The Neal Family

Portrait Time

2009-11-12T09:55:00.000-08:00

We went in for our annual family portrait the other day. I try to take the girls more frequently because they grow and change so much. Here are the pictures we chose.

Reality of Roseola

2009-09-10T10:09:00.000-07:00

My poor baby has come down with a case of Roseola...or some other viral rash. Took her into the doctor just to make sure if wasn't something more serious. Here are the pictures...

Back to Blogging

2009-08-19T10:01:00.001-07:00

Ok, so over the weekend, I had a few friends remind me of what a bad blogger I am. Mea culpa. So here are a few of the events that have happened since my last post. Keira turned 1, started walking and is working on talking. Julia is now singing along with and acting out DVDs and has started taking a dance class. The girls are really developing a relationship with each other, which is great. It is the best thing to see them giving each other a hug and kiss for no reason other than they just plain love each other.

I'm putting up one or two pictures from different times over the past few months as a sort of catch up. Soon to follow, some pics from our visit to Ohio.

While visiting Uncle Tim and Aunt Tab in NC in April, we went to Discovery Place. They had a great kid area!

Julia playing with the water table at Discovery Place.

Dying Easter eggs for the Easter Bunny to use.

The Easter Bunny was here!

Getting ready for Church on Easter morning.

Keira turns 1!

Julia helped blow out the candle after singing "Happy Birthday" to Keira.

Happy 4th of July!

Julia and Olivia steal a page (or a hat) from Uncle Sam.

Summertime at the Jersey Shore...need I say more?

Julia wanted a hole to sit in.

Playing in the 'water hole'.

Billy Joel and Elton John - Face 2 Face. Hands down, BEST. CONCERT. EVER.

Keira in desperate need of her first haircut.

My little cutie pie with her new hairdo.

Hello, Again...

2009-02-03T15:07:00.000-08:00

So it's been so long since I last did a blog that I can't even remember all that I should have been blogging about. So, I'm starting fresh. Here are updates and pictures.

Julia is knocking our socks off with her smarts these days. She has just recently started singing the ABC's. Pretty impressive when you consider I didn't really start singing it for her very much until about two weeks ago. She sings "A, B, C, D, E, F, G, ah blah la la, Q, R, S, T, V, V, W, X, Y and Z. Now my ABC's. Next time with me." She is also jumping around the house saying "hop, hop, hop...brinca, brinca as well as jump, jump, jump...salta, salta" She is also using the Spanish words for climb, up, down, yes, and any number from 1-10. She LOVES snow and can't wait to get outside whenever the white stuff is coming down. Her new favorite thing...her sister. She gets super excited whenever Keira wakes up and runs in their room screaming "Baby Keira Wake Up, Mom!" They are really cute when they play together.

As for Keira, she is getting so big, so fast. She is up to 20 lbs already! She got her ears pierced about a month ago. She sits up very well, and scoots around on her butt. She has been on hands and knees for weeks, but can't coordinate herself enough to move forward. She mostly slides back. She is also clapping her hands and laughing a lot. She just recently started pulling herself up on the furniture. I'm not sure, but I think she might skip crawling and go straight to walking. She has also cut some new teeth, bringing her total to four. Keira absolutely adores her big sister and smiles and laughs whenever Julia is around.

Growing a sisterly bond.

Julia's chosen artistic medium.

B.F.F.

Splashing in the tub.

Keira loves bath time. She gets so pissed when she gets taken out before Julia.

Even Daddy enjoys tubby time!

Snow Day!

check it out

2009-01-29T18:01:00.003-08:00

Ok, so I've been slacking. I'll try to work on a new blog soon. But for now, check out Jason's new blog at...

http://everybodysacomedian.blogspot.com

Happy Birthday Julia!

2008-12-21T06:43:00.000-08:00

Julia turned two this past Thursday. She got to go out for lunch with Mommy and Grammy and she decided that she wanted ice cream...so we took a trip to Friendly's. She opened one present from Mommy and Daddy (a digital camera) and one from Uncle Tim and Aunt Tab ( A Dora interactive learning globe). The rest had to wait until her party on Saturday. Here is a recap of the party. Enjoy!

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Look at 'em grow!

2008-12-16T07:16:00.000-08:00

My oh my they are growing quickly. Julia turns 2 this week - I'll follow up with another blog and more pictures. The kids also have to go in for checkups later this week - Julia's 2 year and Keira's 6 month. I can't believe they are that old already. So here are the updates...

Julia is using full sentences regularly and refining her word choices. Instead of just "some" and a point at whatever she wants, she now says it like this - "I want some coffee....please." And yes, she does actually say that. She is still as adventurous as ever. Her grandfather showed her how to climb a ladder this week and since he could do it, she would be darned if she couldn't. Can I tell you how fast my pulse was watching my 2 year old climb up and over a 6 ft ladder. Yikes! And she is so loving with her sister. She brings her toys, "check her" when she's crying, and even let her borrow her favorite blanket (pink nah-nah) for a nap.

Keira is growing so quickly now. She is sitting up on her own for short stretches, eating well (or she was before her teething hit full force), babbling oohs and aahs, and has cut her first tooth. The second tooth is right behind it and should be through the gums in the next day or so. When Keira smiles her whole face lights up and it is just the sweetest thing to see. And she loves her family...she gets so excited to see the dogs, and when Julia comes into the room she can't keep her eyes off her. Mommy and Daddy are pretty ok too in her eyes.

Finally some pictures of them together.

Chewing her fingers instead of her teether.

Playing Peek-a-Boo with her "Doggy's House"

Just fooling around

Holding her own bottle now.

Sitting up on her own.

Best Friends.

O Christmas Tree

2008-12-15T15:47:00.000-08:00

This year we decided the time was right for Julia to start helping decorate the Christmas Tree. We don't have any fun adventures of going to pick it out and cut it down because quite simply, it lives in a box in the basement. First because of my allergies, and also because we are doing our part to "go green" when we can. Anyway, it went like this...I would take the ornaments out of their storage boxes and make sure there were hooks on them. Then I would give the non-breakables to Julia and she would pass them off to Daddy. Without instruction, she started telling him where to put them. As she got better at her job, she got faster. So fast that at one point I think Jason had an ornament hanging off each finger and couldn't get them on the tree fast enough. Now, she comes into the family room and points to the tree and shouts

"Kiss-miss Tee !" Then she immediately follows up with "I help Daddy!"

The first ornament this year.

Giving another ornament to Daddy.

"It goes right there!"

"Right here?"

Julia tells me to "turn it, Ba" when she wants it turned on.

Keira spent the afternoon teething. =(

Ok, I'm tired of this.

Checking out her work the next day.

Playing with a snowman.

O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree...How lovely are thy branches.

Holidays are Here

2008-11-29T09:52:00.000-08:00

We had a nice Thanksgiving at Mom's this year with plenty to eat and good times shared by all. The kids did very well, too. Hope that you all had a nice day as well. Now that the holiday season has arrived, it is time to decorate. We knew this year was going to be fun when Julia started getting very excited seeing lights on other homes. We started our decorating and she was so excited to see the deer in the front yard that she cried when she had to come in. I can't wait to see her reaction to the Christmas tree! Keira has made some big leaps in the past few weeks. She is now sitting on her own for longer stretches of time each day. She is also starting to understand the concept of eating solids. She opens her mouth now when the spoon approaches and even swallows whole mouthfuls at a time. Much improved from the clamped shut mouth and spitting! She is even starting to fall into her own routine...if only we could move up her bedtime! It's hard when the kids share a room to let one cry and risk waking the other up. Oh well, it will come in time.

If you look VERY closely, you can see some of the first snowflakes of the year.

Julia outside playing in the "snow".

Keira and Grammy playing.

Julia helped Daddy decorate!

These are bases to the small light up trees, but all I can think of .... Julia Scissorhands

Getting ready to come inside from the cold.

After a long day of being cranky, she finally gave in and fell asleep.

Two is Terrible!

2008-11-18T04:39:00.001-08:00

Ok, so we are now a mere month from Julia's second birthday. And let me tell you ,the "Terrible Twos" have arrived! My sweet little girl has been replaced by a bratty, 'tudey little snot in her times of rage. It seems the simple instructions or slightest reprimand send her into a frenzy of hitting, kicking, throwing, screaming and crying. But then two minutes later she is back to normal. I'm exhausted by her moods alone. All in all, Julia is still a very good kid, but good grief I hope this stage doesn't last an entire year...and man am I scared of when she becomes a teenager.

