13 Months

Today Rachel is 13 months old. To mark this important day, Rachel has taken walking to a whole new level. She took her first step two weeks before her birthday, but has not really expressed any interest in developing that talent. Yesterday, however, Rachel began walking more, of her own free will. She used to do it only when she was enticed with something, but now walking seems to be its own reward.

I also discovered last Friday that Rachel has her first baby molar (upper left). By the time I noticed, it was already pretty well erupted. Like it had been there for a couple of weeks. Hmm, seems to me that a couple of weeks ago I was getting overwhelmed with Rachel's temper tantrums. Could there be a connection? Sorry sweetie.

I also think that Rachel is starting to shift to just one nap a day. I don't know if I am happy or sad about that. I guess I can get used to that too.

Another fun weekend.

Last Friday we took Rachel to the zoo for Louisville's (some say the world's) largest Halloween Party. Obviously Rachel is the Cat in the Hat, and Jeff and I are Thing 1 (Jeff) and Thing 2 (Noelle). And here's a shout out to Marla who provided the hat, thereby completing Rachel's costume. Thanks Marla.

Another First

It is with great sorrow and mourning that I announce that Rachel had her first haircut today. I have been resisting it from day one. She was born with a pretty good amount of hair, but I still swore that I wouldn't cut her hair until she was at least one. Jeff thought that meant I would cut it on her first birthday, but I didn't want to. I finally decided to go ahead and do it today.

Here is her "before" picture.


This is how much hair I cut off. (I didn't want to overdo it!)


Here are her "after" pictures.


I will add that she behaved like a perfect little angel, for which I thank Baby Signing Time.

Rachel's Fun Week

Rachel has had a lot of fun this past week. She and I have been going to the park several times. It has been such beautiful weather too. We went to E. P. Tom Sawyer Park, and to Moser Farm park twice. While at Moser Farm park we found a really pretty spot with a water fall.


Last Saturday Jeff took Rachel to Lexington (actually Georgetown) to the pumpkin patch. They met up with Trish, Jarrod, and their kids Austin, Waveney and Grace, and Paul, Andrea and Jonas. I couldn't go because I had rehearsal. They had a great time, and took some really cute pictures.

Photogenic Rachel

I always take multiple pictures of Rachel, hoping for the perfect shot if different situations. She usually manages to get one picture with her eyes closed. Here are a bunch of them:

Rachel loves her daddy.

They like to swim together.

They like to play together.
Daddy comforts her when she doesn't feel so good.
Sometimes they like to dress alike.

A new phase

Rachel is embarking on a new phase - the temper tantrum! On Saturday evening while the guys went out to dinner and then to the Priesthood Session of General Conference, the girls decided to have a night out too, and we went to Max and Erma's. The plan was to meet at 7:00. Amber and I got there first, just a little before 7:00. Because we were kind of a big group (five adults and two little kids), there was (supposedly) no place to seat us. We ended up waiting for an hour. Meanwhile Rachel was getting pretty hungry. I tried to distract her, and Amber helped quite a lot too with that, but it was to no avail. When we were finally seated Rachel was screaming and carrying on quite a lot. The server offered to bring her some food right away, but his definition of "right away" and mine (with a screaming baby) were pretty far apart. He finally brought her some applesauce, and she was a lot better once she had some food in her. She devoured the applesauce, and ate quite a lot of the macaroni and cheese too. I was pretty frazzled by the end of dinner, but it wasn't over yet.

I dropped Amber off at her house, then went home myself. As I brought Rachel in from the car, I felt upon my arm the moistness that hints at a big mess. Sure enough Rachel and a giant blow-out that went up her back. I would have (and should have) given her a bath right then and there, but to be honest, I was too tired. So I cleaned her off with wet wipes, put on a new diaper and her pajamas, and put her to bed where she slept soundly and sweetly for the rest of the night. I went to bed myself immediately, as I was just about done for!

On Sunday morning we enjoyed omelets for breakfast. Rachel had one too, and seemed to really like it. We were supposed to go to choir practice, but Rachel went down for her nap at 10:00, anyway, I just didn't have the energy (sorry Nicole). When Rachel woke up from her nap I gave her lunch, and we started watching conference on my computer. Rachel wanted to play with the keyboard, but I wouldn't let her. (She has been known to do some crazy stuff on the computer, and I didn't want her to be able to shut off conference.) Well, that set her off something fierce. She went ballistic. She screamed and cried. Jeff put her in her crib. I went upstairs to check on her periodically (about every 10 minutes), gave her a hug, and ascertained if she was ready to join us. She wasn't. It took her every bit of 30 minutes to settle down.

For the rest of that first session Rachel was such a little angel. She snuggled, she played quietly, she smiled. I guess the 30 minute tantrum was worth it.

Rachel has got a song she would like to share with everybody.

Well, I'm hot blooded, check it and see
I got a fever of a hundred and three
Come on baby, do you do more than dance?
I'm hot blooded, I'm hot blooded

The part of those lyrics that are true is the part that says "I got a fever of a hundred and three." Rachel had a low-grade fever when she had the abscess on her arm, but it was a one day occurrence. This one is a bit more yucky. I finally realized that Rachel had a fever yesterday afternoon. In retrospect I think she may have had a fever the evening before too. (I'm not too bright.)

She is doing okay now. She has been pretty cuddly and clingy, and sometimes kind of whiny too.


Hopefully she will be back to 100% soon.

Amusing

I'm taking a page out of Jeff's book with this post. It's one of those amusing things that you can find on the internet. --> Click Here <--

Rachel loves to share

So I was giving Rachel a snack of goldfish. She was enjoying them quite a lot, and alternating between putting one in her mouth with putting one in my mouth. Then she ran out. Being the generous and giving soul that she is, she took the goldfish out of her own mouth to share with me. Isn't she so sweet?