We're in Mexico!!

Just a reminder that Josh and I are on a mission trip to Tiajuana this week while our moms take care of precious one. PRAY for us and my sad heart as I leave my baby for 8 days!

This will have to tide you over!

Obsessed with the pony!

Okay- seriously, I am now obsessed with trying to style Rebekah's wispy, literally baby-fine hair. You may remember that I cut her bangs a couple months ago and they have already grown back to be shaggy in her eyes. So, I was faced with the dilemma of butchering it again (she really is so squirmy, thus making scissors a dangerous thing) or trying my hand at tiny rubberbands. I know I'm her mother, but I am speechless at how beautiful she is! That little face just slays me! She wears this dress a lot- it was a gift from Aunt Becky and Uncle Billy!

Side view
Check out the lower lip...
Such a serious face as she figures out the package.

Another profile...can't get enough!


These were my first try the other day- her little cute body in those overalls was just too cute! Some of you mothers of boys may be thinking to yourselves, those seem mighty familiar...My mom and dad bought her these at Gymboree, knowing full well that they were for little boys, but, they had turtles on them! If you don't know my dad, he is a turtle guru...so, they bought them...I was hesitant so Aunt Becky (creative thing) suggested adding pink bows...apparently she doesn't know me as well as I thought b/c my husband can attest, I don't sew. However, my mom does! Mom to the rescue- awesome job!



She loves to hand me things now! This is her "I'm up to something" look...



Swinging with Dad...
Evidently there was a toy that could only be gotten by climbing in the toy box...


Other fun tidbits-
Rebekah noticed me scratching an ant bite on my knee the other day and now she helps me scratch it!

She pushes around anything as a walker- her actual walker, her highchair (scares Sam to death), or a kitchen chair.

She calls blueberries bb's and has been asking for them...sadly, the grocery store was out... :(

She hits and then hugs other children.

She finally got into a pool yesterday b/c she so desperately wanted to experience the slide that went into it. (all child-sized)

She laughs when you finally figure out what she wants...such as when I pull out Goldfish or find a toy she thought she had lost or out her in the swing.

She blows her bangs out of her eyes.

She mimics everything she can, especially fun sounds and short words. I definitely think she thinks she is communicating exact ideas.

She has conversations with herself in the backseat.

She holds her toy cell phone to her ear and then hands it to me to talk.

Quite a fright

We should have known something was amiss last night when, after kenneling Samson (our fearless boxer) for dinner company and subsequently releasing him, he didn't charge up the stairs, knocking us over in search for the long-lost aforementioned guests. In fact, not only did he take his sweet time joining us upstairs, he lingered....hmmm....unfortunately, Top Chef was too intriguing to abandon so as to analyze this anomaly. Eventually, Sam trotted upstairs and did his usual beg to go outside, eat, beg to outside again. It's like he doesn't have enough bladder/bowel space to eat, then mesh the 2 trips outside into one....I digress. So, this morning, I went down to the basement to grab last night's laundry (I know, Mom, extra wrinkles from my procrastination) and took pity on Sam's empty bowls. I filled his food. Now, you need to understand our watering system- he has his water bowl and we have a laundry sink also downstairs. However, in my typical hurrying fashion, I always slosh the water out of the bowl by the time I get it from the sink back to his domain. So, I remedied the situation by donating a large plastic, small-mouthed pitcher (you know, the kid with a screw-on lid, which I discarded, of course) to the cause and I fill it, then fill the bowl, then use the remaining water the next day...so, as I reach for this pitcher, I notice the water is a nasty brownish-gray color. I think to myself as I reach down for it, "Self, that is some funky water...it couldn't have been more than 2 days since I filled it from the sink...?" Praise the Lord (which I did) that I never actually touched the pitcher becasue i happened to peek over the top and see...I kid you not, a dead floating mouse!!!!!!!! Oh my gosh!!!! That mouse must have been terrorizing Sam in his kennel, only to have him released and then choose suicide over canine torture! Truly, there was no easy way for him to catapult into that water...it was scooted away from all other objects...of course, Josh took matters into his own hands and disposed of the mouse and the offending pitcher is being soaked in bleach as we speak...I still may throw it away...I just wouldn't feel right doing so before bleaching it.

A Couple More of Side Pony Tail....

Carrie sent me these from the day at her house last week ...so cute! I forgot to mention that Carrie was the one styling Rebekah's out-of-control hair. What would have taken me hours and cost Rebekah many, many tears took Carrie- wait for it--- 15 seconds! She waltzed in with 2 combs- she knows my daughter so well- Rebekah, of course, immediately grabbed the extra comb and Carrie set to work!

