HS Pod Sophia S
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[00:00:00] Cait: Hi, Sophia.
[00:00:01] Sophia: Hi Kate. How are you? I'm doing
[00:00:03] Cait: well. How are you? I'm doing well. And you're here. I'm just gonna let the sisters know out there that you have a brand new baby, three weeks old who is sleeping, knock on wood right now, but I told Sophia that we love babies and so it doesn't even matter if we hear any baby noises or anything
[00:00:21] Sophia: like that.
[00:00:22] Sophia: Yes, Pedro's finally falling asleep. She definitely was making some noises like 15 minutes ago, so I'm really happy that she is. She's calm now,
[00:00:32] Cait: so we'll totally roll with it stays that way. You're with the right group cuz we, we love kids, so you're good. Oh, that's great to hear. Yeah. So could you tell us a little bit about yourself and.
[00:00:44] Cait: I know that you homeschooled for a bit growing up. Can you tell us about that and how it led to what you're doing right now?
[00:00:51] Sophia: The last time I was in traditional school at least during my younger years, so up until 12th grade I was in preschool. And then throughout high school, everything I was in. I was enrolled in homeschooling, so we did it through Churchville Christian School is what it was called, but it's just an umbrella group.
[00:01:12] Sophia: And it created a lot of freedom throughout the years. I, at a very young age, I became very passionate about languages and cultures, and I was able to really explore that fully because of homeschooling. It created a lot of freedom.
[00:01:32] Cait: That's wonderful. And what state was that in? Maryland.
[00:01:35] Cait: Maryland. Okay. So where have you traveled to, I know the list is long, but if you could give us some of some highlights.
[00:01:42] Sophia: So it started out I was 11 years old and I had been begging my dad to travel to El Salvador for probably three or four years. I had been learning Spanish through a private teacher since my parents didn't speak Spanish.
[00:01:57] Sophia: And I just really wanted to test it out. I wanted to explore. I always had a very big interest in cultures. So finally he let me go with him. He has a lot of friends in El Salvador, and I completely fell in love. I. Absolutely love the culture. I love the new foods. I love trying to challenge myself with Spanish, and I realized just how much more I wanted to learn because there was that real connection there.
[00:02:27] Sophia: I could see people who use the language and I was like, wow, okay. They don't speak English. I actually have to use Spanish, and it's very much about survival at this point. If I've ever left alone. And there were just so many kids I wanted to be friends with, so I really challenged myself and found ways to immerse myself in the language really.
[00:02:48] Sophia: And then since then I've traveled a bunch of places. I, during college, I lived abroad in Spain and Guatemala. That was really fun. I lived with a host family in Guatemala, and then I met my partner. He's from Mexico, so we've been to Mexico several times and it's just been great. I love. Going abroad.
[00:03:13] Sophia: It's my favorite part of knowing a second language because it feels like such a superpower to be in this completely new element and
[00:03:20] Cait: actually be able to function. I think that's fantastic. What, so you said at 11 you had been taking private Spanish lessons. What age did you
[00:03:28] Sophia: start at I. I started at around six years old.
[00:03:33] Sophia: So it was very on and off. My mom saw how interested I was in cultures and languages. I would constantly ask her, oh, how do you say this? How do you say this in this language? And she wouldn't know how to answer and I think she might have started to get a little annoyed by it. You know how when is your toddler or your young child is constantly asking you questions?
[00:03:54] Sophia: Mine were always about languages. Great. So she found an outlet
[00:03:58] Cait: for me. That's wonderful. And I love, that's one of the benefits of homeschooling is that you can embrace those interests that aren't, quote unquote grade level according to, a more traditional brick and mortar school.
[00:04:10] Sophia: So Yes, definitely.
[00:04:12] Sophia: My parents were amazing when it came to my passion. They found an avenue for me to go back to El Salvador two or three times a year. Wow. And yeah, it was. I can't think of any other parents who have done that.
[00:04:27] Cait: That's fantastic. So is El Salvador your favorite that you visited? Or if you had to pick one country
[00:04:33] Sophia: that is so hard.
[00:04:35] Sophia: Each one of them has a. Really amazing things about it. I think El Salvador definitely has a special place in my heart because it's where it sparked everything. It sparked the interest. But it's a very small country. After a while, you get to know it very well, so you really want to expand and.
