Raising Rachel

My mom watched Rachel for us on Wednesday night for about three hours. We sneaked out the front door while my mom fed Rachel humus in the kitchen. Rachel loves humus and eats it plain, by the spoonful. So while my mom was coaxing her out of sight, Andrew and I made a break for the door.

We didn't hear any screaming while we were walking out to the car, which is always a good sign. Rachel can scream so loud that you can hear her all the way by the mailbox, which is across the street.

Rachel had a fun time running my mom ragged.

I had to be dropped off on the way home to visit with Amanda for a while, but when Andrew got home, he found Rachel and my mom had become the best of friends. They were singing songs when he walked in the door, and evidence of play was everywhere.

She cried when my mom left. Both grandmas like that a lot--that Rachel cries when they leave.

We saw my mom yesterday at the library picnic and she commented that she was so tired after having watched Rachel for just a few hours. Karen always says that she can never get anything done when she watches Rachel.

Parachute games at the picnic

I always like it when I hear people tell me those things because it validates my exhaustion. I seem to be tired all the time, but that's probably just from chasing Rachel around all day. I never seem to get anything done, either, but that's probably just from chasing Rachel around all day as well.

It's nice to know that I am not the only one who is exhausted after watching Rachel and that I'm not the only who can't seem to get anything accomplished when she's with me.

She is just such a curious, active, and loud bundle of energy! Always going, all the time.

She's at the stage where she's started tugging on me to get me to follow her. She brings me books to read to her and will thrust them in my face if I don't pay attention soon enough. She brings me toys to play with and insists on making me share the "right" way.

But she's so much fun and is growing up so fast! I guess I need to find a way to enjoy every minute I have her, even though I'm so tired!

I really can't believe how fast time is going. I held my friend's baby at the picnic yesterday--she's about 4 or 5 months old (the baby, not my friend)--and I could hardly remember how to hold a baby that tiny! I'm so used to lugging Rachel around and trying not to drop her while she's desperately trying to wriggle free that I couldn't quite get my arms around the baby right. It was kind of awkward. Hopefully I'll remember how by the time we have another one!

Here's our little rag-a-muffin! She pulled out her ponytail, got her dress all dirty, and spilled watermelon juice all down her face and the front of her dress! Topping off her outfit is the medal that mom won at the picnic for recruiting the most librarians--15 of her students have gone on to be professional librarians! Isn't she adorably messy? I'm glad that this was the way she looked when we got to show her off to all my former and Andrew's present coworkers!