Happy Halloween!

We had a fabulous Halloween this year...Addison was old enough to go trick-or-treating (with a little help of course). Addison was a little princess fairy this year. We got her costume at CrackerBarrel (which really had some cute ones this year for girls). Her pink glitter shoes (her new favorite shoes) are from target and were a birthday gift from Mimi and Papa. She even kept the headband on for most of the evening! And the wings stayed on as well (I thought she would be tugging at them all night - but she didn't seem to mind at all).

We had some friends over for dinner before we ventured out into the neighborhood (Stanley street, aka Halloween street), but decided to head out just before it started to get dark (around 6:00). Addison rode in her car most of the time between houses. She was usually very independent in wanting to walk all by herself up to the houses. Jonathan and I took turns going with her, but when we got to the door (or when the homeowners were sitting on the porch), she wanted to do it and kept saying "me do it!" But once she got up to the house, she wanted to sit on the porch with the homeowners and several times she tried to walk in the front door! Haha!

After we snagged her before going in, and after a little coaxing on what to do, she would hold her bag open for candy, or reach into the bucket to take one piece. Sometimes she said "thank you," but it was off and on. She wanted to hold her bag of candy the whole time and did lots of walking. Towards the end, she just wanted to ride in her car and drink water from her sippy cup.

Here she is holding daddy's hand...which was pretty rare for little miss independent.

After it got dark, the ghostbuster car came around the neighborhood. It looks SO much like the one from the movie, so we had to take a picture!

A few days earlier, we went to a Halloween party at Dr. Apfel's house. Addison was getting dance lessons from Darla (aka Sumo Wrestler). She was really having a good time dancing around...we laughed a long time at them!

She was pooped out from all the dancing...

Addison's 2-year check-up

We took Addison in for her 2 year check-up with Dr. Nelson today. She did great at the doctor's office...stepped on the scale when the nurse told her to, stood still while the nurse measured her height. When the doctor came in to check, she threw a book on the floor and Dr. Nelson told her to pick it up and that we don't throw books. Addison got off the bed to pick it up and said "I sorry." Kinda funny, but a little embarrassing for us too. Otherwise, Addison did great. Even when the doctor looked in her ears this time, Addison didn't put up too much of a fight (like she normally does).
Dr. Nelson commented on how well she was talking now...and she is hitting all of her milestones with no problem. She is a happy, healthy little girl! Here are her stats:

Height: 34 inches (61%)
Weight: 30 lbs. 4 oz. (86%)
Head circumference: 19 inches (70%)

So what else has this little 2-year old been doing lately?
- Her favorite thing is for you to read to her or do puzzles with her. She loves to sit in your lap while doing either of these things (which can be a little hard when trying to do a puzzle). Her favorite books seem to be anything associated with the potty (which she still refuses to use) and Dr. Seuss books.
- She also really likes to read to herself. It's funny when we catch her in the act...sometimes she'll stop and get really shy, but mostly she'll just keep on going. She especially loves to sit in her crib and raad when she gets up in the morning or before she goes to sleep.
- She still loves Elmo, but now she has shown interest in Barney and the Wiggles (much to mommy and daddy's demise). Any kind of cartoon will do usually, but these are her favorites.
- She loves to "go bye-bye" and usually associates this with school or shopping. She gets excited and helps you find her shoes, coat and hat.
- She can put her coat on all by herself...puts in on the ground upside down and flips it on over her head. It is amazing and adorable! She can zip it up as long as someone else starts it for her.
- She definitely talks all the time, and repeats (or tries to repeat) just about anything that you say to her.
- She started saying "bless you" when she hears you sneeze. And when she sneezes, she will usually ask for a tissue.
- Dinner time has become a little tough...she rarely eats anything new (we try, but she just says she's "all done" and puts her plate in the sink). Her dinner favs are mac n cheese, chicken nuggets, corn, cheese (sometimes fruit if I am getting desperate for her to eat something).
- Breakfast, lunch and snacks are never really a problem. She will try most things during this time. Maybe I should try veggies at lunch??
- She is a pretty good sleeper and has not tried to get out of her crib at all yet. She usually goes down about 7:30 or 8:00 and sleeps until 6:30 or 7:00. She entertains herself in her crib when she wakes up, so we usually let her "play" in there for about 20 to 30 minutes before getting her (especially on the weekends).