As for Keira, she is such a happy little thing. She does not like to eat, however. We are working on feeding her solids now, but she is not so interested. The funniest part is when she starts sticking her thumb in her mouth so you can't get the spoon in. She is also rolling over very well now and we often find her on her belly in her crib in the morning. And mostly, Keira simply adores her sister. She watches her like a hawk, and if Julia so much as looks in her direction...huge smiles! It's so cute.

Angry that the camera was out.

Eating prunes...and none too happy about it.

Not eating anything except her thumb.

More tantrums.

Two minutes later...happily playing drums with the Christmas boxes.

False teething...note the drool spot on Jason's shoulder.

Sitting up (while supported)

Attempting to take pictures for the Christmas card

We'll try one more time, but you might see this one on the card.

Keira's Baptism

2008-11-04T06:17:00.000-08:00

On Sunday, Keira was baptized into the Roman Catholic faith. The ceremony includes baptism with water and anointing with oils. Her Aunt Tabitha and my good friend Angie are her godmothers. She is a very loved and blessed little girl, and we are all blessed to have her with us.

Here is the priest making the sign of the cross on her head.

The water was cold and she didn't even cry.

Draped in her baptismal "gown"

The light of the candle symbolizes life.

Keira with her Godmothers

Uncle Tim, Aunt Tab, Keira, Angie (and baby Marshall) and Marshall

Parents and Godparents

Keira with her Godmothers and Great-Grandparents

The Family

A Visit from Uncle Tim and Aunt Tab

2008-11-01T08:30:00.000-07:00

My brother and sister-in-law came up this weekend for Halloween and Keira's baptism. Julia has had a difficult time accepting these people into her home. She is "scared". And I guess we can understand since it's been almost a year since she'd seen them. But we are doing our best to get over the fear and enjoy our time together. Keira on the other hand, has finally figured out that someone other than mommy or daddy can hold her and she will be fine.

playing with the baby

Julia avoiding her aunt and uncle

Uncle Tim playing with Keira

Uncle Tim holds the baby while Aunt Tab builds block towers for Julia to knock down.

Shiny, happy people holding hands!

Happy Halloween!

2008-11-01T08:15:00.001-07:00

Happy Halloween everyone! Here are a few shots from our night of tricks and treats! Julia dressed as Dora (of course) and Keira was a chicken/duck (chuck?). You decide.

Dora - back view

Dora - front view

Keira as chuck.

Aunt Tab with the girls

Dora exploring the front steps

Dora giving out candy to the trick-or-treaters

Me, Jules and Mom

The Day to Day

2008-10-26T06:43:00.000-07:00

Nothing too new or exciting in the Neal house this week. Just our regular old routine. Big things are coming though, what with Halloween and Keira's Baptism right around the corner.

Indian summer afternoons playing in the yard

Keira enjoying the new patio

Jason has said that he wants a boy to play sports or go fishing with. I say, when a kid is ready, willing, and able to get this dirty, gender doesn't matter.

That dirt is ground in!

Isn't she cute?

Expert thumb sucker!

The girls playing together in the living room.

Julia has become a very good "little mommy". She imitates everything I do with Keira so rather than having her swipe a half full bottle, she got one of her own to feed her baby.

Apparently she has also been "feeding" the dogs by taking all of their food from the food bowls and putting it in the water bowl. What fun. Remember Gravy Train?

The girls had their first bath together. Keira was not pleased!

The Pumpkin Patch

2008-10-20T06:45:00.000-07:00

We went to the pumpkin patch this weekend and had a great time. Keira fell asleep when we got to Playland and stayed asleep until we were on our way home. Enjoy!

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Welcome Fall!

2008-10-12T19:05:00.001-07:00

Fall is here! Hooray! The leaves are starting to change color and it was time to decorate the house. I managed to go out, get the stuff, and decorate all while Julia was napping. What a surprise when she got up! We went outside to draw with the sidewalk chalk and look-ey what she found!

Getting a feel for the mums.

Love this picture! It's classic Jules!

We'll add pumpkins after next week's trip to the pumpkin patch.

Keira was very interesting in what Julia was doing.

Julia showing Keira the flowers.

Julia's sidewalk art.

Mommy's sidewalk art.

She was loving touching the flowers!

Julia and her friend, Olivia, at Olivia's house.

I've been tagged

2008-10-12T18:50:00.000-07:00

This one is for Miss Jack at Spyrou Chronicles. Unfortunately, I don't know too many bloggers out there as I'm still exploring the wide world of blog. Pretty much it's just you (Miss Jack), A., and T. Ross. A. just did this last month too so I'll spare her and for some reason I have trouble commenting on Ben and Katie's place. So I'll fill it out and make a request to all (any?) readers out there. Feel free to add it to your blogs (and send me the links by the way).

The rules: Each player answers the question themselves. At the end of the post the player then tags 5 people and posts their names, then goes to their blog and leaves them a comment letting them know that they’ve been tagged and asking them to read your blog. Let the person that tagged you know when you’ve answered the questions on your blog.

10 years ago I was:
1. 20 years old
2. In my junior year at Beaver College
3. Laughing (and crying) with my roommate, Angie, about how VERY loud our deaf neighbor's answering machine message was.
4. Driving around in my 1988 Ford Tempo, Betty.
5. Totally broke.

5 things on today’s to-do list:
1. Laundry
2. Decorate for fall
3. Put clean sheets on the beds (I borrowed this one, but it's true)
4. Write a post for the blog (This one too)
5. Go to the grocery store.

5 snacks I enjoy:
1. Anything chocolate
2. yogurt covered raisins
3. apples, which I can't eat because I'm allergic so I settle for cider
4. graham crackers
5. grapes

5 things I would do if I were a millionaire: (I’m changing this to be Billionaire)
1. pay off my student loans
2. pay off my mortgage
3. put more money in the kids 529 accts
4. buy a house in Aruba so we could go whenever we wanted!
5. take mom, bill, tim, & tab on a british isles cruise.

5 places I have lived:
1. Easthampton, MA
2. Stevens, PA
3. West Windsor, NJ
4. Mercerville, NJ
5. Mt Royal, NJ

5 jobs I have had:
1. Being a mom
2. Purchasing clerk for a military export company
3. QC Chemist (did a little microbio too)
4. Receptionist
5. Cashier and Deli clerk

Neal Goings-on

2008-10-12T16:49:00.001-07:00

So I asked Jason to take the kids outside (play in the yard or go for a walk, whatever) so I could clean the family room without interruption. About 30 minutes later I went outside and this is how I found Julia. Her clothes were white when she went out there. Nothing like leaving it to Daddy to double Mommy's workload!

Keira got her first taste of bananas the other day. Now I remember how much I hated teaching Julia to eat/chew. She did ok for her first time, but she definitely wasn't sold on the idea.

There are some battles that just aren't worth fighting. Shortly after getting Julia dressed today, she came upon a Dora bathing suit in the hand-me-downs from our neighbor. She wanted to wear it...needed to wear it. We weren't going anywhere so what the heck. Here is the end result.

Jules also managed to find her way into the storage area. My mom and I recently bought some wrapping paper, bags and bows for the upcoming Christmas season. Our goal is to stay ahead of the game. Last year we had all of our gifts bought and wrapped before Thanksgiving. Julia was in love with the bows. Maybe she'll take after Mommy in that regard and become a Christmas nut in her own rite.

Playtime

2008-10-08T15:42:00.000-07:00

Keira is starting to really enjoy all the different things to look at on the exersaucer.

Julia has become quite the little mommy herself. She tells her baby "I love you" and gives her kisses all the time.

Not sure where this pose came from, but all I can think of is Home Alone.

Julia was helping Keira play by pushing the buttons that turn on the music.

Keira and Winky playing.

Keira's 4 month checkup

2008-10-06T16:58:00.000-07:00

Keira had her 4 month checkup last week and so far so good. She is up to 15.2 lbs (90%) and 25.9 inches (95%) so she is an all around big kid for her age, but proportionately so. We did find out that she has an ear infection in her left ear but it was asymptomatic so we had no way of knowing it was there. It is most likely due to the fact that she has allergies and fluid was just sitting there in her head. Yuck! Anyway, she's now on antibiotics and allergy medicine in addition to her reflux medicine...none of which she takes very easily. She also had her next round of vaccinations so she is 85% immune those diseases. Next round is at 6 months and then she will be 98% immune and we can get her ears pierced! Julia went along as well but only needed a flu shot. She did surprisingly well. She didn't even cry. Wow. My babies are growing up too fast!

