The Ritchey's...

We recently visited Washington D.C. [again] but this time met up with our Lubbock-ites, Eric and MJ. Weather was so much more enjoyable and we loved getting to catch up with our friends. Sophie totally made two new BFF's and knew them by name within a few hours. She loved sniffing flowers with MJ and had a secret crush on Eric sharing her beloved "silly-bands" with him. She liked to walk with them and show them all the big trucks passing by too.

Unfortunately, I forgot my camera and theirs was jacked so I only have my phone pictures...sigh.


[Smelling flowers]


[Playing coaster flip and catch...??? Sure, we'll call it that]

So this trip we visited the NARA to view the original Constitution, Bill of Rights and the Declaration of Independence. Sat for drinks at the Willard Hotel were the term ‘lobbyist’ originated when Ulysses S. Grant was in office (1869-1877). Apparently President Grant would frequent the Willard Hotel to enjoy brandy and a cigar, and while he was there, he’d be hounded by petitioners asking for legislative favors or jobs. It is said that President Grant coined the term by referring to the petitioners as “those damn lobbyists.” [Were thinking of you Dad while we were here!!] And we took Sophie to the National Aquarium.





Thanks guys for letting us crash your vacation. We had so much fun and miss you already!!

Congrats to the Percival Family on their new addition, Miss Libby!

Hope everyone reading is having a great week!! Love.

Eighteen Months...

It's been an entirely new world for Sophie this past month. She's all over the place and LOVES to walk. She's figured out how to dance standing up and walks around in circles. [It's all part of her dance routine] She loves STICKERS!! I probably pull about 10 stickers off the couch, the ottoman, the floor and my feet 20 times a day. She likes to stick them on her legs then pull them off saying "AH!"...as in "OUCH!". Hilarious! She can eat an enormous amount of blueberries but has become quite the difficult eater. UGH! Bribery has worked wonders...for now.




[iPhone pic of stickers Grandma mailed...turn your back for 2 seconds...]

She loves to throw her trash away...and anything else for that matter. Still our little book worm...new favorites are "I Knew You Could" and "Pinkalicious" . She likes to "tickle, tickle" and LOVES the park slide. She likes to pick flowers and sniff to see how pretty they smell. Her new bracelets she finds in Mom's bathroom drawer...[hair rubberbands]. She knows where the snacks are and will beckon you to open the pantry door so she can pick something. She loves her baby dolls and likes to push them in her doll stroller. So sweet how she hugs them and pats their backs while rocking them in her arms.





She likes to be rocked for a few minutes before bedtime while you hum or sing her a song. We're teaching her the alphabet and she's learning new words everyday. She tries so hard to say what we say and for the most part...she can! Okay, so I'm bragging here...but seriously she's got to be the smartest baby on the planet!





Next up...POTTY TRAINING!!! AHHHH!!

And...Congratulations to The Wagner Family on their new addition...Selma! She's so precious and we can't wait to meet her!

Love, love, love.