2 1/2 Years!

I cannot believe Rachel is 2 1/2 already!  I know everyone says this, but it seems like yesterday that she was born, and at the same time, it seems like she has been in our lives forever.

She did great at her check up...
27 pounds, 34 1/2 inches tall  she is still a peanut, but is healthy and no worries from the doctor or us!

Rachel has decided recently that she would be perfectly happy eating fruit, vegetables, bread and cheese all the time.  It's crazy that I have to bribe her to eat her meat with broccoli!

She is doing great with potty training and is dry most days and nights.  We have been putting her in her big girl underwear at home, and are beginning to venture out without pull-ups on!  Fingers crossed- no accidents so far!

Easter Photo Shoot

We took the kids out to get some pictures of them in their Easter outfits. We weren't really sure how it was going to work out with 2 kids! It's always fun trying to get them both at their happiest times at the same time... Rachel played it up, of course and Gavin just kind of sat there like he usually does. I did have to feed him in the middle of the shoot, but it worked out pretty well, I think!

My Favorite Little Girl

Rachel is becoming such a little girl now and has so much personality!

I can't believe how much she's grown up!

~She talks non-stop in the car, and about everything. She tells us when there are trees, she counts the cars... "One, two, free, four... there's nother one, I see it... One, two..."

~She loves going through tunnels, otherwise known as overpasses...

~She waits to pass the "castle" when we drive pass downtown (the big catholic church that really does look like a castle)

~She tells Gavin "It's OK, Gavin, it's OK" getting louder each time when he cries

~She LOVES Zoe! She will give her hugs and kisses and they chase each other around the house. The poor dog even puts up with being fed tea from her play cups!

~She loves her some-stick, also known as chapstick, and has to put it on every night before bed

~She will let you know if she has a boo-boo and asks for a kiss to make it better

~She is also doing great with being potty trained! We were a little worried about her after Gavin was born, but she did not regress at all. She wears a pull-up during nap time and at night and if we take a long trip, but other than that it's big girl underwear all the way. She doesn't even need gummies as a reward anymore!

~She gives hugs and kisses and says that she loves us without us prompting her, and that makes my day!

~She says that things are "so cool" and "so cute"

~She loves having her hair in piggies... I'm going to miss doing her hair when I have to go back to work :(

~She says "Muskee" instead of excuse me, and "Ness" instead of Yes

~She is such a little Mommy- she changes diapers on her baby dolls and has to get a tissue to "wipe it" when her baby is "so stanky" (and yes, she says stAnky- don't know where she got that!)

~She is a GREAT big sister! Rachel loves her little brother and my heart melts every night when she gives him a kiss and says "I wuv you, Gabin" before she goes to bed. She hasn't asked us to take him back, and hasn't been too jealous

~She loves her daddy! She misses him so much when he's gone (see previous post about Daddy's Band) and she walks around with her phone and talks to him. And of course when they are together, she wrestles with him and yells from upstairs for him to carry her down the steps, and take her out to go swing, and simply has him wrapped around her little finger!

Christmas Portraits

We took a little bit of time and did Rachel's Christmas portraits while at my parents house. She was a complete ham! We only had to bribe her with gummy bears a few times.

Friend Birthday Party

We had a little friend party for Rachel this year. (Unfortunately the evites that I sent out didn't make it to some people- sorry!) We had a great time with everyone who came though!

Our first kids table! Sam, Charley, Blake and Rachel seemed to have a good time eating together. Oh, don't worry, the birthday girl did get food!

So glad that Uncle Brent, Aunt Kim, Blake and Alli were able to come for this party!

I grabbed the rocket and characters off the cake that Grandma made and put them on the little cupcakes stand!

Maybe next year Layna can join in the hot dogs and chips!

Maybe Alli can, too!

Singing Happy Birthday!

Chris, Charley and Emily

She did better at blowing out the candle this time

Opening a book from Lincoln, Lindsey, and Layna

Alli and Emery

Feeding her new baby doll from her baby-sitter with the water-bottle from Aunt Kim and family

Hanging out with Blake and Emery

Thanks to Lindsey, Lincoln, and Layna, April, Brad and Emery, Emily, Chris, Sam and Charley, and Brent, Kim, Blake and Alli for sharing Rachel's day with her!

Family Birthday Party

We were so excited to have Rachel's Nana, Great-Grandpa, Mimi, Poppy, Grandma, and Papa here for her birthday this year. She got a little confused with all of the different names, but by the end of the weekend had everyone figured out!

Her favorite show is Little Einsteins, so that was the theme we went with. I was so excited because there was party stuff everywhere for months before her birthday, then about a month before, everything disappeared! Luckily Kim's niece also loves Little Einsteins and she had some party supplies that we borrowed (Thanks Jen!).

Here are just a "few" of the pictures from her party.

These are the toys BEFORE the party!

Dustin's dad made Rachel this tea table from Nannie and Papa McCollum's old table. His mom painted the table and also made Betsy, the tea doll. It is such a special set and Rachel absolutely loves it!

Papa having some tea with Rachel.

Grandma sharing some tea too!

Rachel needed a little help getting started with the presents, but she got the hang of it soon enough.

She had to put her new slippers on right away!

Rachel had Nana help her open a couple cards.

Off came the slippers, on went her new shoes!

A tea set to go with her table

On with the NEXT pair of new shoes!

After all the presents were finally opened!

Concentrating hard on her pouring!

Blowing out her candle.

Wearing her new costume earrings (How does she look so grown up?)

Rachel with Poppy and the sign that he made for her.

With Grandma and Papa by her tea table

With Mimi and Poppy

Yes, she had her new pajamas from Aunt Bonnie and Uncle Gary on in the middle of the day. What can I say, she loves to dress up!

2 year portraits

We went downtown and took some portraits of Rachel. She hammed it up of course and they turned out great! I'll just let you enjoy!