My Little Sonja

I love my little Sonja. She is getting more fun to hang around - much better eye contact, developing opinions on things (mostly nonverbal), responding more to simple questions such as "what do you want" and "what's that?" She's starting to answer things like "what are they doing?" if she sees a picture of animals sleeping, for example. Still a long way to go, as was emphasized to me when she got evaluated for placement in a special education program at the school - response to verbal direction being the biggest problem for a school setting. Don't worry, Sonja, we'll get there. She said her first four word sentence two weeks ago - "I want blue marker." That's the structure of all her sentences, "I want..." but it is effective.

She got surgery to put in ear tubes a couple weeks ago (her ears have been blocked up for months with fluid). A minor procedure. It was heartbreaking to see all the amazingly brave little kids in the waiting room waiting for much worse stuff - children with deformities, cancer, mental disabilities and in wheelchairs. If you know a family with a handicapped child, please help them! I can't imagine the burdens they must feel.

I'm posting these pictures because Sonja looked freaking cute drugged up in her hospital gown.

Not happy with her banana-like appearance:


The socks seem to make the outfit work:


See how serene I look once my child has been drugged? This gives me all kinds of ideas...


So pretty, yet so wasted:


Sonja's favorite part of the Lincoln Park Zoo:


Looking for the seal (psst, it's right behind you):


Sonja's admiration for Cardinal Richelieu cannot be denied:


Thanks, Grandma H for the play-doh. It's my favorite:




She likes playing with her trains until Natalia tries to get in on the action (which is most of the time):


Fell asleep waiting for Mommy. Sorry, babe!

Catch up - Natalia

I've been waiting for Scott to post like he promised, but a man's promises are like dust in the wind. Or something...
We have been really sick. Scott got a week and a half off after his/our indescribably hard year, and he used it to take care of us. Poor Scott. At least no one ended up in the hospital from it, unlike a couple of Sonja's friends.
On a lighter note, I have some freaking cute pictures to post, so here I go. Here's Natalia's, and I'll try to post one for Sonja soon. Natalia is 9 months old and very mobile.

She continues her need to wear sweats to encase her chunk.



First swing - a pensive and joyful experience for all





Daddy's toys are her favorite.



She happily plays with others until she sees or hears Mommy. Then she realizes she was miserable the whole time. You really have to click on the pictures to get the full effect of her expression. She has a temper...

Revving up:



Realizing I'm not going to get her:



She loves to pull herself on everything and share her ball or block with me or Sonja. Sonja tries to push her away and WWIII ensues.