Rachel really keeps me busy and time is just flying by!  We are all really settling in to a good routine around here and things are going well.  Rachel is making huge gains in her motor skills.  She is now able to pull herself up to standing, will walk with us holding her hands, will hold her own bottle, and can sit up from lying down with just a little help.  She is also beginning to eat more table foods.  This week she has had meatloaf, some bits of cheese, macaroni and cheese, watermelen, and small bites of chicken.  She also will eat pretty much any baby food I give her... including squash and peas!  It is amazing to watch her learn more skills every day.  She has another tooth that just finally came through... so now she has 9 teeth.  It was a pretty rough few days while that tooth was coming in...she was pretty cranky and had a bit more trouble sleeping.  She is becoming a more secure and will play happily on the floor without needing me to sit with her at all times.  And she is talking constantly!  Not saying anything we can understand...just babbling... but the sounds are just precious to me!  Oh, and she has learned that taking a bath can be fun.  She loves playing with her tub toys and does not mind me pouring water over her head anymore. 

 

I had to take her to have blood drawn for some medical tests ordered by her doctor.  I was so worried about how she would do...but she didn't even cry when they stuck her the first time!  I couldn't believe it.  Unfortunately, the vein didn't work and they ended up sticking her two more times in different places in order to draw her blood...and she did cry during the other two sticks.  It was awful to have to hold her while they did that!  I used to laugh when I'd hear parents say "this hurts me just as much as it hurts you", but now I so completely understand that statement.

 

I think probably the hardest part of being a mom is when Rachel is crying and I don't know why and can't seem to "fix" it!  We had an episode tonight where Greg and I were on the floor playing with her and she was laughing and having a great time...then suddenly started crying.  And nothing we did could make her feel better.  She didn't want to play.  She didn't want to be held.  She didn't want to be put down.  She didn't need a new diaper.  She wasn't hungry.  Oh, it was awful!  Finally, I just gave her a bottle and put her to bed a half hour early and she did go right to sleep.  SO maybe she was just extra tired tonight.  Or maybe another tooth is coming in... oh how I can't wait for teething to be behind us! 

 

We have had some professional pictures taken of Rachel and I think they turned out pretty good... see below!  Also, I included pictures taken of Rachel playing in the tub and of her in her "exersaucer".