Baking 101 with my Favorite Student

Sophie is so fun right now. I know every mom says this, but life keeps getting better with every new stage that Sophie is in. She has always been interested in learning and doing things on her own, but recently she wants to know everything about everything and she constantly amazes me with how much knowledge she retains. She is learning how to sound out words since she is super eager to read, she wants to learn how to play every sport she sees, she wants to learn all about nature and the world, and she wants to learn how to cook and bake like mommy. This last one amuses me since I only recently began to learn how to cook myself, but I am loving it. Today, Sophie made her first batch of chocolate chip cookies almost entirely on her own. I showed her how to read the measurements in the recipe and match them up with the measuring spoons and cups so she measured all the ingredients and poured them in the mixer herself. I was in charge of the oven portion of the baking for safety reasons, of course, but everything else was all Sophie. I was so proud of her and she was proud of herself too! Enjoy the pics from our Baking 101 class!

My big girl posing with the completed cookie batter

Not all of the ingredients made it into the mixing bowl, but the mess was worth every moment of the cookie making experience

The finished product...all 4 dozen cookies! Yum! Half of them are going to church tomorrow for a bake sale, but the other half will be ours to inhale...I mean enjoy! Thanks Sophie!

What's in a Name?

So much thought goes into baby names. I remember when I was pregnant with Sophie having a long list of names to ponder over. Her name is Sophia Grace because I loved those names and the meanings that they held. I learned that Sophia means wisdom, the gift of discernment or insight and that was something I had been praying for as a soon-to-be parent. Her middle name, Grace, means the freely given, unmerited favor and love of God. I often find myself thanking God for the wisdom and grace He has given to me and I am always reminded of my Sophia Grace who is a living translation of these gifts in my life.

We wanted to give baby girl #2 a special name as well that carried significant meaning for us. After much thought and some input from the Lord, we chose Elizabeth Rose (Ella for short) for her. Elizabeth means God is bountiful, abundantly bestowing His promise of favor and goodness on us. Clint and I have definitely experienced God's promises of favor and goodness in our lives. Elizabeth also happens to be my middle name which allows me to have a unique connection with her. We chose Rose for her middle name because it means resembling the beauty of the meaningful flower. Since we were married in a rose garden, this flower and the name reminds us of the most beautiful expression of our love for each other when we exchanged our marriage vows. I know it sounds sappy, but pregnant women are known to be a bit weepy and sappy. We can not wait to meet Elizabeth Rose!

22 weeks and growing...

My baby belly has popped out so much faster the second time around. I was already struggling to button my jeans at 8 weeks and by 12 weeks, the belly had emerged and I was wearing maternity clothes. I wasn't in maternity clothes until about 20-22 weeks into the pregnancy with Sophie so it has been fun to see my belly grow much quicker this time. I love the baby belly! Here is a picture documenting the growth so far (courtesy of my aspiring photographer, Sophie)...

Our baby girl seems to be doing well and I am feeling much more movement these days. The first time I felt her move was at 16 weeks when Sophie placed her little hand on my belly. By 20 weeks, I could feel her move at least once everyday. Clint was finally able to feel her move for the first time last week. He said, "That's wierd." We could also see her kicking her little feet and moving all around in there as my belly moved seemingly on it's own...also very wierd for him. This is my favorite time of pregnancy and when I remember beginning to really bond with Sophie. These first little movements are our first interactions with each other...so amazing!