Newborn pictures

My sweet friend who was due at the same time as me (!!) offered to take some newborn shots of Rachel. She was moving and we needed to do it before they left. There aren't a ton because Rachel wasn't the most cooperative.. and she didn't have a lot of time, but the few we have are just precious. She's the only baby to have professional photos taken so just having 1 is amazing!

Rachel Suzanne Tucker

 So here I am, second time in the hospital for the birth of my 3rd baby. This time, I stayed. Let's back up 2 days. At exactly 40 weeks I had an appointment. They stripped my membranes and nothing really happened. But the next night I really felt like my water was leaking (albeit, slowly) and I was having contractions. So the nurse told me to come in and they could do a test. Well......... an hour later we found out it was not amniotic fluid. So basically, I was peeing my pants. Lovely. I felt very stupid but I'm sure I'm not the first woman who thought the same thing as I had.. anyway. Next day, I felt horrible. All day. After lunch I laid down and felt even worse. Contractions picked up and by dinner it was time to go in. For real. Felt like I going to explode with pain. Got to the hospital. Couldn't talk well because of the pain. Got the heavenly epidural. Within 5 hours and a couple pushes (wahoo!), our baby was born! She probably could have come even earlier but the doctor was with another woman. But everything went so smoothly. I am exceptionally grateful to have easy pregnancies and deliveries. Man, I can't believe I am so fortunate. So sorry to those women who don't have it easy. And so grateful for my health and that of our sweet little girl. She's just a doll. We love her endlessly.

 Rachel Suzanne Tucker 

April 25th, 2013 at 11:39 PM

7 lbs   20 1/4 inches

 Our other kids were 7.9 lbs. She was teeny!

 He gave her the best bath. So attentive. Love this man.

My mom was there to help and so glad she was! Rachel gets her middle name from my mommy whom I love dearly. I wanted my daughter to know where she came from.

Proud Papa!

 Proud big sister! (Again!)

 First family photo

Pre-baby love! 40 Weeks

So this was a few days from 40 weeks. I'm so glad I got these precious shots with the kids and my belly! It was so sweet to see them loving their baby sister even before she arrived. Even if they weren't so sweet on my tummy..

The Symphony and the SPAM Museum

 Nope, not kidding. There really is a SPAM Museum and it's about 45 minutes from our house in Hormel's hometown - Austin, MN. I have a friend who convinced me to join the Austin Symphony (very low-key, fun and they pay you to play!). So we had a Saturday rehearsal to prepare for our concert and Kurtis took the kids to the SPAM museum while we rehearsed. I was a bit sad to miss the museum, but it turned out it wasn't too spectacular. Which is sad, because SPAM is pretty cool.

Interesting SPAM facts:

•    Date of Birth = July 5th, 1937 and was named by Kenneth Daigneau, who was the brother of a Hormel VP in response to a contest of what to name Hormel’s Spiced Ham product.  He received a $100 which is about $1500 in 2010 money

•     Hormel officials have stated that SPAM means Shoulder of Pork and Ham.

•    Ingredients:  chopped pork shoulder meat with ham meat added, salt, water, modified potato starch as a binder, and sodium nitrite to help keep its color.

•    Other’s believe the name means…"Something Posing As Meat", "Specially Processed Artificial Meat", "Stuff, Pork and Ham", "Spare Parts Animal Meat" and "Special Product of Austin Minnesota (home of Hormel)

•    The glaze on the meat (or aspic) comes from the meat cooling

•    There are currently 13 different flavors / varieties of SPAM sold

•    3.6% of a can of SPAM is salt

•    Hormel sells SPAM hot dogs

•    Hormel hired George Burns and Gracie Allen to advertise SPAM on their radio show in the 1940s.

•    As of 2003, Hormel sells SPAM in 41 countries

•    Which state / territory in the US eats the most SPAM?  = Hawaii and the territories of Guam and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI)  with the avg. person of Guam eating 16 tins of SPAM a year & the average Hawaiian eating 12 cans.  It’s also called “the Hawaiian Steak.”

•    McDonald’s in CNMI & Burger King in Hawaii sell SPAM on their menus

•    Austin, Minnesota holds the annual SPAM JAM the weekend of July 4th each year which includes parades & fireworks.  This is also where most of the SPAM is produced for the US and where you can go to see the official SPAM museum

•    On March 22, 1994, Hormel Foods Corporation celebrated the production of its five billionth can of SPAM.  In 2007, the seven billionth can was sold.

•    Americans consume 113 million cans of SPAM a year

•    Hormel produces 44,000 cans of SPAM an HOUR.

Easter

 It was bitter cold this Easter, and raining. This was insane egg hunt we went to, resulting in I think 3 complete (that is, non-broken plastic eggs with candy still inside). See the soggy bunny in the middle?

 Sunday best!

 With their loot. Some candy was eaten by yours truely..

this has nothing to do with Easter, but it was pretty cute. Had to stick it somewhere!