[00:04:54] Sophia: And visit new places too, but my best friend still lives there, so it's definitely a place that's always going to have a role in my life.
[00:05:06] Cait: I love it. Have you been to any South American countries?
[00:05:09] Sophia: Only in on layovers. We're hoping to go to Peru sometime next year, but it really just depends on life with a newborn.
[00:05:19] Sophia: Yeah. Oh yeah. How she does,
[00:05:21] Cait: I only ask because I when I'm not podcasting, I have a membership community of game schoolers and homeschoolers that are into play-based learning and every month we have a theme and this month's theme is South America. So I would be terrible if I didn't ask somebody who's been traveling around and speaking Spanish if they hadn't visited.
[00:05:38] Sophia: I know. They're so awesome. Yeah. Yeah. I really would love to go to South America. I think it's just a matter of figuring out when,
[00:05:48] Cait: yeah. I think it's great. And so you met your husband in Mexico. I'm assuming, I'm gonna make an assumption that he speaks Spanish as
[00:05:55] Sophia: well. Yes. So actually his family immigrated here because his father is an engineer.
[00:06:00] Sophia: So he is, he's been in my college town for over 10 years now. So we met in college and then the rest was kind of history, but we initially met because he said, He messaged me on Facebook and he said, oh, I just don't believe that you speak Spanish. You're a greena. Like you do not look like you should speak Spanish.
[00:06:21] Sophia: And I took it as a challenge. And so I met him. Totally not thinking that it was going to turn into anything. Just my competitive side coming out. And then he was like, oh, you actually do speak Spanish. And then it quickly turned into
[00:06:38] Cait: something more. That's fantastic. How much at home now that you have a baby, are you thinking about raising her bilingual?
[00:06:47] Sophia: Yes, definitely. We haven't decided what approach we're going to use yet. They have the one parent one language approach. Which is very effective. But we're hoping to transition our household into Spanish speaking only just because we're here in the US and there's so much English usage.
[00:07:06] Sophia: So I typically speak English with him for the most part, unless we're out in public and we wanna. Speak a different language and not have other people understand us. But with his family, like when his parents are there, we all speak Spanish
[00:07:21] Cait: together. I love that. So you're gonna do, I have a few friends who have done different approaches when they speak multiple languages at home, and I just, I find it fascinating.
[00:07:32] Cait: I minored in Spanish but never went abroad cuz I couldn't swing it financially. And now I can only. And it's like my receptive is the only thing that works well. I can understand if it's slowly spoken or I'm reading it. I can understand it, but the output is like non-existent all these years later.
[00:07:49] Cait: So I think it's great that you embraced that early on and that your parents supported it and that you were able to travel and immerse yourself in the various cultures and the language. Cuz I think that's really how it clicks.
[00:08:01] Sophia: Definitely. It really is. It's all about utilization. So with. A lot of traditional approaches, you don't get as much of the conversation practiced, and then it's hard to keep it long term, especially if it's not in practice.
[00:08:18] Sophia: I. I can't tell you how many people have told me that, or even my students, they'll sometimes tell me, oh, I used to know it really well, but I just, I haven't used it and I need to practice it. So it's more just for the practical use.
[00:08:33] Cait: Yeah. Sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt you. Oh no, you're so you this was a passion clearly very early on, and you have turned your passion into a business, which is awesome.
[00:08:46] Cait: Could you tell us
[00:08:47] Sophia: about that? Oh, okay. Where do I begin? Yeah, how did it start? When I went to El Salvador, there was a children's center there and they saw, oh, Americans are coming, and they taught English. So I volunteered to be an assistant there to the English as a second language teacher.
[00:09:06] Sophia: And I really, I found out that I love teaching. I had always told myself that I wouldn't be a teacher because on my mom's side it's just all teachers, just everyone. But I loved it. And I knew that's what I wanted to do. So during college I was teaching English as a second language, and then I would tutor Just, I would tutor high school students, typically in Spanish, and then I graduated in 2020 pandemic hits.