Big Shoes to Fill

2008-10-01T11:37:00.000-07:00

I did a terrible, but in my world necessary, Mommy thing today. Keira fell asleep in her swing and so I put on Dora for Julia. I can see the family room from the kitchen so it freed up 24 minutes for me to clean the kitchen and keep an eye on her. Half way through I went down to check on her. I found her like this. She had taken off one sock and one shoe and stuck both of her feet into my sneakers. Even the foot that still had her shoe on was jammed in.

She paraded around this way for about 5 minutes and then took one of my sneakers off. The other one was stuck (the one with the jammed in 2nd sneaker of course) so she called out for "help, Ba!"

Oh How Quickly They Grow

2008-09-30T15:52:00.000-07:00

As I got the girls loaded into the stroller this afternoon, I stood in awe. It's not that this is an unusual event, we take an evening walk around the neighborhood several times a week. It was just that I had the opportunity to look at my kids from a different perspective. It was like a third party looking in. I simply cannot believe how much they've grown. It shocks me still that I have two kids. Not two babies...Julia isn't really a baby anymore. She's definitely graduated to kid. Keira is still a baby but at this rate, not for long. Where is this time going?

"So tell me how to stop the years from racing. Is there a secret someone knows? I'll never catch all the memories I'm chasing. I'll never be ready to let go." -Lyrics from Angel's Lullaby

Gone Mad

2008-09-24T14:54:00.000-07:00

Ok so I think I'm losing it...I've gone mad. Here is a glimpse into my yesterday. The kids are cranky. Julia is cutting 4 teeth at once and has turned into my shadow. I swear she would crawl back inside my body if there was a way. And she's whining...a lot! I think Keira has a bug or has begun early teething much like Julia did. So I have Keira in her swing and Julia playing in the family room. Run to kitchen to make bottle...come down to find that Jules has climbed onto the coffee table and is sitting dead center watching tv. Time out. Lots of cranky coming my way. Now trying to feed Keira who is hungry but wont eat. Julia goes to kitchen. Call three times, then go on the hunt. I find her in the back yard...thank God for the fence. Must find a way to get the screen door fixed so we can lock that exit. Time out. Lots of cranky coming my way. Nap time...yippee! Whoops, not for long. Here comes the trash truck. Wakes kids. Dammit! Lots of cranky coming my way. Downstairs for lunch. Change Keira and turn around to find that Jules has gone into the kitchen, climbed onto the table, collected all the placemats into a pile, sat on pile and started eating her snack.

Time out. Lots of cranky coming my way. Time to attempt feeding Keir again. Jules escapes to kitchen and 30 seconds later...choking/coughing sounds. Whirl around worried and find Julia holding bottle of dish soap. Dammit! Read label for poison control info and mentally kick self for forgetting to put soap away. Luckily only need to drink water to dilute soap. Skip ahead a couple hours...after Daddy got home, I took 45 minutes to get control of my mind again. Come downstairs and start unloading dishwasher. Man, it stinks down here. Jason takes Keir up for a diaper change...thank God. Need to call mom, looking for phone in family room where Julia is sitting on the couch watching Dora. She tells me "Ba, poop." Ahh so that's why it still stinks. Ok, Julia, let's go change your pants. Help her to get up, and that's when I see the puddle of poop on my couch. Oh man, what a day! Warn Jason about couch...ask for help getting that cleaned up...and rush Julia to bathtub. Pray for no more explosions. Stupid Mommy, stupid soap! Feed dinner to Julia and get her off to bed. Keira, too. Nope, she's up again. Try another feeding with very little success. Order take out. Veg in front of tv. Put Keira to bed. This time it works. Sleep.

Personali-tude

2008-09-20T17:26:00.000-07:00

I had a thought the other day about how special the little things are in life. Not to say that the big milestones are any less great, but sometimes it's the small moments that make me look at my children in amazement and with such maternal love. For instance, the other day Julia was eating Mac & Cheese for lunch. More than half of it was landing on her bib and not in her mouth. The look in her eyes when she noticed the noodles there and the way she smiled when she picked them up and ate them just made my day.It was like she'd found a lost treasure. Sappy Mommy.

Anyway, I was talking with some friends of mine about kids and their personalities. I can't speak first hand in regard to little boys, but some of my friends have at least one of each and we are in agreement that little girls have WAY more 'tude! What is with that? I swear there are times when Julia gives me looks that should be coming from a pre-menstrual teenager. Ok, that being said...look at the imagination and acting ability on this kid. Woah.

"A hat"

Maybe a house for her and the baby?

Go Buckeyes!

My flower child

In order to get ready for Keira's baptism, we had to try on the gown. It's the same one I wore, my brother wore, Julia wore....it's too small for Keira. I can't snap the top closed and we are still several weeks away from the baptism. However, she is quite a bit older than we all were at the age when we were baptized...even Julia.

...and since we were checking out sizes to make sure things fit...here is a sneak peek of Keira's Halloween costume. I'm not too sure if it's a chick or a duck...so I'm calling it "chuck"

Julia looks at me and says "Ba, that baby is a duck"

I just can't take any more!

Can we talk?

Stupid Government!

2008-09-08T10:21:00.000-07:00

WARNING - VENTING AHEAD!!

Ok, so let me start at the beginning. Back on May 31st, as I was in labor and filling out forms between contractions, I checked a little box marked yes right next to this question: Would you like to apply for a social security number for your child. Easy, right? WRONG! Ok, so the paperwork they send you home with says it could take 13-14 weeks to receive your card in the mail, but everyone knows that's BS and it usually takes about a month. So about 6 weeks later I had to go back to the hospital for several reasons and decided to stop by birth records to see why we hadn't gotten Keira's card. The woman gives me the whole 13-14 weeks thing but then sees Keira, who is clearly over 1 month old. After confirming her age, she decides to call her contact at the state to see what is going on. The woman there tells her that "hmm, that's weird. Normally we make a notation when we send out the information to SSA but there isn't any note here. I guess we didn't do it." Nice! So the birth records lady tells me that I have to get Keira's birth certificate and go apply on my own. Yippee! So I go home and order her birth certificate and $50 and 1 week later, it comes in the mail. So I go online and print out the forms and gather up all my ID and her birth certificate and off we go to the SS office. So we get there, get a number and wait. And of course, they call the number after us first and then say that our number didn't show in the system. Hunh! So they take us in and look at the application and check my ID and then ask for Keira's ID. I gave them her birth certificate and the woman says "no, this is her birth certificate. where's her identification?" What?! I explained the whole deal to her and she says ok, but she still needs ID. I was like...she's 8 weeks old for heaven's sake. She didn't think it was very funny when I asked her if she'd like to see her driver's license. I mean, isn't her SSN going to be her ID. Now I need ID to get her ID? So I ended up having to get a letter from her doctor with her name and birth date and the fact that she is a current patient, blah, blah, blah. So then, I go back again. I have everything I need, but this time they say that because Keira is under 1 year old, they have to verify her birth with the state. Ok, so then why did I need to pay $50 for a rush certified copy of her birth certificate with the raised seal and all??? Anyway, they give me a letter stating that I've filed the application and a reference number. It should take about 2 weeks, but could take up to 4. So 4 weeks comes and goes. Now I start calling but can't get through. And when I finally do, I spend 25 minutes on hold before giving up. I try again today....same deal, except now I've been on hold for 82 minutes! I tried the regular 1-800 number...the federal one...and they can't help me because she doesn't have a SSN!!!!! Oh my god! I'm gonna flip. I asked the guy if I could file a complaint that the field office isn't answering their phones and he says yes...all you have to do is either drive or write to the field office and file the complaint there. It's a good thing they put a big sign on the door saying that you aren't allowed to bring firearms into the building or else I just might. Darn rules. So look out Mr. Arthur Weathersby, Field Office Manager. I'm a comin'...and it ain't gonna be pretty!

Breakthroughs

2008-09-05T03:30:00.001-07:00

Ok, so the girls have made a few breakthroughs in the past few days. The other night was the night from hell. Julia normally goes to bed around 8pm, give or take 30 mins, and sleeps just fine til morning...sometime around 6ish. Well, not Wednesday night. She was up 4 different times just crying her little eyes out and making absolutely no sense at all. Now I knew that she was cutting some teeth (looks like 3 of 4 eye teeth are trying to push through) and tooting to beat the band so I figured that maybe she had really bad gas pains or that the ibuprofen we gave her at bedtime wasn't cutting it for her. She said that her tummy hurt and her teeth hurt. So, mylicon and some orajel should do the trick, right? She did seem to sleep a little better after that. But boy did I feel stupid when changing her diaper last night I noticed that one of her 2-year molars had cut through about half way. Duh, Mommy! You put the orajel in the wrong spot! So that is breakthrough #1, literally.

