Little Valentine

Dan and I are very happy to have a new Valentine this year...we are so enjoying sharing new holidays as a family!  And this month has surely started off with a bang!  Lots of birthday parties for Uncle Matt, Connor and Megan, Mommy and Mamaw Best, has got our little cutie on the move.  Sophia is now more happy on her feet than sitting and we just can't stop her! 

Pulling herself to standing is a piece of cake...and cruising around the furniture is the most fun activity in our day!  But the newest achievement is 6-7 steps...all by herself!  We hadn't tried it in a while and Daddy wanted to see if Sophia had gotten any better...so we stood her up thinking we could get her to just stand independently, but our little mobile munchkin took off and took 6 steps right to us!  We thought it might have been a fluke, so we tried again, and then again...and still she just marched herself right over!  YEAH!  Sophia can walk! Well...just a little!

Even though she hasn't mastered the art of walking just quite yet, she has certainly begun to discover the art of climbing!  Within seconds, she has herself up on a step, or under the table, or half up and half down! 

"I got myself up here...now what?"

Our future gymnast!

 We do love seeing her discover new things she can do, but after a few falls and lots of tears...I'm beginning to wonder how long this stage will last!  She is gaining more and more independence with each day, or at least she thinks she is.  Which leads to more falls and more tears!  But one of these days she will figure it out and will continue to get a little more steady on her feet with each step.   She loves doing things herself but occassionally needs a little help after she gets herself in a predicament! 

I guess at the ripe, old age of 10 months, changes in baby hair occurs!  This month we said goodbye to the "crazy hair" and said hello to our long haired cutie!  It is finally long enough to wear clip in bows, and lays just perfectly when parted to the right!  Isn't she just so cute?! 

Cutie pie

It seems like this month has brought so much maturity to this little girl...her smile is different, her motor skills are much more advanced, her speech is evolving every day, and it seems she is embracing the world with such grace.  Well, not so graceful all the time!  Sophia has discovered her little attitude and begun throwing tantrums! 

First evidence of temper tantrums!

They only last a few seconds, but she is certainly finding her own way of telling and showing us what she wants!  I hope as Sophia continues to grow, that she can keep this new found independence and grow into a strong, self-sufficient, successful young woman! But for now, we will continue to enjoy the new discoveries that each month brings, and try to keep our little girl, "little" for another month!