Adam, Tonya, & Rachel: St. Louis - Rachel's First Vacation

We're back from St. Louis and had a great time! Going up in the Arch and to the zoo were our main outtings. We also saw the Science Center (which was geared more toward elementary age kids), drove all over Forest Park, and went to Union Station.

Here are some pics from our trip.

Ah, Nimbus wanted to go too! He was trying to sneak into my suitcase while I was packing...but I found him:o) Alison took good care of him while we were gone. Thanks Big Al!!

Adam and Rachel at McDonald's along the way...

A couple of pics from my camera along the way...

Adam and Rachel in the top of the Arch...

The XTerra was COMPLETELY full! It's amazing how much you have to take for little ones...bathtubs, strollers, boppy pillows, pack n plays...the list goes on and on...

At Walmart getting a screw removed from our tire along the way. We were very blessed as this happened the best way it could have happened. It was definitely God watching over us or we could have been stuck on the side of the road somewhere! Adam noticed the screw as it was directly on top of the tire when we were putting Rachel back in the car to head on our way...and we were at Walmart...so they had a tire center. We were back on our way with a patched up tire in no time.

Now for the pics from the nice camera...

The Arch...it was huge!!!

Views from the top of the Arch...

Cardinals stadium...

Family pic at the top of the Arch...

Me and Rachel taking a gander through the tiny windows at the top of the Arch... not what I expected at all. I just assumed it would be big glass windows and even thought it might have a glass floor too...shows what I know! It had tiny little windows all across the top to look out. Kind of made you feel claustrophobic...

The ride to the top of the Arch was in this tiny round elevator with seats...again, don't go if your afraid of small spaces...

Rachel just hangin' out in the park outside the Arch...

A beautiful fountain in Forest Park...

There were weddings in the pavilion behind this fountain every time we drove by...

Some exotic animals from the zoo...

Here's the toucan! Rachel LOVES her toucan that is attached to her carseat (as you'll see in a later pic). She constantly holds on to it's tailfeathers and falls asleep. Appropriately, she was sleeping in the stroller when we saw the toucan in the bird exhibit at the zoo...so she didn't even get to see the real one...oh well.

A beautiful butterfly in the butterfly emporium...

More animals...

Rachel liked the sealions...well, the stone sealions...

Me and Rachel after a rainy day at the zoo...but we still had fun!

Adam and Rachel being rebellious and sitting on the stone sealions even though the sign said not to touch. Who puts a great picture backdrop in the zoo and then says don't take pics on it!??! Everyone else was doing it, so we joined in on the lawbreaking! We're such rebels:o)

All pooped out from all the fun of the trip (and holding on to her toucan's tailfeathers)...

We didn't get to eat as many nice meals as we have on our vacations before Rachel, but we did manage to find a Landry's Seafood House in Union Station with outside seating which worked perfectly for us...it was yummy! I had Shrimp Fresca and Adam had Tilapia.