[00:09:37] Sophia: I was supposed to move to Peru at the time. I was gonna teach English there, but, The world shut down. Oh, what a bummer. It was such a bummer. It really was. But I found an amazing little local Montessori school, and I started a Spanish program there, and I worked with children who were very young, and I was able to use a very natural approach because I didn't really give me any guidelines as to how to teach.
[00:10:04] Sophia: So I just, Used what was successful for me and it was just amazing seeing these little kids really pick up the language and. Then this past year with the baby coming I had to shift my career to fit her needs, and I had parents messaging me, asking me for Spanish lessons. It really hadn't come to my mind that I should create a business or do anything with teaching.
[00:10:33] Sophia: I always thought I would work in a traditional school setting. And I just took on a few clients and then it started growing and I thought, wow, I actually, I love this. I can do it from my house, or I can work part-time at schools just a few hours a week doing their afterschool programs and I can bring my daughter with me.
[00:10:56] Sophia: So I get to be a mom and a teacher at the same time. And. It's just been great.
[00:11:02] Cait: I love this. We have had kind of a recurring theme this season with we've had a number of parents on who are where I am in the homeschool journey where you've been homeschooling all of a sudden 10. Like how is it possible that it's been 10 years, but now you have teenagers and.
[00:11:18] Cait: It's you. You can see the end of, they're gonna be getting older and going off on their own and doing their own adventures. Like you're speaking about all that you did. And so we're in this middle season and a lot of moms are saying what do I do with the rest of my life? And I actually had what do I wanna do when I grow up?
[00:11:36] Cait: Is what they're joking. So I actually had a friend on Vanessa Wright and she focuses on mothers and midlife, and she was talking about how important it is for moms. Like as early on as possible to have some sort of creative outlet so that you can feel fulfilled when you're parenting because, parenting takes up, we have a tendency to just only focus on the kids and not take care of ourselves.
[00:12:00] Cait: So I think it's wonderful that you're doing this right now and that you're making it work so that your passion, you're still holding onto it because having babies is, it's a lot. And it's a lot. But then when you come out of it, you're like, whoa, that was a lot.
[00:12:15] Cait: When you get a little bit of hindsight and I love that you're doing that. Thank
[00:12:19] Sophia: you. I think I. Seeing my mom when I was growing up with my little brother and homeschooling us, her life was very much consumed by us and consumed by our activities, and I often saw her very overwhelmed by that. And once in a while she would be able to.
[00:12:40] Sophia: Use her passion for good. She'd be able to do classes here and there and sometimes have a part-time job. She was an art teacher and she has gone back to that and she seems to be really, oh, good for her enjoying it. That's great. But I think seeing that and seeing how difficult it was for her to get back into the work field as well, I knew.
[00:13:03] Sophia: That while I love being a mom and I've always dreamed about being a mom, I knew that wasn't going to be all fulfilling. So I definitely needed an outlet to be myself or be the person that I was before. Being a
[00:13:19] Cait: mom, I love that you prioritize that. We had a another mom on earlier in the season, Camille Kirksey, and she talks a lot about how when people first.
[00:13:29] Cait: Become mothers and when they first start homeschooling they are only focused on the kids and they don't like, you need to, it's Being on an airplane with the air mask, how you put your air mask on first, you need to be fulfilled or you're gonna, you're going to burn out. Like we all burn out eventually, even when we're taking care of ourselves.
[00:13:45] Cait: That's just something that happens in life, but it will happen so much faster and more frequently if you are not taking care of yourself. So I think it's great that you've set that from the very beginning, you, Camille would be like, thank you. Laughing right now.
[00:13:56] Sophia: Thank you.
[00:13:57] Cait: You're welcome. So can you tell us a little bit about what you've created for homeschooling?
[00:14:03] Cait: For teaching Spanish?
[00:14:05] Sophia: At the Montessori school I was able to use a very natural approach. So I created a community-based. System. So I would have small groups of anywhere from five to 12 children. 12 is a little too much. So I've been able to limit my groups and I think my largest group has seven children in it.
[00:14:26] Sophia: So it's just the perfect number to collaborate with others. I find that when small children are working with peers, it really helps encourage them to see the use in it as well. So with language, When you're little it's when you naturally are learning language. So it's the perfect time to begin learning it.
