HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!

I hope everyone has a very HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!

Love,

Rachel

Cousin Kinley Would Be Proud!

I walked into the living room from our room last night and this is what I found. Apparently she wanted what Kinley likes to call a COOOOOKIE!!!

Walking Video

Since this video Rachel hasn't been interested in taking several steps in a row. But she is consistently taking 5-6 and then realizes crawling is way faster. But she does want to do it. She stands and tries several times a day!

Finishing Up The Yard...

We put sod in the front yard but decided to just seed the back because it is so much bigger. Gma, Gpa and Daddy were outside while Momma, Aunt Shelly, Aunt Krista, Kate and Rachel "worked" inside. As you can probably see we got a lot done! :)

Sharing Momma?!!!

Rachel is having to share her momma now because we started keeping Alexis this week. Rachel is interested in Alexis, but seems to be much more interested in doing what the baby does... I brought some things Rachel used when she was younger and she loves to play with them because they are "new." Needless to say she has done a very good job of entertaining herself the past few days! :) Alexis has been a very good baby thus far. We hope things continue to go as well as they are now!

Rachel's New Coat

It's getting to that time of year where we need to be wearing "outerwear." I bought Rachel a coat a couple weekends ago. I guess you can tell by the pics below that she is less then thrilled. She absolutely hates it!

Rachel Gets Her Ears Pierced

This is something we have talked about doing for a while now. But we decided to wait until after her 11 month pictures. So we had her 11 month pics taken at 6pm Saturday evening (10/10) and she had earrings by 8:30pm. She did very well. Cried for a short while with the "pokes" (much like shots) but then was fine! Daddy and I really like them and hopefully people will quit mistaking her for a boy!!!! :)

Picking out which pair she wants

Getting a closer look

A little nervous...

HAPPY GIRL!!

ATTENTION...The Princess is WALKING!!!

Rachel is walking!!!! Okay, not all the time, but more then just a couple of steps!!! Thursday night at Gma and Gpa Oakley's something clicked. She took 5 steps in a row and when we got home she took 6 for Daddy and I. Then Friday night she took 11 in a row! She has to really want something to walk to you, but once she gets the hang of it, I am sure she will just do it! This is a very exciting thing for Momma because the doctor said she probably wouldn't walk by her 1st birthday because her body was so "top heavy" (aka HUGE HEAD!) But here we are a little past 11 months and I call it walking. Do I now get to call my baby a toddler since she can "toddle" around?! LOL. This is sooo much fun!

Video to come soon!

WE HAVE A LAWN!

When Brett and I came home from our DC Trip we came home to Gma and Gpa Oakley laying sod in our yard! It took a few more days to finish, but it was the best surprise to come home to! We were thrilled and are now very glad to have a grass lawn after only have dirt for almost a year!!!! Thank you Gma and Gpa!!! Below are pics I took when we arrived home.

11 Months!

Catching Up...

These 2 pieces of info are really just for Momma's benefit so when I go to write down milestones in her book I have them. Sept 18th was the first time Rachel stood from the middle of the floor and pulled up on nothing. A few days later while visiting Aunt Jess in Houston she stood up in the middle of the yard. Then when Momma and Daddy came home from their trip Miss Priss was trying to take steps. On Oct 5th she took one step, wobbled, regained her balance and tried another and went ker-splat. No she isn't walking, but I think after the 2 steps this will be her "First Step" milestone in her baby book. It won't be long!

Momma and Daddy Take a Trip!!!

Most of you know that Daddy and I took a trip for Momma's birthday. It was a much needed vacation that we really enjoyed! Rachel wasn't able to go, and she let momma know just what she thought about it when we got back! We flew back into Wichita on Wednesday evening and Rachel wanted nothing to do with me until Saturday afternoon! She was MAD at me for leaving her. She was happy to see her dad, but could have cared less about me being back. It was heartbreaking! But I am now happy to say that everything is back to normal.

Our original destination for our trip was Washington DC but while we were there we hit 6 different states and did many different things! We rented a car in our "vacation package" and on our 3rd day there we drove through Maryland, Pennsylvania, Delaware, New Jersey, and New York. The main places we stopped along the way were in Pennsylvania and New York. We went to Philadelphia and saw the liberty Bell and Independence Hall (where the constitution was signed!) 'and then the major stops in New York were, of course, the Statue of Liberty and the World Trade Center Site. The entire 6 day trip was so much fun and I don't think there was a better vacation for the 2 of us to enjoy together. WE loved seeing our Nations capitol along with other American history sites. We haven't had this much fun in quite a while!

Although we were sad to come home, we were happy too. Back to "real life" and reality, but we have memories that will last a lifetime. :)

(I have posted a few pictures below, but for those of you who want to see a lot more they are on my facebook page or printed in an album here at home. Comments of each picture are ABOVE the pic!)

Our Hotel Room

White House in the background WWII Memorial, Reflecting Pool, Lincoln Memorial from Wash. Monument

Where Brett's Gpa was in WWII

Jefferson Memorial

Lincoln Memorial

Washington Monument, Reflecting Pool from Lincoln Memorial

Hard Rock Cafe in D.C.

Liberty Bell in Philadelphia, PA

Independence Hall (where Constitution was signed) We went in later that day!

Statue of Liberty

National Museum of Natural History

National Museum of American History

I'm a Kansas Girl...Dorothy's shoes! (American History Museum)Capitol Building in the background

Vietnam Wall

Lincoln Memorial again

Mt. Vernon

George Washington's House (Mt. Vernon)

We ate at the Inn on my Birthday!