Now for an even better one. For the past few months we've been working on potty training with Julia off and on. She has some intestinal issues so we aren't forcing it. Anyway, up until yesterday she would sit on the potty with no problem, and 90% of the time, she would go pee without any fuss at all. Great. But she wouldn't tell that she had to go or even that she had already gone. She was more than happy to run around with pee or poop in her pants for hours (of course, the smell is horrendous so I end up changing her after about 2 minutes). She isn't bothered in the least by the mess in her pants. Well thank heavens, she went poop yesterday and then looked at me and said "Potty!" So we took her into the potty and changed her! Yay! She knows she went! Now it only happened once so far, but such progress! Go Jules!

And finally, a breakthrough for Keira. She found her thumb. I know I never sucked my thumb. Jason doesn't think he did either. Julia didn't. But Keira has found it and she ain't lettin' go. Great news for me. I didn't have to go into her room once last night to put her Binky back in her mouth. Suck away kiddo!

Julia chomping a cookie...blankie in tow. Good luck finding her without it.

Keira playing in her bouncy seat.

My thumb!!

Personality

2008-09-01T05:56:00.000-07:00

So the summer is winding down, at least according to the calendar. We are about to hit yet another heat wave though, so I'm not putting the shorts away yet! Jason is really enjoying his job, and is doing well at it. We're even getting to spend some more time together as a family with his new work hours. Julia has become very aware of Daddy's schedule and every time she hears a car door after 5 pm, she runs to the window shouting "Dada!" It's usually after about the 4th time that she gives up, and somehow Daddy sneaks in and she is completely surprised to see him standing in the doorway when he does come home. Julia is also amazing us with her speech development. She is now using 3-4 word phrases and sentences regularly, and has begun to understand possessives. One of her new favorite words is...mine! Ugh! Keira is doing so much better now that the colic has completely passed, and she is a joy to spend time with. She loves to get one-on-one attention and will laugh and try to talk often during that time. She is currently working on blowing raspberries, and delights when you do it back at her. She is even starting to spend some time in the exersaucer and has figured out how to spin the chair around.

Julia asked to play outside with the dogs. This is how I found her a few minutes later...diaper hanging from her shorts, and not a bother to her.

Let's eat!
Keira getting her exercise.
Julia literally had tears spilling from her cheeks when I forced her to try a food she didn't want.
It was pancakes, which she loves, and this is the response after she tried it....mmmmmm.

Hanging out in the backyard on a warm summer night.

Keira smiles!

Me and the girls. I think it's pretty clear how happy they make me.

I think she looks a lot like me.

Fun in the Summer Sun

2008-08-18T19:00:00.000-07:00

Well, now that Jason has started back to work, we are settling into a nice routine. I've actually managed to work it out that going to the gym is part of our normal routine. Luckily, my gym has babysitting included so I pack up the girls and head off for my workout. Plus, it gives the kids some time out of the house and a chance to socialize with other children. Jason is enjoying his new job ( I think he likes the time away from the insanity in our house ) and the chance to do a little exploring in the city. As for me, well, what can I really say about a day full of a teething toddler and a cranky infant...ahh, the joys of motherhood.

Update on the kids...Julia is getting smarter and smarter every day. She is picking up new words like crazy and even starting to string them together in phrases. She surprised us recently with a four-word sentence....she told the dog "That's not your ball!" We have also begun the potty training adventure. She is really good at going on the potty. It's the telling Mommy that she has to go, or caring that she wet herself part that she's not so good at. We've also been doing a lot of counting and learning colors. Another big surprise...Julia can count in Spanish. Go Dora The Explorer. I guess she is really paying attention.

Keira recently had her two month check-up and is doing well. She has grown like a champ. She now weighs 12 lb 12 oz and is 23.6 inches long. That puts her in the 90-95% for both length and weight. Her acid reflux is getting much better thanks to the help of Zantac and rice cereal. The colic is slowly fading as well which allows us to see the lovely little baby that Keira is. She smiles, coos, and laughs a lot more now. She is also sleeping through the night and even spent her first night in her crib. Quite an accomplishment when you consider she slept in her car seat for the past 7 weeks. Strangely enough, it was Julia that woke up and not Keira on the first night. Thanks to a little more sleep, all of the Neals are a little happier!

They really do love each other!

ahh, refreshing!

Julia LOVES corn! But only Jersey corn ;-) Believe it or not, we really are the "Garden State"

Miss Keira, just hanging out.

POTTY!

At our friends' son's birthday party.

Happy 1st Birthday Henry!!

Julia and Henry had a lot of fun playing together.

On the park choo-choo with Dada

Down the slide.

Up the slide.

Juice break!

Daddy and Keira at the park.

Kiss me....I'm Irish! And adorable!

Summer Vacation - Storybook Land

2008-08-02T19:34:00.000-07:00

Well, we decided to take advantage of the end of Jason's layoff by going on a summer vacation. Nothing overly exciting, but a week at the shore. We were given the idea to go to Storybook Land while we were there. It was just a quick up the parkway and tada....out of nowhere...there it is. It was HOT that day. I mean HOT HOT HOT! We quickly discovered which rides Julia liked, and which ones she didn't. The ones that go around in spinning circles are a definite NO. She did have a blast, though, on the old time cars, the train, and the ferris wheel. Our favorite destination, however, was the North Pole. We had walked by it several times throughout the day and I thought it was just a cement post that had been painted white with a North Pole sign placed on top. Boy was I wrong...and grateful! It was solid ICE! What a nice way to cool down. We'll have to keep that in mind next time.

Daddy and Julia in front of the giant watering can.

Mommy and Julia on the carousel.

Daddy and Julia on the "Olde Tymer" cars.

This balloon ride was a no.

The flying dragons were a definite NO!

Thank goodness for ice cream. We needed a cool down break!

On the ferris wheel. She didn't mind this one.

Keira hanging out. She did really well considering the heat.

Julia at the Easter Bunny's House.

Ahh, relief! I would have hugged it if I wasn't holding Keira.

Julia wanted to lick it! She did think it was pretty cool, though.

Summer Vacation - The Pool and the Ice Cream

2008-08-02T19:14:00.001-07:00

After our very hot and adventurous day at Storybook Land, we decided it was a good day to just relax a little. We spent most of the day in the air conditioning and doing fairly regular day to day things...watching Dora, coloring, reading, taking naps, etc. We ended up at the pool. Julia had fun in the shallow end, flirting with a boy...yes a boy (about 8 years old) who spoke only French. When she got cold, Daddy went for a swim and after that we went for ice cream. Make sure you look closely at Julia's cone as the pictures progress. We literally had to hose her down when she was done.

Monkey...ready to go swimming.

Jason taking advantage of a few kid free moments

Julia watching Daddy swim.

Mmmm, iceee cone (ice cream cone).

No idea how she got it on her forehead.

I can't believe it didn't fall off!

She figured out she'd never make it all the way through the ice cream, so just skipped ahead to the cone.

A hole in the cone...and what a jip on the ice cream!!! The cone was empty!

Daddy and Keira

Our little sweet pea!

Summer Vacation - Lake Day

2008-08-02T18:57:00.000-07:00

We spent one afternoon at the lake. Julia loved the lake! The water was mostly shallow so she could go way out and still be able to touch. She got very comfortable in the water. Maybe a little too comfortable. And, we've discovered that her flirting skills are becoming more adept. She seems to have a preference for little French-Canadian boys.

Julia wanted buoooys (berries) for breakfast.

Playing in the sand.

Whoops! Caught Daddy not looking.

Like Father, Like Daughter

Well helloooo there, mi amor!

Our little water bug

Mommy and Keira hanging out...we really were there.

Wheeee! That's fun, Daddy. Do it again!

All cleaned up and playing outside.

Summer Vacation - Zoo and Beach

2008-08-02T18:32:00.000-07:00

So to round out our summer vaca - we decided to make another trip to the Cape May County Zoo. Unfortunately, our timing was way off. We went out for breakfast and then off to the zoo. Problem was that by the time we got to the zoo, and parked the car, and got our sunblock on, and got into the zoo...Julia was whooped. It was nap time. We ended up staying on a half hour. We went into the World of Birds (she was not impressed) and the Reptile House. She loved the reptile house. I could barely keep up with her. Thankfully she wasn't the only unruly child running away from a parent in there.

Daddy and Keira sleeping in.

Daddy and Keira at breakfast.

