusp of the ice storm of 2009.
Sophie was born on Monday morning, and it started snowing Monday evening. The only visitors that made it were Sheila and Denise from school, Mom and Dad and the boys, and Tony's mom and sister. No one else could make it. The weather was so bad that doctors and nurses weren't getting to the hospital. We debated whether or not to stay at the hospital as boarders rather than drive in the ice with the baby. However, home had heat and electricity and the hospital was on a generator. So here's poor Sophie bundled to go home:

And this is what greeted us when we got there:

Since the weather was bad, the photographer at the hospital couldn't make it to take pictures. Sophie had her picture taken at four days old at Sears.
What a difference there was this morning! Tuesdays are crazy busy days for me. I usually help with play practice after school and then head straight to UofL. I was determined to celebrate with Sophie, and I wanted to be the first to do it. So I got up at 5:00, showered and dressed and then Tony got the kids up so we could have a breakfast birthday party. Here's Sophie sporting her birthday shirt - (note the boots, it was actually snowy again for her birthday)

Sophie was excited to be in her high chair. She looks like such a toddler!

Yeah! A bib! Bring on the chocolate chip muffins!
Here's Sophie "blowing" out her candle. If the camera's wobbly, it's because Tony and I were trying to keep her hands from the candle.

I wanted a picture with Sophie before I headed to school. The first one is nice. The second one shows how obvious it is that it was early in the morning. Sophie was done with pictures and decided to hit me instead.

Sophie at one:

I can stand and balance, but I won't walk yet - crawling is faster!

I can feed myself!

I like to drink out of Mommy's cup, but refuse to use a sippy cup.

I have a mind of my own!

I scream and throw things when I'm mad.

I love my dog!

I can say "mmm" when I like food, "mama", "dada", "buh" (bye) and several "d" combinations meaning dog, Aidan, and Andrew.
Only the hair on top my head is long enough for a ponytail.

I like to put my hand to my ear and pretend to talk on the phone.

I like to hide things in Mommy's kitchen drawers.

I am persistent, especially about interrupting my brothers' board games.

I love hugs and give super open-mouthed kisses. (My brothers like to tell me to kiss the opposite brother so he gets licked)

I am loved a lot!

Stay tuned for traditional cake-ice cream-and kids pictures when Sophie celebrates with her cousins this weekend. (Assuming, of course, that the big winter storm coming this way miraculously misses us!)