3 years old

I can't believe it's already been 3 years. It has been the most amazing 3 years. You had been asking for light up shoes for a while so mom and dad got you some Doc McStuffins light up shoes for your birthday. You absolutely love them. You are becoming quit the little adult. It amazes me how well you talk and your correct usage of words. I love car rides with you because you never stop talking. I love learning so much about you.
You've also flourished into an amazing big sis. Faith recently started becoming mobile and you have been right by her side to try your best to protect her from hitting her head. You've also been great playing with her. You two just love each other to pieces!
You getting really good at playing ball and helping me in the garden. You're a great kid and we're so very proud of you!!

Family of 3 awaits the arrival of number 4

The end of the summer was a blast. You really enjoyed the fourth of July this year. We went uptown to watch the firework and it started down pouring and storming. We could see the sky was clearer out by our house so we headed home. We stopped at a firework stand on the way home and daddy picked up some fireworks for us to do in our yard. While we waited for it to get dark we watched all the ones shooting off around us. Then when daddy started firing ours you thought he had magically powers and kept jumping up and down every time he'd set off a new one. We then took a family weekend to St. Louis. We visited the zoo and Grant's farm. You had the best time!! We also enrolled you in swim lessons. It was like the worst two weeks of the summer. It was cold and rainy most of the time. Therefore you didn't enjoy them much. We also got you a bigger pool with a little slide for the back yard. You practically lived in the pool. You also were very helpful with canning green beans and working in the garden. You started full time at Ms. Tara's once the school year started. You have a best friend there named, Gibson. He only comes on Tuesday and Thursdays but you look forward to those days. You're saying all kinds of complete sentences. You use bigger words in the correct context. We are amazed by you every day. For Halloween you dressed up as a ladybug. It was adorable you thought you could fly with the wings. Your baby sister came before Thanksgiving. You absolutely love being a big sis. You are so funny. When people say something to you about being a big sister you tell them no because you don't have your big sis shirt on. You also are very possessive of her. You always make sure that we take her with us when we leave places. You really enjoyed Christmas this year too. We went and say Santa Claus at Bass Pro. You asked him for a blanket. Guess what he brought it for you. You absolutely love your new blanket and all the other gifts that you got for Christmas. I think that covers the second of half of the year 2013. We are absolutely proud of you and can't wait to see what 2014 brings us.

Oops- A Whole Year has Passed!

Mommy has let a whole year pass. It has been a very busy one at that. You not only walk now, you run everywhere. You love being outside. It's usually a fight every time to get you in. You're talking up a storm. You say the funniest things and sometimes even bad words. :( You are so independent. You always ask first before you take off somewhere. Which makes mommy and daddy super proud. You use your manners very well. You can kind of count to ten. It seems like every time you skip one number. You also know how to say your full name, Sophia Riegel. It's so cute! In this last year you have had a real fascination with puppies. Well really any animal you're madly in love with. Your daddy finally caved and got you a puppy, Annie. You two do great together! You're also a great helper around the house. You're always in the kitchen with me when I'm cooking or helping me clean. However, with laundry you like to just sit in the basket instead of help. ;) But sometime you do help me put them away. You also like to help daddy on the farm a lot too. The biggest thing of all in the last year is that you are super excited to be a big sister in December. You're already so sweet to your baby brother or sister. You like to give mommy's belly hugs and kisses. We don't know what we're having but you like to walk around singing 'baby brother'. We are so proud of you and you are such a sweet heart!!

You got really sick for a week and were very close to dehydration. While they were drawing your blood they decided to give you fluids.