Addison is 2!!

Today (October 11, 2010) was the big day that our baby girl turned 2! So hard to believe that just 2 years ago we were looking down at the most wonderful little blessing and just how quickly this little girl stole our hearts! Happy birthday baby girl!!

The night before her birthday, she helped daddy make cupcakes for her class. And not just any old cupcakes...Elmo cupcakes! She really liked to help stir the batter, but best of all was licking the bowl at the end!

Here's the finished product...I found these Elmo sugar shapes at AC Moore. How perfect for such an avid Elmo fan!

Here's Addison at school enjoying the fruits of her labor...she really liked the icing!

Mommy and daddy got to come help Addison celebrate with her class! We took her home a little early that day and let her play outside with some of the neighborhood kids. She had a ball!

* * * * * * *

She is doing so much these days! Talking and becoming such a little independent person!

Here she is trying to wear daddy's shoes...

Here is our little toddler ready for school...Friday is school spirit day for the McNeal's. Anytime the Alabama Crimson Tide has a game, Addison wears her Alabama gear. Too cute if you ask me! Roll Tide!

Here she is with her new kitchen mommy and daddy got her for her birthday. She really enjoys pouring "milk" into a cup and bringing it to us to "drink it." She also likes to put her puzzle pieces in the stove. There is a place to feed her babies - the little highchair off the side of the sink - and she likes to feed her baby a sippy cup there.

Addison enjoying some of her birthday presents...coloring books and leap from tag junior books.

Another one of Addison's favorite things is puzzles...this is what she does when we are watching football on Saturdays!

And playing with her kitchen...

Addison's first haircut

Well...Addison had her hair trimmed by mommy today. Right before school, I realized that Addison really did have a little mullet growing in the back. So I took out the scissors, wet her hair, and cut off about an inch of curls from the bottom of Addison's hair. It does look so much better! But now she looks like a toddler instead of a baby! Sniff, sniff...

Party time!

Happy birthday to our sweet little girl, who turns 2 on October 11! We decided to take a trip back to Alabama to celebrate this big milestone with our family. So we flew from VA to AL about a week before Addison's actual birthday and had an Elmo themed party for her. She had a great time - but truly enjoyed the chips and dip better than the cake! Ha!

Here's a picture of the cute cake...Addison really liked it and knew right who it was!

Mimi and Papa helped to host the party!

Aunt Lyndsey (Lulu) and Uncle Joseph (Jojo) were there to help celebrate!

So were Gama and Gapa...

G-Pa, Grammy & Courtney came by a few days before her party to say hello while we were in town...Daddy helped her blow out the candles (Addison couldn't quite do it...she kept spitting). :)

Now for the presents...she loved this book from Gama and Gapa

And couldn't believe it when the book started to talk to her!

She loves to kiss and hug her babies and put them down for "night-night." She covers them with a blanket, pats it really good, then gives it a hug and kiss.

She really wanted to help clean up after the party and was very into sweeping the floors with Mimi's electric swivel sweeper. Such a big helper!

After her party, daddy took her down to the pond to feed the ducks. She loved it and did a pretty good job throwing the bread to the ducks!

