I can't believe my baby is a year and a half!  I find myself saying that at every milestone, but it just seems like she's growing up so fast.  It's hard to think that it's been over a year since we were going through those rough first 3 months of not being able to put her down for more than 30 seconds.  The last couple of months have been lots of fun and filled with many new firsts.  We've also had our share of trials as I'm convinced Sophia has started her "terrible two's". 
Many of our first's are documented in the pictures below, but one of the most exciting ones is that a couple of weeks ago Sophia went on the potty for the first time!  You'll be relieved to know there is no picture of that one below.  We were Skyping with Mamaw Felts on a Sunday morning when Sophia starting saying potty and tugging on her diaper, so we took a shot at the potty.  We went upstairs to her potty, sat down, and right away she went.  I was so excited...and as I sat there so excited and hugging her I simultaneously was amazed and how excited I was.  It was as if I was witnessing her graduate college.  I never would have believed it if anyone told me 5 years ago that  I would feel this way over my child going on the potty.  Another example of how parenthood turns your world and your emotions topsy turvy (in a good way).  So far she's gone 3 times in the last week and a half and it somewhat consistently telling us when she goes now!
I have to mention some additional wonderful news before getting to the Sophie pictures.  Welcome to Mason - our newest member of the Dinner Club!  We are so happy you're here.  Mason is the final chapter to Dinner Club round 1!!  Here is a picture of all 6 members...what a cute bunch!

Here is a picture of Sophia hanging out with her Great Grandma Emma on a recent visit to Green Bay.

She loves corn on the cob!

On a ride a Chuck-E-Cheese.  Overall the visit there was a disappointment for our ride-loving lady, but you win some you lose some.

A few weeks back we had a number of special visitors from Peoria come up to go to the show Wicked in Milwaukee.  It was fun having a full house and Sophia enjoyed all the attention.  Here she is showing everyone how she likes to ride her rocking horse.

Which made uncle Kiki and Aunt Emmee very happy...

Mamaw brought Sophie a pair of winter boots she scored a great deal on...after everyone left Sophie just couldn't wait to try them on...

Recently the daycare spent two weeks on an animal theme.  The kids learned all about animals and the teachers assigned each child in both infant and toddler classrooms to an animal.  Then at the end of the 2 weeks they dressed each child up as their animal and held a parade and party.  All the parents came to watch...it was so cute to see.  Sophia was an elephant...she now knows what an elephant says and will move her arm up to her face while she makes the sound.  Here are some of the kids in the parade...

Andy was so proud he caught a real live elephant...he trapped her using a cookie :)

Here is Soph enjoying her first popsicle one hot day.

I think she really liked it...

Sophia also had her first mani-pedi recently.  I couldn't resist!

We had Lauren over one evening a couple of weekends ago and decided to bake cookies (another first for Soph).  It was a lot of fun.  I put the girls in a couple of my t-shirts so they wouldn't get their clothes dirty...I'm not sure they really knew what was going on at first, but it made for a cute picture.

Then they really got into it!  They both took turns helping me pour in the ingredients.

A few of the dinner club couples got together for zoo a la carte again this year.  It's basically a like a "taste of" event at the zoo.  The ladies took the kids on the train. Lauren, Braeden and Soph ready for the train ride...

Just another day hanging out in the laundry hamper...

This past weekend Sophia and I went to Sophie's first Brewers game with Jackie and Braeden while the guys were out golfing.  It was a very hot day!  I think we made it maybe 10 minutes in the seats before heading to the first aid room to let the kids cool off.  We ended up walking around most of the time, but there was plenty for the kids to see and do and we had a fun time.  Here is Sophia getting a balloon flower made by a clown. 

And here we are with a couple of the racing sausages...

And sitting in the big glove...

Sophia got to enjoy her first sucker tonight.  She loved it of course :)