My mom's 3rd visit from Dallas

My mom aadores Rebekah (and me :)) and she has no desire to miss out on Rebekah's rapid growth these first few months, so we had the pleasure of her company this past week. Here are some fun ones...

On the way home from the airport...

Such a little helper with the bottle in the Amana Colonies...


A series of Rebekah waking up and stretching...warms my heart!


Her new exersaucer- she'll lick anything in reach!


Still lovin' her toes...


She loves the up close attention on the changing table...


Same day, just after a nap- she still wakes up really happy if she gets enough rest...



Love those cheeks!


With my mom- we are seeing a very obstinate side of Rebekah when she refuses to smile on demand!!

Berkley & Samson

You may recall Berkley, one of our favorite babysitters, who is currently attending U of Northern Iowa as a nursing student...

This was a week ago and was the day our Boxer, Samson, and Rebekah really met one another for the first time...Don't get me wrong, Sam, who has lamentably been quite neglected for about 4 months, has done his fair share of licking Rebekah's toes, but until this unprecedented day, his tongue devotion had sadly gone unnoticed. As you can see, both parties are delighted to have forged this fledging friendship.

Pink Eye!!

Rebekah got over her first cold last week, just in time for pink eye! I kept noticing that the goop in her left eye was increasing, but after she awoke from a nap yesterday, her eye was really goopy and after nursing, it was totally swollen shut! Fortunately, it doesn't seem to bother her too much, she just looks pitiful! She did seem to want some extra loving yesterday, which was super fun!

Just a cute one of her wearing Josh's hat...

Play Hard, Sleep Hard!

Rebekah is just learning how to reach for and hold things- for just a few seconds, though- long enough, however, to get frustrated that she can't stuff whole toys in her mouth...


Here she is checking out her toys at eye-level in her Bumbo...


Tummy Time is much less traumatic now that she can push up on her elbows...




We call this one Sleepy Bunny (I call Rebekah Bunny more than anything else...it got shortened from Honey Bunny, which I picked up from my friend, Amanda here...). I think she looks huge here! (she really only is 12-ish pounds, tho...)

Aunt Sarah's Visit

Josh's younger sister, Sarah, is back from central Asia to raise support for her long-term mission to Turkey. She blessed us with a visit this week and here are some of the pics so far. Unfortunately, Rebekah contracted her first cold, so she is just now starting to be her sweet self again.

Rebekah and me on our way ou to pick up Sarah.

Sarah and Rebekah hangin' on the couch....

We vivisted the Amana Colonies on Monday- it uwas a communal living spot for German immigrants until 1932. Now, it's kind of like Fredericksburg, TX and is fun for strolling, shopping, and German cuisine.


Sarah feeding Rebekah in one of the shops.

Eating My Toes & My First Giggles

Well, Rebekah has officially developed her oral abilities...she discovered Josh's hand by pulling it to her mouth and vigorously sucking on his finger...then, what do 'ya know- she saw her feet! Too delicious to pass up even clothed, she progressed from gnawing on her shoes to her naked toes!!



These are my faves!! We now know that we heard her first giggles as she adoringly laughed at her dad! Josh was man enough to change an explosion of a poop, but was not really excited to get her litle wiggly body into a sleeper...so he used what he had...a diaper, shoes, and a hat! They both thought it was hilarious!

Make-Up for Labor Day

A bunch of us were supposed to have a potluck for Labor Day at our mutual friends' place. A family emergency deterred those plans until this afternoon. It was so fun having all the babies together at one time- these are pretty much my closest friends here...

The babies go from oldest to youngest...almost all are awake and semi-happy!

David 2/14, Willa 2/21, Grace 4/1, Josiah and Abigail 5/22, Rebekah 7/12, & Carter 7/17

Cold Weather Fun

Well, it's October 12th, which signals 2 things- Rebekah is 3 months old and we had our first flurries of snow last night!

In other news this week, Rebekah rolled from her tummy to her back again, laughed for the first time, and chatted us up for an hour...we are having a blast!

Just wanted to show you what we're doing here in Iowa to stay warm...



This was in the midst of chatting...which was only interrupted by grinning...






Fun indoor activities include swinging...always a favorite...(in fact, Rebekah kept making noises until she had our undivided attention! I think we have a Diva on our hands...)

...and flying as Super Baby!

More cute pics of Rebekah

Just some fun ones from the last few days...

Rebekah with her friend Carter (they are 5 days apart)

This is seriously how she wakes up- all smiles!!

Fall in Iowa

So, apparently, there are actually 4 seasons in Iowa...we are enjoying the prettiest fall I have ever seen! The leaves are ripe with color and Rebekah and I are loving taking afternoon strolls in our fall clothes- in fact Rebekah is enjoying her new fall duds, now that she is barely fitting into her 3-6 month clothes (she is such a peanut)!


Our house...picture pumpkins on the front porch!


Our backyard- my dad designed and built the stone patio the week of Rebekah's arrival.


Our neighborhood...



Across the street from us...


From the church parking lot...


Us at the U of I Homecoming Game- 35-yardline, 9th row- very fun! Strangely, Rebekah, who would have sat in my lap, couldn't go unless we had a ticket for her (we were only given 2), yet the obese man and his wife next to us, who took up at least 3 1/2 seats, only supplied 2 tickets...

Rebekah in her new fall clothes...

The Malone Family at a wedding of a new friend...her first experience in tights and shoes...at least the tights stayed on for more than 3 minutes!


She loves her dad, but I think she's looking and smiling at me!