Tim and Shanna Browning

Here's the story of you, my sweet girl, in honor of your 1st birthday. You've completed our family and our hearts in ways we never could have imagined.

In the summer of 2016, we went to visit Grandma and Grandpa in Idaho for Sammy's 2nd birthday. I wasn't feeling well at all that trip-dizzy, sick to my stomach and just all-around unwell-and even grandma noticed my lack of energy. I also had a tummy "pooch" that wouldn't go away no matter how much I exercised or changed my diet.

When we got home, I told your dad that I was going to get my thyroid checked because it had to be way off with the way that I was feeling. And then, just to be sure, I thought I'd get a pregnancy test to rule that out. Since we had to get help to have your brother and the doctors said we wouldn't be able to have any children naturally, your dad said "there's no way you're pregnant after 10 years of not getting pregnant on your own." But something inside me told me that I needed to test anyway.

Sure enough, the second I took the test it was positive. It was an early morning in our Wilsonville house and I sat in our living room in shock for at least 5 minutes, contemplating how our lives were going to change-all for the better. Sam would get a playmate we wanted him to have, and the dream of you that we had so long ago was actually coming true. You see, even before Sam, before either of you were a twinkle in our eyes, when we were going through years of wondering if we'd ever be parents, Daddy heard your name in a sermon at Grandpa Browning's church. The pastor was teaching out of Romans, and the Greek word for wisdom is "Sophia." Romans 11:33 says "Oh the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgements and unfathomable His ways!" From that moment he knew it was going to be the name of his daughter. When Sam came along instead of you, we thought that the word "wisdom" that God had given Dad was just an analogy for the wisdom we would gain being parents. Little did we know that 2 years and 8 months after Sam was born, that you, Sophia, would finally enter this world.

I was 6 weeks along when I first found out you were on your way. I had been doing boot camp and boxing classes at the gym and continued to go to them throughout my pregnancy to stay healthy, even though I was pretty sick those first few weeks. As we neared your due date, I slowed down a lot since my body was getting ready to bring you into the world. I had a C-section scheduled on April 25th, but my water broke right after midnight on April 21st. You didn't want to wait! You were born at 7:37am, weighed 9lbs, 4oz and were 21" long. Since you were such a big baby, the nurses had to check your blood sugar by pricking the bottoms of your feet, so you pretty much screamed for 24 hours straight. Still, you were the most precious, perfect thing we had ever seen.

Right before we went into the OR

Right out of my tummy, laying on my chest!

Daddy gave you your first bath

1 day old

Our completed family

At 1 month you loved to sleep on daddy's chest and loved to be wrapped in your soft blankets. The nights were very long feeding you every 2 hours but seeing your cute little face each morning made it all worth it. You slept in a bassinet by our bed for your first month, and then we moved you to your own crib. You slept for 5 hours for the first time on May 18th and continued to be a great sleeper from then on out. Sam wasn't quite sure what to make of you at first, but he soon came to adore you.

At 2 months, you started "smiling" (first smile June 18th) but more than likely you were just pooping. You had also gained 4 lbs and grew about 3 inches. You started liking your baths and laying on your piano mat listening to the music. You and Sam loved "blanket" time playing around on the floor. You started sleeping for 7-8 hours a night and giving mom lots of rest!!

You and me, just hanging out watching Daddy in the garage

At 3 months you started getting more aware of your surroundings, and started joining Sam and I during morning story time. The only time you really cried was if you were tired or hungry, and started cutting your first 2 bottom teeth. You smiled a lot more, loved to "chat face to face with anyone who would listen and started grabbing toys. You continued being an awesome sleeper!

At 4 months you squealed with joy often, cooed in your crib when you woke up from naps, loved playing with big brother and laughed when daddy talked to you. You checked in at 98% for height, 92% for weight!! We started feeding you a little oat cereal to fill your tummy and you loved it. On August 9th you rolled over from tummy to back. You loved being outside going on walks in your stroller, so we went on the Canby path and around the block in our neighborhood often.

Wearing your new outfit from Grandma!

