Swimming Lessons!

Sophia has started her swim lessons again at the Claremont Club (Ok, ok! So she started 2 weeks ago, I am really, really behind on my blogging!), and she LOVES it!!  She took lessons last summer and enjoyed it, but what a difference a year makes!  She is totally comfortable in the water and wants to be free!  She actually pushes me away when we get into the water and wants to "swim" on her own.  We practice moving her arms by throwing a toy and then 'swimming' to catch it, kicking with kick boards, getting our faces wet with a cute song called "Motor Boat" and jumping in the water with "Humpty Dumpty."

Today at lessons was our first day of going under the water...I was worried that Sophia wouldn't like it.  She is funny about water in her face in the bath, so I really wasn't expecting her to like actually going under the water.  So Teacher Nicole dunked her and not only did she not cry, she came up smiling!!  She even closed her eyes and her mouth before she was dunked!  It was so cute!! 

You can see Teacher Nicole and myself both closing our mouths as if this will keep Sophia from swallowing water!

I was worried how it would work, bringing Sophia in the water and having Ellie too, but I have great family helping me out!  My cousin Scotty has been coming along on Tuesdays, and my other Cousin Morgan on Thursdays.  My mom will be helping out next time, and my dad stopped by today to watch, and take these great photos!  (Thanks Dad!!)

Scotty and Ellie hanging out together while we swim!

Needless to say, she really loves her class and is going to be a little fish!!  I can't wait to see how much she will progress as the summer goes on.  I always loved the water as a kid, and it's so fun to watch the joy and excitement on her face when she is in the water!  

Our girls!

I guess when you have children it is impossible not to compare them, no matter how hard you try, and it's impossible not to notice how different Sophia and Elizabeth look.  There is some debate about Ellie's eye color, but they are definitely not going to be blue like Sophia's.  Also, Ellie's hair and skin are much darker than Sophia's.  Both girls are beauties, just different.  I just can't wait to see how they will change and grow over the years.  

Days have been busy these days, and I can't help but think, "Why did I think it was so hard when I had Sophia, she was so good, and I didn't have a toddler to chase after?!"  But I guess it's all about perspective, and of course Sophia was the first, all was new and I was very worried about her and had no clue what to expect.  Ellie is lucky enough to be the second child, and I am a bit more relaxed, somewhat out of experience, but also out of necessity.  Ellie cries quite a bit and may have some colic, so if I were as worried and upset every time Ellie cried as I were with Sophia, I would probably be a mess at this point!  Poor little girl, cries and spits up TONS!  The doctor says as long as she is gaining weight, there is no worry and she will grow out of it.  When her tummy isn't upset, Ellie is such a quiet, happy girl.  She has started smiling now, and really looks into your eyes and grins from ear to ear.  What a sweet, perfect smile she has!!

Little Ellie, sneaking a smile!

  Easter Day.
Having so much fun putting them in matching outfits!

Twinkle, twinkle...

Sophia loves Ellie, and here she is singing her a little song! So adorable to see her taking care of her sister. It seems so innate, we didn't really have to tell her what to do, she just knows. She was gentle from the start, not to say she doesn't have accidental bumps, but she is doing a great job being a big sister!

Welcome Elizabeth!

Here she is!!  Isn't she just the cutest, most precious thing?  Well, we think so! 

Elizabeth Philomena Wong was born February 27th, at 12:48 a.m.  She weighed 6 lbs 9 oz, and was 19 1/2 inches long, nearly 1 lb heavier, and 2 whole inches longer than Sophia was!!  Elizabeth is such a wonderful baby, she has a great little temperment.  It's like they say, she just eats, sleeps and poos!  And then there's Sophia...she loves her sister more than anything!  It's such a joy to see her loving her sister.  Her favorite thing to say is, "Baby, baby, baby!!"  She is very affectionate with Elizabeth, and loves to 'hold' her sister, kiss her and is fascinated with her diaper changes!  Sophia is also really protective of her sister and gets really worried if she doesn't know where Elizabeth is, or if someone takes her away.  It makes my heart swell to see her so happy and loving with her baby sister.  This was my biggest worry for the past 9 months.  I worried Sophia would be jealous, but that isn't the case at all.  She just loves her sister, and so do we! 

Sophia watching over her baby sister.

Kisses from big sis!

Ellie's first bath at home, it's a family affair.

More sister love!

Sophia loves to bounce!

So lately Sophia LOVES this Elmo book, which has sound effects that go along with the story. She won't even let us actually read the book, she just wants to push the buttons and jump around! Here she is showing us her bounces. She can hardly concentrate because she is crazy about seeing herself in the digital camera. You'll hear her say, "Fia?" That's her asking to see Sophia in the camera! It's cute, but does make it difficult to take photos and videos!

Day at the Beach

We made a little day trip down to Huntington Beach today, and it was so beautiful!  I really miss living near the ocean and that crisp, fresh air.  Sophia really enjoyed all the people, and walking around on the pier.  We saw a huge pelican which was neat because she is really into birds lately.  She sees them everywhere and points them out, "ohhh, bid!" she says!  She even points out planes and says "bid."  It was a really nice, relaxing day.  It was sunny, but not really very warm.  Although there were surfers and people in the water.  Not too bad for a day at the beach in January!  I love California weather!!

