Almost 6 Months Ago Today...

I can't believe that it has been six months! It's true what everyone says, time flies! You feel like you are pregnant forever, and then poof, all of a sudden you have six month olds. It seems in the last few weeks they have really taken on a personality of their own. Jack has the most (nerdy) and infectious laugh...it's the best. Sophie can't get enough of Phoebe, our dog. They both are really interested and interacting with each other, which has been really fun to watch.
For those of you who don't know, I found out a little over a year ago (January 3rd, to be exact, my birthday!) that I was pregnant with the twins. It has been a life long joke in my family that I was going to have twins. My Mom would say when I was in college, "Well, when the twins are born" - no joke. My reply would be..."I don't want twins!" Quite a few have been witness to this conversation. Now, I can't imagine why, and how, I could ever say that! I couldn't imagine my life another way, although it's a lot of work, it is so much fun!
We had a great Christmas, hope you all did too!




Grandma de Simas and Sophie on Christmas Eve


Grandpa Neal and Sophie taking a nap


The family at Dads last day at Overlake...Happy Retirement!!


Sophie in the baby bouncer that Uncle Dave gave her


Jack has his own bouncer to show off in


Guess who was on which side


Sophie checking herself out in the mirror


Jack showing off his strong neck


Dad and Sophie


The first babysitters - a parental milestone


Jack's first attempt at real food


Sophie apparently doesn't like applesauce

Merry Christmas!!

We are getting ready for a great (and white) Spokane Christmas! It's not our first Christmas spent in Spokane but it will definitely go down as one of the most special! We are thrilled to have both sets of Grandparents join us as well as Great Grandma Wardlow who has traveled all the way from Arizona to meet the twins for the first time!
We had our friend Sean take more pictures of Sophia and Jack and he really captured their essence perfectly!! We couldn't be more thrilled with the pictures and more grateful to Sean for taking the time!
The twins are now 19 weeks old, and the daily changes are amazing! They are both "talking" quite a bit now, and they have the biggest smiles, they like up a room, and eachother! They have really started to form a bond which is so incredibly sweet to watch. Sophie weighs 13lb 5oz and Jack is weighing in at 13lb 15oz...which falls in 10th percentile for their age group. We are having to go to the doctor monthly now due to the RSV season which means they are getting Synigis shots (at $2500+, a pop - thank god for insurance)! We had fun with the camera at the doctors office...babies and mirrors are the best!!
We hope that you all have the very best Christmas season and a wonderful, wonderful 2007!!

Jack


Sophie


Tummy time


Sophie loving herself in the mirror


Jack checking himself out


My Sweet Sweets

A lot to be thankful for...

Happy Thanksgiving! We had a great time in Big Sky with Grandma and Grandpa Neal, Dave, the Corcoran's (his housemates family), and friends. We had 2 turkey's, one roasted, one bar-b-q'ed - they were so good! It was also fun to see what other families have as Thanksgiving tradition, I think that we have picked up a few new ones along the way. From the sounds of things, a Big Sky Thanksgiving is going to become an annual event...I am already looking forward to next year!
We have had a lot of firsts at our household over the past few weeks. Jack and Sophie have had their first "bites" of cereal, the first night in their nursery, their first snow and so on. It has been so much fun to see all the changes and their personality's starting to shine through - I never thought that motherhood could be so much fun!
We are really looking forward to spending the holiday season in Spokane, we have had enough traveling for awhile (5 trips in 10 weeks) and from the looks of it, we will have more then enough snow to get us in the Christmas spirit!

Grandma and Sophie


Grandpa and Jack


Ashlie and David Tusberg and Sophie


Sophie and Jack loving their toys from Garry and Carol


Sophie and Jack trying to figure out why they are on the floor


Jack just hanging


Dave and Jack having a chat


Colin and Sophie passing some time


Jack having a snooze with Dave


Their first night in their nursery, they still sleep better together, so we alternate cribs, and don't worry the blanket is tucked in on the sides!


Sophies first bite


Jacks first bite


The twins first childcare experience at the club


Our first snow, and the first time in the oversized snow suit


Finally, the first time in their big kid stroller!


My sweet Sophie

Happy Halloween

We have been enjoying the fall, which happens so quickly on this side of the mountains. We have had fun the last couple of weekends with friends from Seattle visiting...dinner parties are sure different with twins around!
Here are a few pictures from the last couple of weeks.

My 2 peas in a pod


Sophie having a ball


Jack putting up with the endless photo-op


Mr. Mustard Man with his baby boy and some friends on Halloween


First time in the Bumbo seats...what a God send!


Sophie as content as can be


The cute naked baby shot


Carl and Jack (our future point guard) rooting for the Sonics

Sophie and Jack's Seattle Debut

We finally got to introduce Jack and Sophie to our home away from home and to the majority of our friends and family. We felt like the traveling Jack and Sophie show but it was fun! We spent 5 days seeing old friends (with new babies), visiting our favorite Seattle spots and introducing our new additions to the Neal family.
I loved having lunch with Kelley Stryer, her 2 boys Davis and Riley and her Mom Linda...being around Kelley (who I've known since first grade) made me revel in the fact that we are old enough to have kids of our own - time flies! We also loved meeting Noah Sattari and catching up with Jess and Maz, I love that we had babies one day apart, it will be fun to watch them grow! We were also lucky enough to help celebrate Jordan Millers first birthday, I can't believe that she is already one! Another favorite one year old is Pete and Treva's little girl Bailey, who couldn't be cuter!!
We also got to introduce (and reintroduce, in some cases) our babies to some friends such as the Mitchells, the Liranzo's the Johnson's...lot's of honorary aunts and uncles - there is no lack of love for these guys, that's for sure! And finally on Saturday night Jack and Sophie got introduced to the rest of the Neal family, including Great Grandma Neal.



The twins first trip to the market, one of our favorite places


Carrie and Jack


Jordan getting introduced to Jack and Sophie


Pete, Bailey, Terra and Sophie


Jack and Riley


Me and Sophie


Grandpa Neal and Jack


Grandma Neal and Sophie


Auntie Janice and Jack


Auntie Janice, Bethany, Jaelyn, and Sophie


Sophie, Noah, and Jack


Aunt Becky and Jack


Aunt Katy, Drew and Jack (a.k.a. mini dude, according to Drew)



"Aunt" Alicia (the natural) and Sophie


Uncle Tom and Jack


Great Grandma Neal and Jack


Great Grandma Neal and Sophie


Jack and Sophie in the car on the way home exhausted from all the activity