It Has Been A While
Lots have happened since our last posting, we now are in Florida living the beach life!
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Welcome Marilyn!
Haven't posted in a while, so some things have changed. March 17th 2015, Marilyn Grace Doroshenk was born.
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Happy Holidays!
Well, it has been far too long since we updated the blog, so here it goes. The past couple of months have flown by (as usual). Sonya is now 18 months old and we can't believe how much like a kid she is now. She is cruising all over the place (and prefers walking to riding in a stroller), likes to chat and sing throughout the day, and finds everything fascinating! We've noticed a transition to toddler-hood (tantrums, has her own opinions), but we still think this is a fun age. We keep ourselves busy with walks outside, trips to the park, music group, and story time at the library. Its fun to watch her start to interact with other kids and she is really a social butterfly.
Our biggest event these past couple of months was a trip to the east coast. Kelly and Sonya first flew to CT to visit Grammy and Poppy for a week. This coincided with Halloween and Sonya dressed as a ladybug. We visited Grammy's school (in costume, of course) and swam in a pool for the first time! We also celebrated Grammy and Poppy's 40th anniversary with a party with friends and family. I think Sonya had a blast!
Trick or Treat!
Kelly and Sonya next headed to VA to meet up with John and visit with Grandma and Grandpa and all the aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends. Sonya loved playing with all the kids--it was non-stop action! We celebrated birthdays, ran in a family and friends fun run, and just enjoyed spending time with everyone.
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Beach Vacation!
We have been enjoying the beautiful Portland summer so far with trips to the park, zoo, local aquarium, and library. Sonya is now practicing her walking skills with assistance from mom and dad (oh, our aching backs!). She likes to walk from the living room to our bedroom, where we have a big floor mirror she can check herself out in. She is a very busy girl and never seems to stop for a moment. She is 'talking' away and loves to say 'yeah!' whenever we ask her a question. She is quick to shake her head 'no' when its something she doesn't want to do, though :) We've decided its her mission to do something funny and then watch us laugh. She is quite the entertainer.
Sonya got a sweet ride from Aunt Amy and Uncle Bill for her birthday
Over the 4th of July holiday, Aunt Amy and Uncle Bill came for a visit. We decided to head to the coast for a weekend of relaxing (as much as one can relax with a 1 yr old). We rented a condo in Newport, Oregon, about 2.5 hours away. The view from our balcony was amazing and we only had a short walk to the beach. The weather was great, too!
Perhaps eating this sunscreen will help prevent sunburn
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Sonya: 1 year!
Its hard to believe Sonya is now a 1 year old. Thanks for all the birthday wishes, everyone! We had a fun time grilling in the nice weather and watching Sonya devour her birthday cupcake (see video below). Grandma and Grandpa Doroshenk came for a visit to be here for the big celebration and we had a blast all week. On Sonya's actual birthday, we enjoyed a nice breakfast out and an afternoon at the zoo. Its fun to see her start to recognize animals by name. I think her favorite was the giraffes, who she shrieked and pointed at when she saw them.
Sonya works on her birthday headstands while Zoey works on her abs
We had a great visit with Grandma and Grandpa Doroshenk, who came out for the big event. Besides the zoo and birthday party, we visited the International Rose Test Garden, Multnomah Falls, and the nearby park. Sonya really enjoyed spending the week with them. Her favorite game was yelling out every time they dared not pay attention to her!
A beautiful day at the park
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Sonya: 11 months!
We've had a fun couple of weeks now that the weather is getting nicer. Sonya is a pro at army crawling all over the place and particularly likes pulling Margo's fur and touching Chester's toes (neither of them appreciates this). She likes to play with the stereo, remotes, iPad, and phone (just like her dad!) and likes to lay in the dog bed and get furry. She still loves books and has learned how to hold one with her feet while lying down (she needs to free up her hands to point and turn the page, of course). She loves to dance and sing and is really enjoying the music class we signed up for.
Sonya is way into music and rocks out whenever she can
Her nickname is 'monkey feet' because she tries to hold everything with her feet
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Sonya: 10 months!
After we arrived home from a great visit to Virginia, Poppy came to Portland to hang out with Sonya. He also helped fix some stuff up around the house that we just couldn't find the time to do (a big help!). We went to the zoo (finally saw the baby elephant and polar bears), Washington Park, and the walking path down by the river to see all the sights and sounds (and people) of Portland. It took a while before Poppy was able to hold Sonya without a freak out, but eventually she got used to it. She had a great time!
At the zoo--check out the baby elephant in the background
Enjoying some porch time--we had great weather that week
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Sonya: 9 months!
Sonya is now 9 months and its really hard to believe! She laughs and smiles like crazy, is curious about everything, and is vocalizing more than ever. We're still working on that crawling thing--she got up on her hands and knees for the first time this month, but still prefers to roll and scoot her way to the action. She really seems frustrated by not being able to go forward, so perhaps she'll figure it out soon. She loves to clap, wave, and put her arms up and down. We are trying out more fruit and veg (beets and blueberries are messy!) and she can even do some finger food now. She absolutely loves other kids and babies and shrieks with joy when she sees them.
A nice sunny day at the park
Its been a very busy month for the Portland Doroshenks! Sonya took her first plane trip to the east coast to visit family and friends in Springfield VA. She did great on the plane and made lots of new friends (she mastered the art of waving en route). She had so much fun hanging out with Grandma and Grandpa, all of her aunts, uncles, and cousins, and of course, the Springfield Crew! Thanks to everyone who came to visit with us--it was great to see you all!
The running joke for the week was to see how long someone other than mom or dad could hold Sonya. Unfortunately, she was in a clingy phase and not thrilled to have others hold her. But that didn't stop anyone from trying :)
Grandpa trying his best to hold Sonya the longest
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