[00:14:50] Sophia: As for a second language that is, so I have children between the ages of two and I think the oldest is nine and is a mixed age group. So I have the older ones helping the younger ones and the younger ones encouraging the older ones. And they all work together. We have songs, we use conversation activities, we use games.
[00:15:12] Sophia: So they love Pictionary. I bet. And then like sentence building games where I'll use both the traditional like words and writing and then pictures for the younger students so that it's taken care of all of the levels. And I just, sometimes I, I can even sit back and the students will just start doing it for me.
[00:15:33] Sophia: So I'll tell them, oh, we're gonna sing this song. And then one of them is oh, can I lead this song for us? And it's wonderful to see. That these children who didn't have any history with Spanish are catching onto it so quickly. It's wonderful. Sorry. I know, I feel like I'm rambling.
[00:15:49] Sophia: No, you're not. You're totally fine. But basically it's a, it's an immersive based approach mixed with traditional learning. It's very much what I used when I was learning at 11 years old. And I find that there's never an age that's too young to start with that. I just implemented more pictures for those who are not at the reading, writing level so that they can still participate as well.
[00:16:15] Sophia: So it's very much a fun approach. So my students will often tell me that they don't feel like they're in school. They don't feel like they're doing activities that. That remind them of school there is Spanish is fun time for them. Oh, that's great. And that really encourages them to learn because you don't learn something if you're not enjoying it.
[00:16:38] Sophia: Especially with language.
[00:16:40] Cait: You definitely have to have that interest cuz it's work. You're learning a whole new code and
[00:16:44] Sophia: Yes. And children aren't gonna force themselves to learn something that's not, there has to be a certain element of passion or enjoyment there for the young ones at least.
[00:16:55] Cait: And with with taking your business online, what does that look like? Does it differ significantly from, you're clearly, you're not in the same space, so I'm just wondering like, how do you. How do you approach it so that you're using the methods that you like to use when you're not face-to-face like in person?
[00:17:13] Sophia: Yes. So I have in-person and virtual lessons for in-person lessons, it's definitely simpler because you can really gauge their interests. You can catch them a little more. I think having a lot of visuals is what really helps with virtual lessons. And also not having a group that.
[00:17:34] Sophia: Has too many younger students. I think that the younger students have a more difficult time with virtual lessons. They really need that in-person engagement. But it's very similar to the in-person lessons, believe it or not. It's Virtual lessons tend to be more difficult in general for teachers.
[00:17:54] Sophia: I remember having, teaching during covid, you would have to go virtual and you'd have to teach them in that way. And it was always just this daunting task. You were like, oh, I wish we were in person right Now, I, this is so much more preparation for me, but I think that really prepared me well for engaging with them as well.
[00:18:16] Sophia: So it's really it, to sum it up, just a lot of visuals. Often having a parent nearby is helpful too because they will like to show off to their friends and use special faces like, Ooh, there's a mustache filter, I'm gonna use that. Oh, yes. Yeah, the filters. So I think having a parent nearby and then keeping things fun and engaging Keeping them wanting to do it.
[00:18:40] Sophia: So I love that. Very different from a lecture or that type of class. It has to be one that's getting them involved.
[00:18:52] Cait: That's great. So for parents who have not yet entered into foreign language with their kiddos, what would you say that the benefits are? Like what? What are the advantages to finding a program that works for your family?
[00:19:05] Cait: It
[00:19:05] Sophia: helps with. Brain development first and foremost, especially at a young age. There's so many studies that show benefits in other sectors of their education as well. Just from learning a second language, it expands their mind. And for example, like engagement with puzzles and colors and everything, their minds tend to grasp concepts like that.
[00:19:29] Sophia: Much better. Like it's there tends to be a correlation with advancement in other subjects areas. So first and foremost, just their brain development. It's just wonderful for that. As also a wonderful practical tool, especially here in the US you see a lot of Spanish speakers and one day down the road, if they want to get a job, it's.
[00:19:56] Sophia: Saying that they're bilingual, saying that they have a practical amount of Spanish that they can use, helps them be a little, like a step up from maybe another candidate. So it's just something they can use. I remember working at an ice cream store. I was the go-to Spanish person, like the Spanish speaker, and that, that set me apart from my other coworkers, and it even.