Julia was "DONE" with her french toast.

sleepy girl

Inside the World of Birds...I think those are Caribbean Flamingos

Can we go yet?

On one of our last days we finally made it to the beach. We had been waiting for an extra set of hands to help us out....enter Grammy. Thank you, Grammy. Anyway, my hopes and fears were realized almost immediately. Julia loved the water! Yay...she loved it....oh no!...she loved it. She was chasing the waves and they were chasing her. But boy oh boy was the water cold. It was time to go back to our spot and warm up. Julia was playing in the sand and had some lunch and then it was naptime. Unfortunately, she woke up sick...and I mean sick. It was her first time ever throwing up. What a mess. And it didn't end there. In the car, and then it spread slowly throughout the family. It literally took our family a week to recover from vacation because we were taking turns being sick. Anyway, we're all feeling better now and having fun looking over our pictures. Hope you did, too.

mmmm, juice.

I'm gonna dig over there.

ok, maybe I'll dig over here.

yummy...shovel

Happy Summer!

It's Hot! Day 5 of the Heatwave!

2008-07-20T06:05:00.000-07:00

So it's summer time again, which means we're up to all of our regular summer activities. We've spent a few days at the Sportsmen's Club enjoying the lake. Julia loves to play in the sand. We've also made several trips to Grammy and Pop Pop's house to use the pool. Ahh, refreshing. Julia is getting more comfortable with the water each time. By the end of the summer I'm afraid we won't be able to get her out of the water. She has also developed a profound love of fruit, particularly cantaloupe. I wish they would always be in season. Keira is slowly getting to a happier place in life. It seems that the medication along with the thickened formula is working. She spits up much less, sleeps much better, and is even smiling and cooing now. She still has colic though, so I would avoid being around our house (or wherever we are) at 8 pm. It gets rather noisy!

Julia and Grammy at Lana's Bridal Shower.

Yummy! Fruit (a.k.a. Froooo)

One of Keira's first smiles

A summer must-have....icy pops!

Mommy's little helper.

Just hanging out

Enjoying her bouncy seat (a rarity)

Our little clutz bumped her cheek on something. Good thing that bruise is fading quickly.

Don't you just love that little face? I do!

Julia's Frist Haircut!

2008-07-13T07:07:00.001-07:00

Even though we never thought she'd need one, the time had come for Julia's first haircut. Her bangs had grown so long they were in her eyes. We took her to Kids Kuts where they cut her bangs and trimmed the back all while she watched Dora the Exploerer from a car chair. When she was done, she got a certificate and her first cut lock of hair.

Before

The first cut.

Not happy about the bangs part.

All done and watching Dora.

After

2008-07-04T07:10:00.000-07:00

So it's been about a month now since our last update. We are slowly adjusting to life with two kids. I now understand people who said have two is more than twice the work.

We went in for a doctor visit yesterday and here are the results. Julia was in for her 18 month checkup. She did fine from a physical standpoint, and her acting skills continue to grow. Let's just say that at her last checkup she got an A for the checkup and an A+ for the acting. We're talking Academy Awards people. She is now 26 lbs and 32.25 inches. She is meeting all of her milestones nicely and we're quite proud. However, it is hard to convince the doctor who is currently lecturing you on how important discipline is that your child is actually quite well behaved in the midst of a raging tantrum. On a funny note, as soon as he left the room (while the door was still open) I told Julia she was all done. She put her hand up in the air, said "Done" and immediately stopped crying. In fact, Dr Mike even came in to give her a sticker...to which she said "Thank you....Bye Bye."

As for Keira, she was in because we suspected she has acid reflux...which she does. The poor little thing has been struggling of late with lots of gas, pain, spit up, etc. Hopefully the new adjustment to the formula as well as some medication will help her feel better. And we're crossing our fingers that by feeling better, she'll cry less and sleep more!!!

Welcome Keira!

2008-06-06T07:58:00.001-07:00

We proudly introduce our daughter....

Keira Noelle Neal

May 31, 2008

7 lbs 15 oz

20.25 inches

Although we had already scheduled our c-section for Thursday, Keira decided that her arrival would be on her own terms. I went into labor early Saturday afternoon, and by 3:30 pm we were at the hospital getting checked out. The doctor decided it was time to get the show on the road and we were set up for a 6 pm surgery. Keira joined us at 6:52 pm, making us a family of four. Everyone is doing well despite the sleep deprivation. She has already been in for her first check up and is back to her birth weight. Julia loves her little sister and just wants to kiss her all the time!

In the recovery room. Julia wanted to eat Mommy's crackers.

Grammy and Keira

Daddy and his girls

Julia gives Keira her first kiss from Big Sister

Mommy finally has enough feeling back in her arms to hold the baby.

Mommy and the girls

Great Nana and Keira

Daddy and Keira

Time to go home.

Countdown!

2008-05-29T14:48:00.000-07:00

So the final countdown until we are a family of four has begun. By this time next week, Keira will be here to bring us smiles and tears! We are scheduled to have a c-section Thursday morning at 9:30. All in all the pregnancy has gone well. I've been very tired these past few weeks and I'll be glad to at least get comfortable sleep, although not much of it. I have gained only 1 lb during this past 9 months so I'm giving myself a giant pat on the back! I'm still standing by my prediction that Keira will weigh in at 7lb 12 oz, and 22 inches. My OB seems to agree that my weight guess is in line with what he expects. I've also gone ahead and had a good 6+ inches of hair cut off. What do you think of the new "mom" do?

As for Julia, she is getting bigger and smarter every day. I can't wait to see her in big sister mode. We finally got the trailer up and running at the shore, and Julia is adjusting nicely. We even went to the Cape May Zoo over Memorial Day weekend. Her favorite part was the barn animals where she got to feed the "baa-baas". She spent a lot of time clucking at the chickens as well.

She thinks the bubbles are for eating!

What a ham!

Mother's Day

38 weeks with new haircut

Daddy, Julia and Pop Pop feeding the goats at the zoo.

She touched his nose once, then got freaked out. But she still liked to watch.

The Backyardigans!

2008-05-02T14:35:00.000-07:00

So we bought our first home in August 2004 and ever since then we've been talking about fencing in the backyard. It was one of those things on the "would like to have list" when we moved to our second home, but unfortunately, it just wasn't part of the deal. Anyway, we did it! We finally fenced in the backyard! Hooray! Now the kiddos and the dogs have a place to roam free. It is especially helpful at this house because we are on a corner lot and three of the four sides of our property are roads. I feel so in touch with "The Backyardigans" now. I can't wait to spend the rest of the summer watching Julia run around and play!

Construction in progess.

Ahh, fence.

More fence.

Julia's favorite part is the dirt left behind from digging for the posts!

A big boo-boo. Julia bumped her face and now has a nasty bruise and swelling on her cheek.

34 weeks. I feel like I'm carrying a giant lead watermelon in my belly!

Busy, Busy, Busy

2008-04-21T16:54:00.000-07:00

We were so busy this weekend that our days were just crammed with activity. Check it out.

We started off the day with the most important meal. This was Julia's first donut.

Angie came to visit us. We had so much fun!

After a LONG day of mulching, there was still much to do. Grammy and Julia were pulling weeds.

What a big helper!

Julia got to play with her friend, Olivia, while we were babysitting.

Some day they will be great Mommies.

Mmmmmm, messy spaghetti. Messketti.

What do you mean I have to finish my dinner before dessert?!

A Special Treat

2008-04-12T08:05:00.000-07:00

Julia had her very first ice cream cone yesterday. Her favorite part was when she got down to the cone and could hold it and eat it all by herself.

Big Girl Bed

2008-04-09T07:47:00.001-07:00

Julia went to the doctor for her 15 month check up and is right on track. She is up to 31.8 inches and 22.6 lbs. She is meeting or exceeding all of her milestones. She has also progressed into her "big girl bed". We've got the girls room set up and nearly ready for Keira's arrival, and Julia is enjoying the freedom of leaving the crib behind for her little sister. She is also now completely and totally obsessed with Dora the Explorer. We purchased a small flip open couch for her (which will become her bed at the shore) and it's the first thing she runs to when she wakes up. As for Keira, the pregnancy is progressing normally with no complications, and I'm counting the days until I can have my body back!

Tubby Time

New bath toys. Note the "Boots" on the wall.

New set up for the girls' room.

Julia in her big girl bed.