What an awesome "bid!"

Taking in the sights from the pier.

She was fascinated by the surfers below!

What a lovely day!

Our Family Tree

So I tried to add text to my video below, but I couldn't figure it out...so I am just writing as a seperate post!  I will figure this out sooner or later!  Anyway, we have been practicing saying everyone's names with Sophia and she is pretty good!  She can pretty much repeat most words, as long as they aren't too long or difficult.  She is talking so much these days, most of it in her own little language, but she is communicating really well for a 20 month old baby!  In the video, James is naming everyone in our immediate family and she is repeating.  I love her name for my dad!!  If you listen closely, you'll hear James say "Papa Scott" and Sophia says, "Pot!"  She has combined the two words and created a funny, but easy to say name for my dad!  So funny, I wonder if it will stick!

Sophia's Family

Bump watch!

So this time around we have been terrible about documenting my progress throughout my pregnancy.  With Sophia I had a journal, which I wrote in every week and we did take some photos to keep track of my growth.  Well, this time I have done none of that!!  So, late in my 8th month we did finally take some pics of my belly, which is growing bigger by the minute.  (I can acutally see the baby moving and squirming as I type this!)  Sophia loves my belly, and loves to kiss and hug it, which is very sweet.  She says, "buttie, buttie!" for button, or belly button when she wants to see it!  We tell her that her baby sister is in there and that she will be here soon to give kisses and hugs to, but I really don't think Sophia has a clue.  It's a strange concept for me...really, there's a baby inside me?!  So I don't think it's realistic for a 19 month old to understand, but we try anyway. 

Sophia is showing off her buttie too!

She is such a sweetheart!  She's going to be a great big sister!!

Can't believe she's going to be here is less than 5 weeks!!

On a completely different note, as you may or may not know, I have been waiting nearly 3 months for my dining room table that I ordered back in November (Nov 5th to be exact!).  Well, due to weather issues on the east coast, where is was coming from, and several other issues, it was not here in the 30 days I was assured it would be.  So, I sat through Christmas and New Year with a sad and empty dining room.  We have another table in the kitchen where we eat most of meals anyway, so we weren't eating on the floor or anything!  So happy day, today it finally arrived!!  Tonight we had a lovely dinner at our new table!  I love it!

Taa-daaah!

Counting!

Long overdue update!

Family photo on Christmas day

I know it has been an incredibly long time since I last posted, and you may guess a lot has happened in the Wong family in the past 9 months! Sophia is now 19 months and growing into such a funny, smart and sweet little person. She is talking more and more every day and developing quite a comedic personality. She is always making us laugh! The child is definitely not shy, at least not with other kids. I am loving watching her blossom and her spirit come out. When she is being cuddly, she will say "Maaa-ma!" like a little Italian baby! It's ridiculously cute!!

Sporting her rain boots and headband. A trend setter in the making?

The biggest news is that we are expecting another baby! I am due March 1st, which is less than 6 weeks away! We are having another girl, which is really exciting and it will be fun for Sophia to have a little sister. The pregnancy has gone great so far. The past months have flown by, I can't believe we are going to be a family of 4 so soon. Although Sophia is too young to understand what's happening, she does love my belly. She always wants to kiss and hug it, and loves to lift my shirt and touch my bellybutton! It's very cute, but can be embarrassing in public!

She loves her purple shoes!

We are looking forward to the new arrival, and have started planning the nursery. We are also looking forward to Ahmah, James' mom, coming to visit as well. She will hopefully be here for the birth and stay for a while to help out and get to know the new little Wong.

Sophia and her Bapa

It's been so long since my last post, and I am hoping to update much more often. Although, with a newborn on the way, I'm not too sure how that will work out! I am planning on continuing to stay at home with the girls. Given the current mess of our education system due to California's budget cuts, I am happy to stay out of it for the time being. I was laid off last year (while on leave), but offered a position 2 weeks into the start of the school year. At that point we were having another baby, and decided it would be best for me to stay home. I am very happy not working. I can't imagine leaving Sophia at a daycare and missing out on all the new and hilarious things she does everyday. I know people do it everyday, and I am so grateful that I am able to be home.  I do miss teaching and I know I will go back when the time is right. James' job is going well and although things have definitely slowed down, he is managing to stay busy and still enjoys what he does.


We had a great Christmas, and Sophia really had a blast. It took her from Christmas Eve until the Sunday after Christmas to open all of her pressies! It's not that she got tons, but it was just that she would open something and want to play with it rather than move on to another present. We had a wonderful day as a family, made an entire turkey with all the fixin's and ate ourselves into a stupor! It was bliss!



James & me at the Mission Inn, so beautiful there at Christmas time.

Sophia Christmas morning with her new bike.

Dancing on her pressies!

Sophia snuggling with her Mimi

Lately we have been enjoying the rain, or as Sophia says, "wattie" - her word for water! Too cute! Looking for inside fun, maybe we'll make some cookies tomorrow!

The Wong and Woltil families, both expecting baby #2 in March!

Sophia, topless of course, and her first friend, Adelaide!