[00:20:23] Sophia: Resulted in a small raise. So that's something that can really follow children throughout their lives, throughout adulthood, if they
[00:20:31] Cait: keep up with it. I love that. And it's so true. It's such an asset. My, my son is taking Spanish. He actually, when he was in kindergarten and I told you before we came on, it was a really rough year and that's how we ended up homeschooling and we never set out to, and we're not in a place where there are a lot of homeschoolers.
[00:20:48] Cait: So his favorite class was, at the time they were doing Spanish at the, our elementary school, but then they cut it the next. G until older grades, which is unfortunate because all the data shows that they should be doing it early. So we've dabbled in a bunch of Spanish classes throughout the years, but he's talking about how much better it is in person and how it's like, Created this passion that I think he had, as a kindergartner, it was something interesting and challenging and new.
[00:21:18] Cait: So he is, he's doing that again. And he has a teacher who's really hilarious and brings in a lot of humor from various cultures. And his projects are things like, find me the weirdest sport, like in a, from a Spanish speaking country, are the weirdest. Like something that you think is really interesting and like really out there that we would as a, in the US think is strange or like really interesting.
[00:21:41] Cait: And so he's learned a ton about culture. On Fridays they sing songs and my son is 15 and doesn't like to sing, but like he, he tells me about all of them. So I just think it can be such a fun way to learn about the world around you. And I think it's great that you're doing it. It
[00:21:59] Sophia: is. I definitely have put in that.
[00:22:02] Sophia: That culture element there. So one of my, in my, when I start a group, one of the early on lessons, is just a quick overview of the Spanish speaking world, and then throughout the program or throughout It's not really a program, it's just something that keeps going. And it's not something that ends, it's not a 10 week course because you never know what level they're gonna be at or what progression they're going to need, because it really, the purpose is getting them to have practical skills.
[00:22:34] Sophia: But that being said, It's really fun to, to spotlight a country. Like I'll, I told them the other day about Ecuador and I was like, oh, they eat Guinea pigs there. And it just the shock factor for them, they just could not believe it. And it just, it expands their knowledge of the world, but also their want to explore.
[00:22:58] Sophia: So they hear my stories, they hear about, The time that I swam in a volcano crater and they're just like in awe. And wow, you can actually do that. I could do that one day. If Miss Sophie can do it, I could probably do it. And I just, I love seeing that. And they're just, their eyes sparkle.
[00:23:17] Cait: Ah, there's I love when there's eyes are sparkling, that they're, you've tapped into that.
[00:23:22] Cait: And stories help so much with learning. It just brings it to life. Especially, for everybody, but especially for little ones. Yes,
[00:23:30] Sophia: I have story time pretty much in every Spanish lesson. And the two all-time favorite books are dragons and tacos. Oh, yes. And then the other one is Don't Eat mek.
[00:23:43] Sophia: Oh, I know. It just has this baby Tupac Cabra that wants to eat its goat friend and they just, they go crazy for it. Oh my gosh.
[00:23:50] Cait: Is there an English version of that?
[00:23:52] Sophia: It's actually mainly English, and then it integrates a few Spanish words. So it's very much a Spanglish book as opposed to a bilingual book.
[00:24:02] Sophia: So I think if you just look up, don't eat me You should be the first thing that pops up. My boys
[00:24:08] Cait: have always been into K Cryptids, like they're. Any crypted is their favorite, but they're, if we're, if something shows up on our backyard camera, they'll, they're always like, it's the . Oh,
[00:24:18] Sophia: they love it though.
[00:24:18] Sophia: It's not like my brother.
[00:24:20] Cait: So how can parents support if they don't speak another language and their kids are taking courses with you, how can they support them at home? Both with regard to the language itself and the culture element. I'll
[00:24:34] Sophia: talk on students that I've worked with. And what's worked for their parents.
[00:24:40] Sophia: I've seen a lot of their parents actually be inspired by how they're improving, and then they'll start learning Spanish too. Maybe just 10 minutes a day on Duolingo or something so that they can interact with their children. That, of course, is. The best thing that you can do is engaging with them and learning with them because it again, creates that sense of community for them.