Playing with Dora

She prefers to nap on her "Dora Bed"

A moment of rest

Two favorites...Dora and her blanket (nah-nah)

29 weeks

Warm Weather

2008-03-22T16:09:00.000-07:00

Warm weather means finally getting outside and soaking up some much needed sunshine and Vitamin D. We also managed to find time to take Julia to the park for the first time. She was a little shy at first, but by the time we were ready to leave she was really having fun.

The flowers are blooming.

This crocodile at the park was in need of hugs.

Climbing the stairs with Daddy.

Little Miss Independent marching off on her own.

Time for Spring Chores.

Let me help, Daddy.

Taking her baby out for a walk.

Apparently her maternal instincts are still in development phase.

She saw some "tweet tweets".

Sidewalk art with Daddy.

Doing "Big Kid" Things

2008-03-15T08:22:00.001-07:00

When the weather cooperates, we like to go outside for walks and play in the neighborhood with the other kids. Julia is really getting into doing "Big Kid" things. We check out the grass, bushes, birds, and airplanes. She likes to play with the camera and look for the "baby" on the screen. She was playing with the kids across the street the other day and had her first experience with sidewalk chalk. We got some for home too. Check out her masterpiece below. Also, we're having moderate success on the potty. She's gone several times but seems to waver between wanting to use it and hating it. As for the baby, our follow-up ultrasound went well and she seems to be growing normally. Less than three months now until we are a family of four.

Here is Miss Jules trying to reach for the camera.

She finally has enough hair for barrettes!

Our budding Picaso.

She needed to have EVERY color of chalk opened for her art!

Talk about talent!

Keira, face front at 26 weeks.

Profile. This kid is all legs.

How Quickly They Grow

2008-02-17T17:07:00.000-08:00

Julia is growing so quickly that I'm almost in awe. She is now so fast that we have to remind her to slow down when she is taking off to destroy another part of the house. She has figured out how to drink from a straw, and is learning how to use the computer. It seems like everyday she is picking up a new word. Her favorite is still Dada, she refuses to say Mama. Julia can point to her ears, nose, hair, mouth, belly button and toes when you ask her. She can also tell you what sounds ducks, dogs, cows, and birdies make...although her duck is certainly original. It sounds more like a bear. She has also started letting us know when she is "going" by pointing to her pants and saying "doodie". We will begin working on potty training this week. My mom tells me that I was trained at 16 months so with any luck we can have her at least on her way by the time the baby gets here.

As for the baby, she is growing nicely. She should be around a foot long and close to a pound by now. She is a very different child from Julia, much more calm. Her kicks are getting stronger, and Jason can even feel them sometimes.

Daddy, Julia, and best friend Pooh

She LOVES Dora!

Wherever Julia goes, a mess follows.

Handbags are a new obsession, shopping is a growing one.

Look who we found, it's Eeyore!

She loves to read and be read to.

Mommy kisses!

And We're Having...

2008-01-23T05:44:00.001-08:00

A GIRL!

While no ultrasound is 100% accurate, we are fairly certain it's a girl. Jason and I both saw the "three lines" and definitely no boy parts. Right now Julia is baby obsessed so we're hoping the interest continues. She even gives kisses to the baby on mommy's belly. I'm going on record with a guess that this baby will weigh 7lb 12oz but no guess on length yet.

Here's To A Great 2008!

2008-01-07T08:12:00.001-08:00

Well, it has been a while since our last Neal Family update. As most of you already know, we are expecting our second baby in June. My hunch is that this one is a boy, but hopefully we will be able to confirm that next week at our ultrasound. Jason really wants a boy, so cross your fingers for us. This year we hosted the big Family Christmas party, and we think everyone had a good time. At the same time, we had Julia's 1st Birthday Party. She got tons of presents and made quite the mess with her cake. As it turns out, she is allergic to purple dye...yikes...her little face was red and swollen for the rest of the night. My brother and sister-in-law were able to come up north and spend the holiday with us. We had a great time having them here, and Julia was definitely looking for them the day the left.

Julia had her 1 year checkup just after Christmas. She had to get 4 shots, this time in the arm, and she was none too pleased. She now weights 21.75 pounds and is 30.5 inches. She is walking very well, loves to climb up stairs (much to my dismay), and is quite a little love bug. She no longer uses a bottle and has started to work on feeding herself with utensils. She does fine with fingers, but we're trying to adopt table manners as quickly as possible.

Merry Christmas Baby!

Grammy and Julia, getting ready for cake!

The after effects of Birthday cake.

Santa Claus visited our house!

Julia playing with one of Santa's presents for her.

Surprise! Santa left a gift for Tab too!

Uncle Tim and Julia on Christmas morning.

Daddy and Julia playing.

Hooray for blocks!

See, I can do it all by myself, Mommy!

Julia's First Birthday!

2007-12-18T16:42:00.000-08:00

Go Buckeyes!

2007-11-17T06:37:00.001-08:00

There is one day every year that OSU fans cancel life in general so they can sit and watch Ohio State play Michigan, and today is the day. Jason and I have taken very seriously the responsibility to teach our daughter love and acceptance of those different from her. Well, except maybe Michigan Fans. For that select group, she does not have to be tolerant. Here you can see Jason and Julia showing off their Buckeye Pride as they wait with nailbiting anticipation. Who will win? Every down is enough to cause serious heart problems as tears of pride and sorrow leak down OSU fan cheeks! Here we go. O-H-I-O!!!

Happy Halloween!

2007-10-31T05:55:00.001-07:00

We're growing!

2007-10-26T15:53:00.000-07:00

Ok, so I've been a little lazy on the "blogfront" lately. Sorry about that. We've been up to a lot...vacations, closing the shore, and growing! Julia went for her 9 month check up and she's getting "Sooo-Big". She now weighs 19 lbs 6 oz and is 29 1/4 inches long. That puts her in the 95% for height and 50% for weight. I think she's gonna be a supermodel. She can now wave bye-bye, blow kisses, clap, and show that she's "soooo-big". She is standing very well, but hasn't really shown much interest in walking. I think crawling is faster and why fix it if it ain't broken, ya know. Julia has also cut three new teeth...two top front and one more on the bottom. Watch out for bites! Those babies are sharp! Check out some of our latest pictures.

Nags Head Sunrise (this was the view from our room)

Julia out to breakfast on vacation!

Baby's first cookie!

Cape Hatteras Lighthouse

Our crew out on the beach (in our front yard)

Julia playing in the sand.

Our wild stallion. He was not easy to find!

Family photo at Currituck Lighthouse

Julia is hanging out in the boat at the trailer, and checking out fall leaves.

At home relaxing during out Indian Summer.

It's Septemberfest Time Again!

2007-09-08T17:08:00.001-07:00

The day began with the traditional Septemberfest Parade. The weather on the other hand was not only non-traditional, but also rather unbearable. Ninety degrees with what felt like 150% humidity. Ugh! It was HOT! Anyway, this was Julia's first parade and she really seemed to like it. She most enjoyed the lights and sirens on the firetrucks, and the color guards for the bands. We watched the parade with G.G. Lois, G.P. Bob, and Daniel. Grammy and PopPop came along in the golf cart and whisked Julia away for her first 15 minutes of fame! After that, we ate and sweated our way through the day. Julia took her first amusement park style ride on the merry-go-round. We were able to catch up with some family and friends along the way too...check out the pictures below.

Julia was cracking up while dancing to the music with Grammy.

Julia and her favorite Great-Aunt Sue (*that one was just for you Aunt Sue, oh yeah, and for Ellie Mae)

Julia with her cousin Ryann.

More dancing with Grammy, to a new song this time.

She was VERY attached to Grammy today.

Julia with cousin Kyle. They have almost the same expression. Weird, eh?

Julia with her other favorite Great-Aunt Marge.

Daddy took Julia on her first ride.

Mommy took her the second time. She was less enthused.

We got to meet Ryann's beau, Billy. Nice drink!

Hmm, can't imagine what's going through his head....I wish this was a beer, I wish this was a beer.

They Don't Call It Labor Day For Nothin'

2007-09-04T07:33:00.001-07:00

Wow, we were busy this Labor Day Weekend. We decided to take a long hard look at that list of chores on the "honey-do" list and see what we could tackle. Of course, we bit off more than we could chew (as you will see), but we did get a lot accomplished. Take a look...

The bathtub drain stop wasn't holding water and Julia's baths were coming to an end much before she was ready. We replaced the stopper and voila! Now bathtime fun can go on for hours, or until her lips start turning blue.

We finally purchased an area rug for the family room. It looks good, and it feels nice on your feet when you are sitting on the couch. Yes, we like bold colors and patterns.

