Adam, Tonya, & Rachel: 13 Weeks Old

This has been an exciting week at our house...from new toys to visitors to Rachel's first swimming experience!

Adam got Rachel a new toy called Jacque the Peacock. She has been mezmerized by him since we've put him on her play gym. She has spent countless amounts of time just staring at him this week.

Rachel is also starting to grasp toys more easily and has more control about holding on to them and even attempts to chew on them at times...so she's moving on up the learning scale!

Early in the week we had a visit from Nana and Aunt Phyllis. They brought pecan crusted tilapia for dinner and it was delicious! Then Aunt Phyllis gave us loads of fresh garden vegetables like squash, zucchini, and cucumbers...yummy!

Then midweek, we had a visit from Aunt Brenda and Uncle Larry. They took us out to PF Chang's! It was crazy good eatin'! Then Papa stopped by the same night as he didn't know we had company...and that was ok. We love it when he makes a surprise visit to spoil Rachel a little on his way home from work:o)

On Thursday, we put some of Aunt Phyllis' veggies to work by making a squash casserole, bbq chicken, and green beans. Here's Rachel helping me in the kitchen since she decided she only wanted to take a 30 minute nap that day!

We don't want to forget Mimi who came over to help with Rachel all day Friday so I was able to get some work done around the house...but I was so thankful for the help and had so much to get accomplished, I didn't even get her picture with Rachel! We'll have to get one the next time she stops by.

Rachel had her 3 month pics made at JCPenney on Saturday. I wasn't very happy with them. We honestly have 100's of pictures of her that are better than the ones they took. Needless to say, we ordered a few prints of 3 different poses (the only 3 that were even good enough to warrant getting copies). Our plan is to take more pics of her at home this week or next and get some of them blown up to give to family. At least we had a coupon for a free sitting fee and a free 10x13 print in addition to a discount on the pics we ordered. The girl tried really hard, but I guess it's just that I am home with Rachel all day every day and can get pics of her when she's at her best and take 100s of them. Our sitting was only 30 minutes and Rachel wasn't very happy by the end.

Pa came to visit on Saturday and we had a special Father's Day surprise for him since we didn't get to see him last weekend. He's an avid outdoorsman, so what better gift than a picture of Rachel sporting her camo onesie from Bass Pro Shop! We also gave him a "normal" picture of her in behind this one in the frame so he can change it out if he has "civilized" friends coming to visit...that way they won't mistake him for a redneck:o)

A small miracle happened and we were ready for church early on Sunday morning, so we took a couple of pics...we were the first people to arrive at Sunday School too...crazy! I think it must be because I usually get frustrated on Sunday mornings when I try to sleep a little too long and have to rush getting myself and Rachel ready...this week I decided I wasn't going to let that happen...so I got up and got a shower even before Rachel woke up! It seemed to work out much better this way!

Sunday afternoon Rachel took a swim in her new pool! It's crazy cute and so was she in her new bathing suit that was on clearance at Old Navy:o) The little ducky with her name on it is from Mimi...she bought it this week for Rachel to have to play with in the bathtub and she had no idea we were getting her a pool...so it worked out great! We weren't sure how she'd like the pool as she's not the most avid bathtime baby...but she didn't cry at all and seemed to love it!

Here she is drying off after she was finished sun bathing...