Sitting in your Bumbo

At 5 months, you started making lots more sounds, playing peekaboo, laughing, and cutting 2 more teeth. You loved any toy that played music and were perfectly content playing during your awake time on the floor on a blanket.

At 6 months, your favorite game was the "BOO" game, loved it when anyone blew on your hair, started eating more pureed foods and your favorite was sweet potatoes. You became more aware when mom walked out of the room and made your displeasure known...LOUDLY. You started trying to crawl by frantically kicking your legs and arms to turn yourself around in a circle on a blanket on the floor. You were a content, “easy,” joyful baby and most of the time enjoyed just sitting in your different chairs around the house observing your surroundings. You greeted us with a smile every morning, liked to have your tummy tickled, loved being anywhere big brother was and lit up when daddy came home Most importantly, we had you dedicated at Athey Creek Christian Fellowship by Pastor Brett. Our biggest prayer for you is that you accept Jesus and follow Him passionately the rest of your life.

Getting dedicated at church

First Harvest Festival

At 7 months, you celebrated your first Thanksgiving. Your favorite toy was a big wooden Alphabet Puzzle with letters that you liked to throw on the floor. You started sitting up unassisted and continued getting more and more active with your toys. You hit the pages of the books we tried to read and “talked” right along with momma (much to Sam’s annoyance). Your smile and sweet spirit continued to light up our lives.

At 8 months you celebrated your first Christmas. Grandma and Grandpa came to celebrate with us and we decorated our tree, made Christmas cookies and had a fun time playing games. You discovered your hands and would constantly watch them at work. You grabbed anything you could get your hands on and either put it in your mouth or threw it on the ground (including momma's coffee if I wasn't careful). You always had a smile on your face and pretty much just went with the flow of life. You were constantly mistaken for a 1 year old (or older) since you were still measuring in the 100th percentile for height, so that’s not surprising. You were the best Christmas gift our family could ask for!

At 9 months you got an explosion of teeth (6 at once on top of the 2 you got at 3 months for a total of 8!!) and even though it made you a little fussier you were still an angel baby. You preferred rolling around the room to get what you wanted and could stand leaning against furniture. You went more slowly than Sam did when he was your age with solid food so we just started making your purées a little chunkier until you were ready. You absolutely adored Sam, and for a big brother, he was usually very sweet to you, unless he felt like biting your toes or telling you to “‘op it” when you cried.

At 10 months one of your favorite games was chasing brother down the hallway or sitting and watching him race his car. You'd laugh and laugh. You started to become even more verbal with your baby babble and said your first word, "mama." You were still "army crawling" but getting pretty quick at it. In addition to your purees and oat cereal, you started eating pieces of bananas, avocados, bread, sweet potatoes, cheese and butternut squash...but didn't like eggs. You cut one more tooth for a total of 9! You always loved to be outside. You wouldn't make a peep in your stroller, just taking it all in, pointing to your surroundings. A girl after my own heart.

Loving the swing at the park in the sunshine!

At 11 months you added four more words to your constant baby babble: "Dada", "Bubba,", "Uh-oh", and "Hi-ya" (complete with a backwards wave). You're going to be a talker just like daddy. You conquered crawling and could stand supported but you didn't seem too interested in walking quite yet. Your favorite game was covering yourself with a blanket or the shirt you were wearing and “hiding” until you popped out with a laugh. Your favorite food became peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. You were a bubbly, sweet, wonderful little thing.

Wrestling with brother

And now here we are at a year old. My, how the time does fly and makes your momma's heart ache. It's such a bittersweet time, because there is nothing more precious than watching your child develop her own little personality, and grow and learn, but it also means that you are soon going to leave the baby years behind you. You'll grow out of those squishy arms and legs, out of only needing your momma, out of the midnight snuggles (that one might not be so bittersweet ;)) and into preschool, grade school, jr high, high school, college and then off to raise your own babies. All I know is that this year has passed by in a flash and I'm buckling my seatbelt so I can soak in the next 17 before I have to let you fly.

We love you, sweet Sophia Lynn. We are blessed beyond measure that you are part of our family, and this last year with you in it has been one of the best of our lives.