Sophie is growing up so fast!

We can't even keep up with Sophie's learning now. She has a new trick every day!
She just starting pulling herself up to standing a couple weeks ago. Then within a couple days, she was not only pulling herself up to standing with her little baby stroller, but walking behind it, pushing her baby across the living room!
She has also learned to give "kisses." Okay, they're still a little slobbery, but she definitely gets the concept. She bestows most of her kisses on her little doll, which she absolutely adores. She can spend a half hour kissing her baby, putting it in the stroller, pushing it a ways, getting it back out, kissing it again, and continuing that pattern endlessly.
Sophie is also learning some sign language. She knows and uses the signs for more and all done. She watches a Baby Einstein video of them and tries them as she's watching.
She also learns new words every day. She has said, "Hello," into the play cell phone, says "Hi Da Da," to her daddy, "my Ma Ma," to me, and "Peek" when she pulls a blanket off her face to play peek-a-boo (which is another of her new tricks). Sometimes she uses a sign and says the word simultaneously (like "more").
Sophie's first birthday is fast-approaching. We are having a small party with just our family and the grandparents on the 22nd, because we don't have the big kids on the weekend of her real birthday. While we are keeping it low-key, we are VERY excited about this event and can't believe how fast the first year of her life has been. Rest assured that she'll also be spoiled rotten with gifts and treats on her special day. We are also thinking about having her little daycare pals over on her real day.
BA has jury duty and got stuck with a big trial that is going to last 1-2 weeks. We also had some electrical problems, and our furnace broke. So things have been a little hairy andstressful aroundour house the last week or so. I am frantically trying to get some things in order for Sophie's birthday. This weekend I worked on some scrapbooking and also started a quilt for Sophie out of receiving blankets. I cranked out the whole top in a half day. Of course, I cut large squares and did no ironing or pinning (not my style). I tell myself that if I didn't cut corners like this, I just wouldn't have time for such things. I want my kids to have some homemade stuff from their mom, even if the corners don't match up perfectly. I am posting a picture of my progress so far, because it is my very first quilt (Well, I started one a long time ago that I never finished.), and I'm so freaking excited about it.
Next weekend we are staying in Des Moines all weekend. We have Noah and Sophie and have already reserved a great motel. We are going to a baby shower for Andy and Kate on Saturday morning that we are so excited about. We also hope to have some time to visit with Andy, Kate, Mom, and Jim and to also relax and have fun as a family. We are awfully thrilled about Andy and Kate becoming parents.
This week we have BA's jury duty, Sadie's spring concert Tuesday night, a girl date with Jamie and Regan, and packing for our trip. It is going to be very busy!!