Sophia's school of things you now know.

Roughly two years and eight months ago Ben and I found out that we were expecting a baby. This was kind of a big deal for us as we had been trying to have a baby for the past three years and didn't seem to be able to make it past about week eight in a pregnancy. Each day that I stayed pregnant was a milestone and each week that passed brought us closer to that sense of relief that we were going to make it this time.

Then we saw the babies heartbeat and breathed a huge sigh of relief. A few weeks later we saw it again and felt even better. A few weeks after that the doctor told us that our little baby was a little girl and that she was doing great.

Two years ago this coming Tuesday, I gave birth to that little girl and held her in my arms and we knew such joy as a family. We had prayed for a child and God had heard our prayer and had given us what we knew would be the sweetest little girl the world had ever known.

And she was really sweet. More than sweet, she was an amazing baby. She slept for hours at a time. Was content to just be held by me. Would look at Ben and I for long periods of time. And was just happy.

This was a completely different experience than Connor when he was a baby. For those of you who missed that grand adventure - here is the recap. Connor didn't want held, didn't want to not be held, didn't want to look at us, would have preferred to be raised by a pack of wild dogs over us, and there was much crying. Lots and lots of crying. By all parties involved. Still we wouldn't trade him for anything.

But Sophia, she was different. She was going to be our good child. She was our reward for all that crying, all that not sleeping, all that pulling our hair out, and all that wondering if we were actually the worst parents in the entire world.

That was two years ago. And since that time I have taken some education courses from Sophia's school of Things you now know. Here are the things the past two years have taught me.

That behind that sweet smile and those beautiful brown eyes is a devious mind that is just waiting for me to leave the gate to the kitchen open. She has been planning on breaking in there to pull everything she possibly can out of the drawers, the pantry, and the refrigerator.

That behind that cheerful disposition is a will of iron the likes of which has not been seen before. Not even Connor in all his glory has the tenacity to stand firmly against our combined forces the way this one little girl can.

That nothing is more aggravating than a two year old sticking her finger out at you and saying "Hush Mommy!" Well..maybe nothing isn't right. It could be slightly more annoying when she instead sticks her finger out and says "Stop talking!"

And that despite all these things, the crying (because yeah, that's back), the hair pulling (What are we going to do with this girl?), and the wondering if we are actually the worst parents in the world (We have it on the authority of a psychiatrists that we aren't), we still find that our initial assessment of our beautiful baby girl was an accurate one.

She loves to be near people, she wants to hug and kiss us all the time, she loves her brother immensely, and is happiest when we are all together as a family. She truly one amazing and sweet little girl. Just with a little extra spice thrown in - so you know - we don't get bored with this whole raising kids thing.

As for the position of good child...well, I would say that one is still open. Did you hear that Elinore? The position is still open.