Rachel Walking

Rachel has learned to walk... mostly. Still wobbly and falling a bit, but she's already started showing off: she gave me a scare at Bridgehead coffee shop yesterday by taking off across the room.

I saw mommy... but not Santa Claus

Rachel visited Santa Claus with mommy and Nana Rule today, but obviously mommy is more excited by the encounter than the baby. Rachel's face looks like she'd rather be anywhere else than hanging out with a fat bearded man in the middle of Carlingwood Mall... and can you blame her really?

Family Van Ruleduinen - formal portrait

Here's all three of us mugging for the camera. Not bad for a cheapo grocery store photo taken by employees who looked about 12 1/2 years old.

Rachel - formal picture

We had a formal Christmas family protrait done recently -- and of course we had to get a few of our favourite 18-pound muppet at the same time. Shy isn't she? 

Jeanette showing the effects of a full night's sleep

Yup, mommy sure does look perky doesn't she? Well, that MAY just be because Rachel has started sleeping though the night or, at the very least, for at least 6 hours at a time. We even had one 12-hour stretch. Sleep is cool! 

Playgroup

Once a week for the last 10 months, the mommies (and sometimes daddies) from our preanatal class get together to let the babies bite each other, steal toys, wrestle, and generally mess up a room in one of our homes. Lots of fun. Hard to believe that this time last year, these kids were all still in the womb -- and MUCH easier to manage (from my Daddy perspective anyway).

Rachel as the Great Pumpkin

We had two costumes to work with this Halloween, so we dressed her as the Great Pumpkin for the party at the Community Center and as Tigger for showing her off to the neighbours. She loved the party at the community center - and saw her first magic show ever (as well as the biggest, fattest rabbit on the planet)! She also enjoyed sha-louting to all the neighbours (Dennis picked up the candy of course ;) She also had a chance to help hand out the treats to the local kids. Her favourite costumes were the disco ball, the race cars and the hippopotamus (we're not kidding - we have some really creative kids in this neighbourhood). Happy Halloween!