Standing with the Best of 'Em

A few fun tidbits about Rebekah- Rebekah actually walked with her walker (on loan from the Hoberts) for the first time today...she giggles when you pretend to eat her fingers or when she dangles food (pretty mean) to gentle Sam and he licks her hand trying to get it, she LOVES the tiny mouse in Good Night Moon and grins and makes a happy sound every time she sees him, she has learned where her tummy, nose, and ear are...altho sometimes she confuses them with mine! Always awkward when she pulls my shirt up in public...

I caught a pic of her standing on her own after she cruised with the walker...

Grace was over yesterday for a ministry thing (our girls are very spiritual) and she and Rebekah took turns giving hugs...we thought this was a hilarious face...she may look like she hates the hugs, but in fact she adores them...




This is her with Isaac in his Monsters, Inc costume...Eat your heart out, Angela- just kidding!

Hanging with Hannah (Carrie's oldest daughter)...doing so big...



Carrie is a total push-over for Rebekah. She traded dough for hugs...They were also twinkies, which was super-fun.

Come on y'all...

So, I am killing myself taking TONS of pics and getting them on this blog, as well as emailing them to my family or putting them on Snapfish for printing purposes...anyway, I just looked at my last post...where did I go wrong? Seriously, those are some darn cute pics of my baby girl and not one comment! Now don't tell me it's too much trouble- it takes 10 seconds to leave a comment...and I have even set up accounts for some of you so you can't pull the I don't know how excuse...I mean, how can you look at that sweet girl doling out hugs and not respond? Don't you know how much it means to a mama to have loved ones (strangers, too, let's be honest) ooh and aah over your precious one? I expect y'all to raise the bar...yea, I'm dropping the gauntlet...

Charmed...

...by not so-baby-girl! As we fell asleep last night, I contentedly sighed as I described what good days Rebekah and I have been enjoying....some of the words I would use to describe her: sweet, funny, loyal, resilient, confident, determined, flexible (in many ways), stubborn, intelligent, patient (sometimes), happy, fun, adventurous, thrill-seeking, agile....

This was at Play Group today- Grace and Rebekah were giving hugs! This is Rebekah hugging Amanda and Grace.




These were this afternoon, before her nap...she loves to climb!







Not the best example, but this is her standing totally on her own!

I mentioned it was before nap time...this was her telling me she really was tired! She is also snuggling Auntie Rachel's handmade rabbit.


On Monday, Rebekah crawled over to a bench in the play area in our mall and climbed up next to this woman...apparently they became friends!

Our Travels

Oh- by the way...Rebekah had her 1-year appt last Friday- she was 32 inches, above 100th% (it is average for a 20-mo-old) and 20 lbs (35th%). I was delighted to see her weight go up, especially since she has been weaned for a month now...yea, Bunny!

This monster pork sandwich was at Joensy's in Solon (10 minutes north of IC)...seriously, oh my gosh!This is from our favorite restaurant, Iowa River Power Company Restaurant...we went there the day before Bunny's birthday to celebrate...it was where we went last July when she was 6 days old and Dad couldn't remember her name when asked due to his calling her Twinkie or some such nickname....it was also where she wouldn't quit crying and I realized for the first time that babies weren't very predictable!
Dad and Becky at Hamburg Inn...

Becky and Amanda...so lovely!


The first 2 are from week before last...she had just gotten up from a sweaty nap...we thought it was funny! Doesn't she look so big in my dad's arms?! She is in her new camo skirt and is simply darling, don't you think? (answer, yes)
She's hanging out with my dad after lunch on her birthday.
Swinging with Grandmama and Granddaddy in our backyard. Josh worked really hard and we have a lovely, lush green yard now!
Josh and I went away overnight for the first time since we had Rebekah! We spent the night in a lovely bed and breakfast in Dubuque, IA last night. It's about an hour and a half away. Anyway, we ate at a fun place, Timmerman Supper Club, which looked like it could have been featured in Dirty Dancing...seriously, I was looking for the play pen and the off-limits staff cabin...anyway, this was our view overlooking IL across the Mississippi River...we though the bunny hut was hilarious! We had an awesome dinner of steak and Alaskan crab legs, while my parents and Becky ate left-overs at our house with Bunny!

These are from Dubuque...



This afternoon, we drove to Galena, IL for lunch and some shopping...we ate an amazing Italian lunch at Vinny Vanucci's (spelling?)...wow! This was it as you go up the hill...the rest are Galena...it was a really fun town...unfortunately, rain dominated the day....









A view of America's River, the great Mississippi, as we drove over it...

Due to the rain, my desire to go to the Nat'l Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium (I am a sucker for aquariums and anything with live animals) was granted...here are some shots from inside...





As we drove out of Dubuque back towards IC...thought it was pretty...