See those lights that are shining above the top shelves...they didn't work before! Oh yeah, and all the burned out bulbs in the family room got replaced as well. Not an easy task as we have about 25 lights in there and 10ft ceilings.

Yay! We have a working doorbell now. We haven't had one in almost 2 years, since we moved in here. We were smart though...we bought one with a chime the dogs don't recognize as a doorbell...yet.

We installed all new hardware in the family room. We used to have ugly, bright, shiny, faux gold knobs.

We finally got Julia's coat rack hung up in her room!

The ugly hall lights (before).

Jason is working on getting the electrical all set up for the new fixture. And this time, we managed to not knock out power to the whole house!

They work!

And are much more attractive than those old ones.

Here is where we bit off too much. We were so pleased with our other light fixture swap-outs that we took on the kitchen light. Whoops. Now we have to spackle, paint, install an outlet box and hang up the new light. Oh yeah. And since it's back to work...looks like we're gonna have to do it in the dark. Dinner should be interesting this week.

Julia decided working that hard is for the birds. She opted for a nap. Can't say I blame her.

The End of Summer

2007-08-26T17:41:00.000-07:00

What a busy month August has been. Julia is on the move these days. She is a champion crawler, up on hands and knees and moves at lightning speed. She is also pulling up on just about anything she can get her hands on, and walking if you give her a couple of fingers to hold on to. Holy cow! I'm half tempted to duct tape her legs together to get her to slow down! We attended the annual VFW Crabfeast in the beginning of the month...all the crabs, hamburgers, hot dogs, salads, corn, beer you can manage. We managed just fine, thanks. We also attended a wedding for one of Jason's friends from high school. Congratulations go out to the new Mr. & Mrs. Jason and Ashley Kubin! It was great to see all our Ohio friends. We miss you already! Summer is winding down and the "Last Weekend" approaches. Has it really gone by that quickly? We're off to Nags Head in a few weeks and then summer will really be over.

If you look closely, you can see her two teeth.

Julia loves to play in the grass.

PopPop, Julia and "Aunt" Sue at the crabfeast.

Here she is with AnnMarie ("Mamary") and Brendan

Nice Tom, Nice.

Uncle Joe playing with the babe.

She actually wore camoflague to the event in honor of the VFW

Grammy had a few jello shots that day!

Uncle Tom and Wendy with the munchkin.

Now just come on....that is one CUTE kid!

All fresh and clean.

Getting ready to stand.

Pulling up.

Julia and her Daddy.

Uh-oh, she's mobile!

2007-08-02T17:11:00.000-07:00

Ok, so much has happened in the past 2 weeks that I'm not even sure where to start. Julia has mastered the art of mobility. Holy Moly! She can roll, reach, crawl, grab, and pull up. I can barely keep up with her. We had to make an emergency run to Babies-R-Us and buy a small arsenal of baby proofing materials! And it cost a small fortune too. Also, she has cut two teeth. As it turns out, that first mystery missing tooth wasn't really a tooth afterall. Her doc says that it was probably some kind of cyst...some babies get those and a lot of parents confuse them with teeth. Then he said in his snide little over educated way..."Teeth don't disappear." Ok, I thought it was fishy, but then again, I don't have a medical degree Captain Obvious. So her two "real" teeth have cut through on the bottom center. Guess she won't be wanting those for Christmas this year! Also, we bit the bullet and got her ears pierced. I wanted to get it done before she could remember it, and in all honesty it was worth it. She only cried for a couple of minutes and she hasn't really messed with her ears since. Plus...bonus time....no one has called her a boy since! Of course, I did have one jackass (who I will not name) mention the lack of hair she has that makes her look like a boy. Hey jerkoff...not all babies are born with hair and it doesn't grow overnight. It's filling in nicely and her bald spot at the back of her head is fading.

Mommy! I'm awake. Get me out of here!

Going.....

going....

gone!

Ahh, pots and spoons...cheap toys.

Here is the Diva with her new earrings.

Man, she's getting big.

Molly turned 70 last weekend. We had a fun time at the party. And look at that cake. Way to go Nancy!

Me and the Kiddo at the party. Don't we look purdy all dolled up.

Full tummy....this is her before shot!

Here is the after. Not sure why her nose always looks orange in these pictures. It doesn't look like that with the naked eye.

No Daddy! I don't wanna get out of the tub!

Lazy Days of Summer

2007-07-18T11:02:00.000-07:00

Here we are in the middle of a summer heat wave, and I long for the cool air of fall. Of course, the cool fall always brings about the frigid cold winter winds and then I long for summer again. I need to stop wishing my days away and cherish what is the here and now. That said, the here and now is flying by. Julia went in for her 6 month check up at the beginning of July and all is well. She has had her 3rd round of shots and is now nearly immune to all that she was getting vaccinations for. Whoops...that was poor grammar...Mrs. Means would be mad. Anyway, Julia is up to 16.5 lbs (50%) and 26.5 inches (75-90%). We are working on waving bye-bye and peek-a-boo. She has fully mastered sitting and rolling and is on her way to crawling. Right now she does this rock-n-roll belly flop when she gets frustrated with her lack of progress. I've found that her biggest motivator to move is the dogs. She flips out when they are around. Here are a few new pictures to show her progression to being a "big girl".

Here is Julia hanging out with neighborhood kids. They are enjoying the wonder that is "Mister Softie"

Getting into position is easy....it's actually moving that causes the problem.

Nothing like an ocean-frong resort....

It's time for some splashing fun!!!

First Beach Day!!

2007-07-01T12:39:00.000-07:00

We took Julia to the beach for the first time last weekend. Here are some photos!

Ok Mommy, I'm all ready!

Total cuteness, of course.

Here she is with her Pop-Pop.

Get this darn hat off!

Neal Family Beach Party!

Proud Papa with his the little one.

MMMMM, shovel!

Grammy, Pop-Pop & Julia....there might have been some wind that day.

I know....I can harly believe how cute she is either.

Ahh, relaxing in the water.

Half-way to One!

2007-07-01T12:02:00.000-07:00

So life has been gotten busier and busier as the days grow hotter. We've had a few occassions that I think should be shared. On June 18th, Jason was raised as a freemason. Congratulations Babe! I've tried to get him to show me the secret handshake thingy I've heard of, but he said he'd have to kill me if he showed me. Oh well. On that same day, our little Julia hit the 6 month mark. The time is just flying by! She is becoming more independent with each passing day, but still loves the chance to be a snuggle-bunny. We have finally come close to completing work on the new addition at the shore. Only a few more minor things to do and we'll be all set. Oh, and our air conditioners died. Yes, plural. We have dual zones and both went....ouch, that was a nasty $10,000 hit in the wallet. Anyway, here are some photo updates for you all. Also, I'm including our portraits ... the family and Julia alone. My mom thinks Julia should be a baby model. I'm thinking I might look into it and keep the $$$ for her college account. Of course, we're all biased in thinking she's gorgeous, so impartial opinions would be great!! Thanks.

We're still waiting for those teeth to come in, but as you can see...she'll eat anything!

The addition to the shore. We expanded the deck, put on the new room, laid stone, new lights, etc.

Julia with my cousin Kyle at his graduation party.

Getting ready for her first swim!

Julia's first swim! She had fun with Grammy!

Here she is in her froggy cover up after her swim.

Sometimes she needs a little encouragement, but she holds her own bottle.

Mommy and Julia

Daddy corrupting young minds with beer....note the Masonic Ring.

Ok, that is just one cute kid!

Family Photo - June 2007

Look at the smile!

And those eyes!!!

Milestones Galore!!

2007-06-03T15:51:00.000-07:00

It just amazes me how quickly Julia is growing up. I know that everyone tells you how fast the time flies by, and that you need to enjoy every second...but you can never really fully understand that until you are a parent. Guess what, I get it now! She is passing milestones like crazy and as they tick off the list, I realize that my baby won't be a baby forever.

So as we approach the 6 month mark, here are some of her new accomplishments. The tooth that had broken through on her bottom gums seems to have gone into hiding. We can't see or feel it anymore. Where did it go? However, that has not slowed down the endless chomping and drooling. More teeth must be coming, and soon. She has progressed onto eating everyone's fingers, not just her own. Julia now eats food like a champ. She is up to two meals of solids a day and we are about to add a third. Of course, bananas are still her favorite. The bath is no longer a dreaded torturous nightmare. She actually doesn't mind hanging out and playing a little in the tub. Thank goodness for that...pool season approaches. She is now rolling over without problem (although hates getting caught on her tummy) and sitting up for short stretches (a couple of minutes at a time) without toppling over. She stands with only a few fingers to help her stay balanced, but all of her weight is on her own legs. She LOVES to play...with anyone, espcially the dogs and little kids. Her laugh makes my heart smile and her squeals of delight are absolutely precious. And boy oh boy is Julia smart. Well, at least I think so...she has figured out that when someone walks behind her and she can't see them anymore, turn around and look the other way! Hooray! They haven't disappeared. What a little brainiac.