We had a wonderful time in Alabama! It was great to see everyone, as always, and definitely worth the trip home for Addison's big day! She did pretty good on the plane ride down to Alabama (it was morning, with short connections)...but the way back was AWFUL!! She screamed and cried all through the last leg of the trip back to Roanoke. Jonathan and I felt so helpless because NOTHING we did made her happy....we were that family with the screaming baby. We determined that she was just so tired, but not interested in sleep at all. She did finally go to sleep with about 5 minutes left of the plan ride...but at least it was 5 minutes of some peace for us and everyone else on the plane. At least next time she will have her own seat because she can't fly free anymore. :(

September adventures

This month just flew by me...lots of travel, friends and family! Loads of fun...so let me try and catch up a little bit...


Early this month, our friends Brian, Laura and Will came to see us since both Brian and Jonathan had the weekend off. :) It had been so long since we had seen them! We had a great time! Watched lots of football, went to the Fork in the Alley for dinner, and played with the kids.

Brian, Will and Laura Dix

Will & Addison in the ball pit

We took the kids to one of the parks near our house...and they played and played!

Please come see us again! We miss you guys!

Later in the month, Jonathan had a spine conference and Addison and I decided to tag along. We had such a great time with our friends, Robert, Kelly, John & Ali. Dinner was a treat for sure...John & Ali weren't in town yet, so Robert, Kelly, Jonathan, me and Addison went to Flemings (a nice steak place). I thought, oh I hope Addison is good tonight! We started off at a table and asked to be moved to a booth b/c Addison would have only lasted about 2 minutes in that highchair thing. So we moved to a booth and things started off well. Addison was sitting in between Kelly and me and having a good time (mostly eating). Kelly gave Addison this little thing that you put on the table to hold your purse. Addison was mesmorized by it, and we let her play. A short while later, she was laying in the booth (with the thing in her mouth). Before either of us could get it out of her mouth, she gagged. We sat her up quickly and thought she was good. Oh boy, were we wrong! Addison spit up just a little (at first) and then out came the full-on vomit! All over her, me and Kelly (bless Kelly). What an awful parenting moment!! We hurried to the bathroom to clean up and realized that I had no extra clothes for her, but thank goodness I did have a blanket. Kelly and I cleaned her up (thank you again Kelly!!) as Addison just splashed around in the sink. We brought her back out to the restaurant, wrapped in a blanket. We had moved to yet another booth (poor waiters)! And if you can imagine a toddler in just a diaper, she was so excited to be "free" of her dress. She bounced around in the booth in just the diaper (forget the blanket). We finished dinner without any more incidents....and all had a good laugh on the walk back to the hotel. I vow never to leave home without an extra change of clothes for Addison.

So onto Saturday, while the boys worked, the girls shopped! I really loved being in a big city again and oh how I loved the mall there in Charlotte! :) We had a great time and picked up some fabulous things there! Addison was pretty good during the shopping event too, although I did get suckered into one of those pillow pet things. Addison picked the ladybug (just like a Phi Mu legacy, right?!?) and actually laid down on the floor on top of it. Kinda made a scene and when I tried to walk away without it...she let me have it. I started feeling guilty, so we went back to get her "laybug." Darn mall booths! :)

We had a fabulous time watching the AL vs. Arkansas game at a great sports bar the boys found. Here we all are with our rockstar table for the game!

Then went back to the hotel to watch more football in the hotel rooms. John & Ali had an adjourning room with us, so we had a good time hanging out and Addison could go to bed. But before bed, Addison decided to try on everyone's shoes...

We had such a great time!! And to add to the excitement...we were staying in the same hotel as the Cincinnati Bengals! We got up a little early to watch the team board the bus to the stadium, which was literally only a few blocks from our hotel! We even saw several players in the elevator! So fun!

So now I'll make a dramatic change to potty training. Yep - we are giving it a go. Not hard core by any stretch, but at least getting her used to the idea. So far she has gone pee pee twice...but we're working on it. Probably start pull-ups next month. Here she is in all her glory...reading the Reader's Digest.

More random photos from September...here's Addison in her favorite chair, wearing her favorite hat. :)

And here we have an avid Elmo fan glued to the tv watching...yep, you guessed it...Elmo's World!