[00:25:04] Sophia: But additionally, just listening to them, they'll, if they just start singing or they say, oh, guess what, dad? Guess what this means and just really engaging with them and encouraging their spark. So my parents didn't know Spanish, but anytime that I went rambling on and on about it, they listened and they encouraged it and found avenues for me to learn it.
[00:25:28] Sophia: One of the things I did early on was I found groups of people that spoke Spanish and my mom supported me by driving me to meet them, to be able to do activities with them, and she couldn't talk to them. She couldn't understand, but she still, I. Found ways to support my natural pool if screens are allowed at home, watching shows, watching movies in Spanish, also a Spanish music playlist, anything like that.
[00:25:57] Sophia: Just finding natural ways to integrate the language in their day-to-day lives is extremely important because the more you use the language, the more you're going to improve in it.
[00:26:09] Cait: I think that's so great. What would you, so if if someone's interested in pursuing language lessons with you, where can they find you?
[00:26:19] Sophia: I have a website. It's www.spanishwithsophia.com, and I post all of my available lesson times and then there's a contact box. You can email me. I'm also on Facebook, but generally I answer my emails very quickly, so that is a great way to contact me. And there's also more information on the website about me and about lessons.
[00:26:44] Sophia: So it's a great first step. Thank
[00:26:47] Cait: you. If it's okay with you, I'm gonna switch to our rapid fire, which is something we started doing this season. And the first question is, what was your favorite childhood game or toy? Oh,
[00:26:58] Sophia: I had this bear, I called her Charlotte Bear and she was the first big purchase of mine.
[00:27:03] Sophia: I still remember she was $66 at my local pharmacy and I. I gave them payments so they were willing to put this bear on hold for me. And anytime that I made money, whether it was for making the bed or breaking the leaves and I got a quarter here or there, I saved for half a year and I got this bear, and then she was never, not by my side.
[00:27:32] Sophia: So I, I loved working for her. And then, Having her,
[00:27:37] Cait: I love that story and that, it's hard for a kid to do that. I have three and I have, my youngest is actually the one that can do that. The other two. Spend it as soon as they get it, but he was probably four or five and he saved up all birthday and Christmas money that he got to get this robot that dances and shot discs.
[00:27:57] Cait: That's so awesome. He loved that thing. Yeah, we were, everyone was like, he saved up for that and was really amazing to think that, that the ability to resist. Impulse, the immediate gratification? Like the marshmallow test they do with kids and they're like, don't eat the marshmallow.
[00:28:13] Cait: It's, I think it's rare to find a kid that won't eat the marshmallow and will save up for the bear at the pharmacy.
[00:28:18] Sophia: Yes, that is true. But then you just, you like it so much more. I think I continue that pattern throughout childhood of wanting to save up for things because when they weren't just given to me, I enjoyed them a lot more.
[00:28:33] Sophia: That's so
[00:28:33] Cait: true cuz you worked for it. What was your favorite book as a kid?
[00:28:37] Sophia: The Giving Tree. I really liked that book. I had a whole shelf of books, but that was the one that I would always go to. My older siblings have. A lot of different tattoos from the Giving Tree, and I always looked up to them.
[00:28:53] Sophia: I thought they were so cool, and so it just, it made me feel connected to them. I love that.
[00:29:00] Cait: What is the best book you've read in the last five or so years?
[00:29:04] Sophia: I really love This writer, Isabella? She she's written a lot of wonderful books, mostly novels. But this book isn't really a novel.
[00:29:17] Sophia: She didn't really make things up for it. It was based on her life story. And then just her opinions in general. So it was really fun to be able to pick at her brain. It's called
[00:29:29] Sophia: which means like women of my soul. But I think that, I think there's a different English name for it. Is it, let's see. The soul of a woman is what? It's okay. The English translation is called, but it's really interesting. Her opinions are out there a little bit, and I don't know if I completely agree with her on everything, but.
[00:29:52] Sophia: It's just really interesting to, to learn more about her.
[00:29:56] Cait: I like that. Just the curiosity. You don't have to agree with things. And just being curious about the world around you. What is bringing you joy right now?