With all that drool and chewing, there has to be a tooth about to bust loose.

MMMMMM, rubby ducky. Let's chew on him too.

See me, I sit up all by myself!

I am not sure if Julia is really my child or if perhaps she is just Jason's clone. The two of them are so much alike, it scares me.

Ok, this one is here just because I love it! She's all about personality and style.

We no longer the baby carrier in the grocery stores or restaurants...she has progressed to sitting in the shopping carts and high chairs all on her own. The Floppy Seat is a big help. I love that the toys clip right on.

Julia loves to play with other kids. Here she is with her (well, my) cousin Crystal.

More News from the World of Neal

2007-05-18T05:24:00.000-07:00

Nearly there. Julia sits very well propped up, but sometimes she still topples over.

Rolling over gets easier every time!

This big girl is sitting up in the chair that Grammy and Pop Pop bought her for the shore!

MMMMMM, sweet potatoes!!

My gums hurt Mommy! How about if I chew on this?

Ok, so things have been progressing nicely in our world. Julia's 4-month check up at the end of April showed that she is growing perfectly according to our doctor. She was up to 13.9 lbs and 25 inches. That puts her in the 50% for weight and 75-90% for height. Doctor Mike says..."it doesn't matter what percentile she is, just as long as she stays in it." So far, that is exactly what she has done.

Julia also surprised us with the appearance of her first tooth. It is on the bottom and off to her left. Only the tip has broken through and it seems to be holding steady, not quite ready to come in completely. I've been told that it will most likely stay like that until the front teeth come in. Julia has also progressed into eating solids. Her favorites are bananas and sweet potatoes, but she is also tolerating applesauce, pears and carrots. She HATES peaches!! The face she makes when peaches are in her mouth...priceless. We are getting ready to introduce her to the world of the sippy cup...wish us luck. Also, Julia is rolling over now. She doesn't get caught in the corner of her crib so much, but I have found her on her tummy in morning frustrated that she ran out of room and can't get back over.

My first Mother's Day was a very lovely and special one. Jason took Julia, me, and my mom out to breakfast. How sweet!

What's wrong with Iowa?!

2007-04-27T08:50:00.000-07:00

Ever since my first trip to Iowa, I've said it reminds me of The Wizard of Oz before the color...and here's the proof.

Apparently, all those twisters out in the Plain States are far reaching and they are picking up sexual deviant gas station owners, and landing them all right around the Iowa area. See below for examples.

It seems you can Kum & Go at the Pump -N- Munch, but it might be a Kwik Trip.

Julia's First Vacation

2007-04-27T08:24:00.000-07:00

And so the journey begins. We took Julia on her first real trip this week, out to Iowa and Wisconsin to visit her grandfather and great-grandfather. It started out with two airplane rides (we had a layover in St. Louis), and Julia did very well. She almost didn't fuss at all. The day after we arrived in Iowa, we went to Wisconsin. We were glad for the chance to visit with Pop and Marge and of course, Julia was a hit. Then it was back in the car for ride to Iowa again. We did spend a lot of time traveling. Actually, we spent a day more than expected as our flights home were cancelled and we had to stay another night. But we didn't hear any complaints from Grampa and Grandma Cindy...who were excited to have one more night with baby. The airplane rides home were a little tougher on the little one...she had some trouble with her ears...and we think that teething has begun. Oh boy are we in trouble now.

After a whole day in airplanes and cars, Julia decided that the best way to travel was while sleeping.

Julia with her Great Grampa. He was afraid to hold her, but she's a big girl now and didn't give him any trouble at all.

Here are the four generations on this side of the family.

We all had a good laugh at dinner when Dad dunked (well, actually drenched) his popcorn chicken in what he thought was french dressing. Turns out....holy crud....that was HOT SAUCE!!!

After a couple days spent traveling...Julia had baby funk and was in desperate need of a bath.

Here is Jason deciding what to eat at the cafe. Of course, this won't surprise those of you who know him well. He had french toast, eggs, bacon and toast. That's right....two kinds of toast in one meal!

Here is Julia with her Grampa at the cafe.

It's mini-me!!

Here is Mommy with Julia, but there seems to be some kind of rude, lippy farmer in the background! ;-)

Grandma Cindy was showing off the baby to all of the customers.

Discovery Week at Neal House

2007-04-11T15:42:00.000-07:00

This week has been full of discoveries for Julia. Check it out...

She has figured out how to scoot...and now finds herself stuck in the corner of her crib each morning.

Julia has discovered that the noises she's hearing are coming from herself. She is now making an event of talking to and laughing at her voice.

Thanks to the fabulous invention the exersaucer, Julia has decided she likes a little freedom from time to time. She really enjoys spinning around and stretching out her legs.

We have recently begun the adventure that is cereal. Julia is still adjusting to the idea of a more solid substance in her mouth. Sometimes she loves it, sometimes she hates it. Sometimes, like here, she's not sure what to think of it.

Without a doubt though, her favorite thing to eat is still her fingers!

Happy Easter!

2007-04-08T16:26:00.000-07:00

Happy Easter Everyone! Julia got all dressed up to go to church for her first Easter. We had a nice time at Uncle Tom and Aunt Peg's house.

Spring is here....we think.

2007-03-30T20:06:00.000-07:00

Well, we've finally had some warm weather, and Julia is starting to experience life outside the house that doesn't involve being in her carseat. Hopefully Spring will stick around, and we can get her used to the great outdoors!

New pictures...yay!

2007-03-25T19:55:00.000-07:00

Look at the big girl!
Rocky kisses.
Winky kisses.
Everyone is sleepy, except Winky. He never sleeps.
So sweet.

Family update

2007-03-25T19:41:00.000-07:00

Every day is different in the Neal house, and how the day turns out all depends on one little thing...Julia. She is growing so fast it's amazing. Jason swears she grows overnight, and looks bigger each morning. She is now very steady when holding her head up. She can sit easily with assistance, and is starting to pull up to a sitting position on her own. She prefers to stand, however, with just a little balance control provided by mommy or daddy. We recently bought her a Bumbo chair, and you can just tell she feels like a big girl sitting up all by herself when she is in it. Her vocabulary has grown to include words like gagooo and eeeaahhh. Julia recently taught herself how to blow raspberries after watching countless hours of grammy doing it. She still hates her bath...screams bloody murder each time she touches the water. In fact, she's become so familiar with the routine that she starts crying before she even gets in the tub.

The dogs, Rocky and Bullwinkle (we call him Winky in case you were wondering), are growing more attached to the baby every day. They love when Julia is in her Bumbo chair because she is down on their level. They come over to give her kisses.

And I just had my birthday... 29....no really. It's a joke in my family that you never get older than 29, but I will, infact, have to enter my 30's in less than 1 year. All is well though because I'm working on planning a getaway to celebrate. Remember when you thought 30 was ancient? Jeez, where does the time go?

2007-03-19T18:04:00.000-07:00

Check out Julia's new bunny ears! Thanks Shelly!!

Julia's Baptism

2007-03-19T16:45:00.000-07:00

On Sunday, March 18th, Julia was baptized at Queen of Apostles Church. Her Uncle Tim and "Aunt" Beth are her godparents. We had a very nice party after the service and Julia was a hit. She lives to be in the spotlight. Thanks to all who attended. It was great to see everyone!

Julia meets Uncle Tim!

2007-03-19T16:40:00.000-07:00

My brother came up for Julia's Baptism and met her for the first time. As a bystander...I'd say it was love at first sight.

2007-03-07T16:33:00.000-08:00

2007-03-01T09:42:00.000-08:00

The fun begins!

2007-03-01T09:18:00.000-08:00

As most of you know, The Neal Family welcomed its newest member in December. Julia Paige Mae was born on December 18, 2006 by emergency c-section. She weighed in at 6 lbs 15 oz and 20 inches. Both Mom and baby are doing well with no lingering effects. Julia recently had her two month check up and has been growing like a weed! She is already up to 10 3/4 lbs and 23 1/2 inches. She definitely has Daddy's appetite. She has mastered holding her head up on her own, and has become very curious. She loves to look at people and has started smiling, laughing, and cooing. Her other favorite object to watch...the ceiling fan!