ThanKsgivng

Giving thanks...

My beautiful daughter is the biggest blessing in my life, she gets cuter and cuter each day. This weekend, we went to Austin for the UT Basketball game and she didn't cry once! Not even when we were at the game and she was utterly exhausted, she just put her head down and fell asleep in my arms. From the day she was born, Sofia has melted our hearts. Tomorrow will be her first 'real' Thanksgiving and I know she will enjoy being with her family, who showers her with love and attention. I am thankful for my healthy, happy 1yr. old!

I am thankful for my husband who loves me, who sacrificed his basketball career for my happiness, who works hard and plays harder, who is the best papa, who is proud of his two girls, who is patient and kind and who inspires me.

I am thankful for my amazing parents who continue to teach me and lead me to be a better person. Growing up, they gave me more than I ever could have asked for and loved me (even when I was a teenager, from the stories I've heard, I was pretty terrible). They mean the world to me and I hope that someday, Sofia will see in me what I see in them.

I am thankful for my silly sister, Liz. She has grown into an amazing woman and my best friend. I wouldn't be able to get through the day without her; her laughter is my medicine.

I am thankful for my protectors, my brothers. Cheo and Daniel have done more for me than I could ever say and as we get older, they are always there for me. They pick me up when I fall and always have my best interest at heart. Despite how I may act at times, I cherish them.

I am thankful for friends. Although it has been hard staying in touch, I hope they each know how much they mean to me. Thank you for loving me and more importantly loving my family; for flying 14 hours to play with Sofia; for catching me when I fall and for reminding me not to take myself too seriously. I love each of you and am thankful for memories that we share.

I am more than thankful for the beautiful family I have been blessed with and the great friends I have. I love you all more than words can say and hope that you have a Happy Thanksgiving

After waiting patiently for the last 6 months, I am proud to say that Sydmil has finally been approved for his permanent residency and will begin working as a technical engineer for Merrick Systems beginning October 19th! When Syd made the decision to retire from basketball and start a new career here, we were under the impression that he would begin working in June.. yeah right. Our adviser told us that Syd's paperwork would be processed in 6 weeks and he would be authorized to work immediately thereafter; clearly we were misinformed. Let me start off by saying, I am glad I am an American because reading immigration forms are like reading Chinese! After 3 hours of filling our forms, searching for birth certificates, documenting our relationship and last but not least, waking up at 5:45am and driving to the Homeland Security Office for a 10 minute interview, Syd now is the proud holder of a green card!

I am so lucky to have such a kind and patient husband who never complained once through the whole process. Being on vacation is fun for a month, maybe two but not being able to work for the past 6 months has been hard for Syd. Quitting pro. basketball was bitter sweet, I think that he misses the competition and living in Europe but we know that it's best for Sofia to be in a permanent location. Syd is really excited about his new job and the opportunity he has been given. I know that not being able to work was hard for him but it's has also been a blessing in disguise.

Being in Texas for the past 6 months has been great and having my amazing husband around all the time has been wonderful! I think Sofia has benefited most from the situation because she has her daddy around. Sofia and Syd are best friends and she is the epitome of a Daddy's girl. Every day, they play together, dance to MJ and explore; he is a precious father. When Syd started training from 9-5 a month ago, Sofia was heartbroken.The first day he left, she sat and cried as he walked out the door. It broke his heart and I know it was tough for her but she has adjusted to his new schedule. We are lucky enough to have had this vacation time together and are proud that Syd can enter the corporate world.

Living in Europe was incredible but there's no place like home.

11 months old?!

It's true, little Miss Sofia Helena will be 1 year old in less than one month. It is incredible how quickly time flies! Sofia was born on November 20, 2006 in Bergen op Zoom, NL and will be celebrating her 1st birthday here in Texas. It is amazing how much has changed in just 1 year. Sofia has gone from being a 6lb. preemie to a 21lb. active baby. Each and every day, Sofia amazes us.
Here are just a few new skills Sofia has recently acquired:

She has mastered the 'pinch' shall we say, and can feed herself finger foods, her favorite being cheese. She also enjoys Vanilla Wafers a great deal but despises Ritz Crackers.
Speaking of food, she has also developed a serious appetite for EVERYTHING...from chicken and stars to beef and barley, this girl loves food. Syd is proud to say that she doesn't share the same aversion to meat as her mommy :)

Sofia is on the verge of walking too. Two months ago, we bought her a walker and from day 1, she has loved it. She can walk around the house, exploring and laughing, without any help from Mommy or Papa. I am positive she will take her first steps before her 1st birthday. Click on the link to see her in action:
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-8617018693044311572

She can also speak two languages! Well, I wouldn't exactly call it 'speaking' but Sofia understands commands in English and Dutch. We are working on Spanish but I don't want to overwhelm the poor thing. She definitely has invented her own language and it t sounds a little something like this: "Da na bam bum ma da goo," it's the sweetest thing you will ever hear.

She can turn out the light when you ask her to, close the door, open it, raise her hands up high, clap, wave...the list goes on and on. It is amazing how much she can absorb and I know this is just the tip of the iceberg.
We have been blessed with a beautiful baby and we are thankful to be her parents or as she would say, her "Ma ma ma" and "Pa pa pa."

Milestones

Welcome to the Harris family blog! As you all know, Syd and I are absolutely terrible about emailing and keeping you all up to date about what is going on in our lives so I have created this website to do just that. We hope that you all enjoy the stories we post no matter how serious or silly they may be; 'Sitting with Syd' was just the beginning!
You all mean so much to us so please, stay in touch and check back with us to see what new and exciting things are happening with the Harris'.