[00:30:04] Sophia: my baby. I think it's been, A rough couple of weeks. Going through labor was very intense. That was a very surreal experience. And then sleepless nights accompanied by just so much work, but also it's, you just can't stop staring at them. And you, I know, feel this overwhelming amount of love and.
[00:30:28] Sophia: So it's just amazing.
[00:30:31] Cait: Nothing like it. That's, congratulations again. It's really exciting. Thank you. I can remember all of that like it was yesterday.
[00:30:37] Sophia: Oh, I hope that it stays that way for me. I can already see her changing. Yes. Just in three weeks.
[00:30:45] Cait: So much like
[00:30:46] Sophia: her newborn, closer, starting to get tight. What, how, and soon I won't be able to call her my newborn.
[00:30:52] Sophia: Oh,
[00:30:53] Cait: she can always be your newborn. I told my youngest, he's always the baby. He just, when he turns every year, I'm like, you can't turn 12. You can't turn 11. You can't turn 12. Oh,
[00:31:01] Sophia: I know it's going to be hard for me because my little brother growing up, I would cry every time he had a birthday. Yeah. Cause we were about four years apart and.
[00:31:10] Sophia: Each time I was just wrecked. I was like, you're growing up. One day you're gonna be taller than me. Now he's taller than me. He didn't listen when I told him not to, but I, he would be so confused. And I hope I don't do that to my kid, but I know I'm probably am.
[00:31:26] Cait: You might do it a little. I am. I cry very easily, so my kids always make fun of me, but I do cry on birthdays.
[00:31:33] Cait: I'm like, it's just happy tears. It's like just, it's awesome. Yeah. My oldest is now officially taller than me. He was convinced, oh my. My husband was really slow to grow. Like he's tall, but he didn't grow until he was a senior in high school. And my youngest, my oldest was like, I'm not growing. I'm not gonna grow.
[00:31:50] Cait: And it was this whole stress. Thing. So we had an appointment, a regular pediatrician appointment, and he had officially surpassed me and he was like, trying to play it cool like a teen, like he wasn't affected by it, but I was like, you are so excited.
[00:32:03] Sophia: That sounds very similar to my brother. He was always really small, but first he started out super big.
[00:32:10] Sophia: As a baby and a toddler. And then he was the smallest for a long time, and finally when he was about 15, he started growing. Yeah.
[00:32:18] Cait: Yeah. It's, it, I think it's hard for boys who don't, who are smaller cuz the, it's my friend was joking that at that age, it's you're either a man or you look like you're 10.
[00:32:29] Sophia: Yes.
[00:32:30] Cait: It's like a wide variety of Heights and whatnot. Sophia, it was so good to talk to you. I'm so glad that you reached out to us. It's been a pleasure meeting with you and learning about you and your journey and I think it's amazing that you've met with me with a three week old.
[00:32:46] Cait: Yeah. Really.
[00:32:48] Sophia: So thank you. It was really nice talking to you. It feels really nice to talk to an adult, yep. No, I bet. That's been great.
[00:32:55] Cait: Yep. I highly recommend if you don't use, do you use Voxer? No, I don't. Okay, so Voxer is like a walkie talkie app where you can leave, it's like voice messages and you can connect with your friends on there.
[00:33:07] Cait: And since becoming a mom, Has been a godsend because you can, if you have a minute and you're like, Hey, I'm thinking about you, blah, blah, blah, and then you send it and then she's busy over there doing her thing and then when she has a minute she gets back to you. So it's it sounds weird, but it's amazing and it was such an important thing when I was a mom, especially like early years and when your friends are like spread out a little
[00:33:31] Sophia: bit.
[00:33:32] Sophia: No, that sounds wonderful. Most of my friends are also moms. Which, that's worked out nicely. But we're all busy. Yeah.
[00:33:41] Cait: That you're like, the days feel long, but then at the end of the day, you're like, where did it go? All right. Thank you so much for taking the time out and sharing with us, and I will be sure to include links to everything that we to talked about today in the show notes.
[00:33:56] Cait: And if you think of anything later that you wanna include, just shoot me an email and I will add it. Thank you so much,
[00:34:01] Sophia: Kate. You're welcome. Take care. You too. Enjoy that baby. Thank you. I'll,
[00:34:08]
