Recent Photos & Video

Helping Daddy drive the boat.

Adam and Jasmine came to spend a weekend with us and we went to the lake for some summer fun.

When Julia watches Sesame Street, she goes to find her Elmo and her Abby to hold during the show.

We met Kassy and Richard at Gattiland one evening. Julia was a little more reserved than she has been in the past, specifically on the carousel and the other "rides", but we made her get on them and have fun.

Showing off all of her bracelets

Below is a video:

Words and Sentences

Julia's vocabulary is incredible so for many months I never attempted to count them - until recently when I finally got curious enough to start a list of her words. The total I came up with is 700 - and she's not even two years old.

We are also amazed daily by the sentences she comes up with. Here are some of them...

• Daddy, you forgot my bib!
• May I have more water please.
• Mommy, you look pretty.
• Daddy, you tell dogs no barking.
• Where more weeds?! (since she loves to pull them and has kept our flowerbeds weed-free)
• Mommy, what 'r' you doing?
• Where my shoes on?
• Daddy, you watch FoxNews?
• Daddy put new light my bathroom.
• I had fun swimming.
• I'm so excited.
• Mommy, where are you?
• Daddy, you're all clean. You got dirt off.
  
• Here, Mommy, here! Here's your phone. I find it for you.

School Photos

On the last day of the summer school program at church, we were given a photo album with some photos and other keepsakes. She enjoyed it so much and is looking forward to starting back in the fall.Her teacher's name was Ms. LoraLee

Miss Caroline was the assistant

Julia on her nap mat - not asleep, which was typical. Out of the 14 or so days that she went, she only fell asleep about 3-4 times during nap time, and for whatever reason, besides the first day it was usually the days there was a substitute teacher.

Eating her lunch

Julia: 23 Months

Recent Video

Julia loves to sing her ABCs and isn't shy about performing for other people. We finally got it on camera, along with "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star,"a song that she doesn't know how to end so it just keeps going and going! :) She also now knows her birthday!

July 4th weekend

We had a great 4th of July weekend this year. We just stayed here and celebrated with friends. Here are some photos and a video clip...

Headed to breakfast with friends on Saturday morning.

Headed to a friend's parents' house to play and watch fireworks from their front yard.

Getting ready for her first firework display. The fireworks were fired about 150 yds away so they were right above us and extremely loud. She didn't seem scared at all...just mesmerized.
Julia joined us at the church service the next day. We wanted her to see the special program and experience the special music. She did great until about the last 5-10 minutes when she got antsy. After church she got to see a fire truck and an ambulance up close.

After her nap on Sunday we went to the park with some friends for the community festivities.

There was a great petting zoo, but it was late in the day so we only found one goat who was interested in being fed.

After dinner we headed to a different spot to watch the fireworks from the back of our truck. What a great weekend!

Julia: 22 Months

What Julia is up to these days...

• Her favorite thing is coloring.
  
• Her ability to construct sentences is improving daily.
  
• She is becoming more independent and usually insists on doing things herself, and will often undo something we have done for her and do it again herself (like putting her potty seat onto the toilet or giving the dogs their food bowls in the morning).
• She is more apt to get upset if something is done her way, or if we suggest something that wasn't her idea.
  
• When she is in a "mood" she becomes very disagreeable and changes her mind back and forth about whether she wants something, especially if she is tired or hungry.
• Because of the above-mentioned behaviors, we have implemented "Time-Out" as a form of discipline. It seems to be working well in that after spending 1.5-2 min. staring into a corner, she becomes more cooperative and changes her attitude. Sometimes it takes 2 consecutive "Time-Outs" before it works. The funny thing is she often puts herself in Time-Out, if we even suggest that she isn't behaving appropriately.

One-time funny lines (that I can recall):

• When I asked her to come help me feed the dogs breakfast, she said "Dogs need bowl Cheerios" then she corrected herself and said "food bowl."
• Once when I approached a red light I stopped short of the car in front of me so I could attempt to change lanes. I hear from the backseat, "Keep going!"
  
• "Uh-oh, booger came out." (we did not teach her that - she picked it up from someone else!)

Things we often hear Julia say...

• "Hug, kiss!" (before bedtime)
• "Cool day?" (is it a school day?)
• "I read it. Julia's turn read it." (after each book we read before bed)
• "Julia's happy."
• "Sunny. It's sunny out there. Need glasses. I need glasses please."
• "It's not raining anymore."
• "Hold on, don't fall down."
• "Be careful, don't drop it."
• "More ___, I need more ___ please."
• "Let's go color, Mommy. Color with me please."
• "I do it. My turn do it."
• "You sit there, Mommy."
• "Uh oh, cabinet - I close it cabinet."
• "Julia climb in!" (to the car and into the car seat)
• "Let's go church!" (if we change her into a dress or if she senses that it is Sunday morning)
• "Watch She-Sheet, please."
• "Ice. More ice water, please." (she now prefers ice in her water)
• "With you. I go with you."
• "Me hold you. / I hold you."
• "Play golf. I play golf (with) Daddy." (when she notices her golf clubs in the garage)
  

Pictures and a video clip from a recent trip to the putting green...

When she gets the ball into the hole, she says "I got it!"

Short video clip...