A Taste of Ensley

Last night we were invited to go back and visit the Ensley ward for their annual Taste of Ensley. This is an event where the members bake and cook all of their best meals. Everyone then gets together and enjoy the meals and display talents. We loved seeing everyone and didn't realize how much til we drove up and the kids ran outside and hugged us! I cried as I caught up with Katherine. Our hearts will always be with the youth. Being with them will always be the best calling we will ever have had! Boy, we sure miss you all and LOVE you tons! Thank you for not forgetting us...(Here are some of the YW): (Simon with the YM):

More 6 Month Birthday Pictures

This video is too funny! Simon came home with a cake (mostly for us not for Sofi :), really an excuse to have some cake. Sofi wanted cake though....She didn't like it though and spit it out.)

Happy 6 Month Birthday! - We LOVE You!

Today is Sofi's 6 month birthday! It seems just like yesterday that we checked in at the hospital and gave birth to her. I remember feeling scared, nervous, and excited. Most of all, I remember clearly when she was born, me crying, and watching Simon jump up and down and cry at the same time! I am SO grateful that mom and dad made it in time. I couldn't have done it without you!
The doctor's office changed our pediatriatric appt to December 2nd, so I don't have "official" numbers, but I weighed Sofi this morning and she weighs 16 lbs now. That s a gain of 2.6 lbs. since her last appt. at 4 months. That puts her in the 47th percentile for weight.
We have gone from this:

(I love this picture...Don't I look a little bit scared, tired, excited, and nervous at the same time?)to this in 6 months:

Here are a few things that we love about her:

-smiles and laughs all the time

-rolls all over the place

-still loves story time at the library

-is excited to eat solids

-opens her arms when she wants to be picked up

-is very sociable

-always has to have something in her hands to play with

-is a great sleeper and eater

-smiles really BIG whenever she sees Simon come in the door

-is in the beginning stages of crawling. it's really funny to see. she now scoots by hiking her butt in the air and propelling herself forward

-LOVES her bumbo chair. but I have to make sure that nothing is around her when she is in it. she will lean forward and backward to get something she wants

-loves Baby Gym at Home

-talks all the time (not really understandable, but she wants so much to...

-can pull herself to sitting position

WE LOVE YOU SOFIA FRANCES!!!

Sofi's Growing Up...

Well, Sofi is getting bigger and bigger each day! She's growing up too fast...We started Sofi on rice cereal and first stages foods. Our pediatrician wanted us to start Sofi on both at 4 months, but Simon and I thought that it was too early. Since she now has two teeth, is reaching for everything (ALL the time), is sitting up by herself, and has lost the tongue-thrust reflex, we figured it was time. She LOVES everything that we have given her so far. Ironically, she loves the veggies more than anything sweet. Ahhh, so nice that she is a veggie lover this early! Such a good girl!
Here is a video of Simon feeding Sofi. Notice how she is grabbing the spoon and LOVES it:

We go to the pediatrician next week, when Sofi turns 6 months. We can't wait to see how much she weighs! I put her on my scale this morning and it says that she is 15 lbs. She has to weigh more than that, so we will see. She weighed 13.4 lbs at 4 months. She definitely has quite the infectious personality! She smiles and laughs all the time, especially when she sees Simon and I. She is just a happy baby!

Fun Times

My how times flies when you're having fun...We've been traveling and having a blast! First we went to Atlanta to see family. Sofi loved being with family, especially spending time with her great-grandmother, BigMamma. Sofi represents 4 generations of Dearing women, being the first girl grandchild and great-granchild. Here is a picture of the four generations (me, mom, BigMamma, and Sofi): I am so grateful that Sofi has a great legacy and great women to learn from!

We also went to see Auntie Dee-Dee's concert. She is in a group called SEJ (Saturday Evening Joy). The concert was amazing and everyone is SO talented. Here is a picture:

We also got to spend time with Aunt Samara:

and Erica, Hillary, and Tre':Simon and I then began exploring the fall leaves. They have been absolutely beautiful! We love traveling and seeing nature at out most favorite time of year!

We spent the first 3 years of our marriage traveling all over the world, so it's nice to explore places close to home now with Sofi. We love that she is a great car traveler! When we got home yesterday, we put Sofi down in her crib for a nap (clothes and all) because she was tired. This is how we found her. Boy, I sure love her! Look at this face:

We've loved having Simon home with us! He came to storytime with us this morning at the library. He's such a good daddy:

Simon Actually Speaks....

Hey 'erbody. It's me - Simon. Yes, San does all the hard work keeping this blog up to date, and I must say she does a great job, doesn't she?

Well, I can't sleep and I've been thinking a lot about my precious little family and thought I'd share with you, my friends, some of my feelings. First and foremost I am in awe at what San is able to accomplish each and every day. Motherhood is a full time job, and she has been putting in quite a bit of overtime lately. Any man who has a stay at home mom/wife needs to spend a week in her shoes and he'll be begging to get back to his cushy office and business lunch appointments.

San takes time each and every day to ensure Sofi gets physical fitness, reading time, story time, and all sorts of other development things that I wouldn't have a clue even where to start. I'm so lucky because when I get home from work Sofi has had it with her mom cleaning her nose, brushing her hair, and all the other stuff baby don't like that much..... well, when I get home as soon as she hears my voice she stops everything she's doing and reaches her arms out for me to pick her up. It makes me want to cry every time. Of course I know why she likes to spend time with me so much, it's because all I do is play with her. We do "roll around the floor", jump on the bed, jump off the couch where I catch her. We also do horsey back riding. she loves every bit of it and giggles so much. I know San is relieved because entertaining a child all day must be exhausting.

I had another really funky experience but I'll share it nonetheless. I was so proud of Sofi because she had done a big 'ole grown up poop. I told San it looked like play-doe and that I made her a toy out of it.... (of course I didn't do that - gross). But, I was so excited because this is a sign of Sofi's maturing. Gosh I love her so much.

Speaking of love , and with this I'll close. I'm sure all other dad's experience this too, but I am SO IN LOVE with my precious San. She's more beautiful to me than ever. She's so inteligent and righteous. She (tries) to keep me on the straight and narrow. She's the perfect mother and wife. (and in great shape too! :-) When I asked her to marry me, I did it out of faith and romantic love, but with each year I see Heavenly Father's Divine direction. He introduced us. He brought us together to build up a righteous family unto Him. He also knew that I'd be a perfect fit for her family. Oh how I love ALL of them. I hope not to hurt any feelings for leaving anyone out, but I do want to mention specifically how much I love Earling, Samara, Erica, and DeeDee. Earl is my little brother that I've always wanted, and he's way cool. Heavenly Father also brought us together for us to be happy. I couldn't be happier with any other human on the face of the earth. San is my best friend and wife. Her high standards and modesty are one of the very reasons I chose her to be my wife. Such values as taught in Young Women are so incredibly important and will lead to greater happiness in this life and the next.

I hope you all don't mind my gushing over my love for San. I just can't find enough ways to adequately show her. She knows it already, but I'm an over expressive person who loves to express his feelings.

Finally in closing, let me thank all of you for being such wonderful friends and family. San and I cherish our relationships and look forward to seeing you as soon as possible.

Lovingly,
Simon