Growing Up!

Our Little Alyssa isn't so little anymore. She's growing up SO fast! The other day Joseph had written my brother Austin (who's on a mission in Montana) an e-mail and he was writting about Alyssa and said, "She really is the sweetest girl I've ever met." So of course we're a little bias as her parents, but she really is SUCH a sweetheart. She loves giving us hugs and kisses and her newest thing is to "tickle" us. We always "tell her a secret" and depending on who's telling her to do it- she then goes and tickles mom or dad. She wiggles her little fingers and gets a huge smile and does a high-pitch squeal until you say, "Oh stop stop stop!" Then she goes to the other one of us and tickles them. Sometimes it's a good trick if I'm fixing dinner or something and she's tugging at my leg- I just tell her, "Go get Dad!" And she follows him squealing and wiggling her fingers until she "catches" him. :) It's pretty fun.

She is also the BEST snuggler in the whole wide world. She was not a cuddly newborn, so I thought for sure I wouldn't have a snuggley toddler, but she LOVES to snuggle. She gives me big hugs where she wraps her arms around my neck and pats me with her hands. We snuggle before every nap (she's down to just one per day now!- but it's still great because it's usually about 3 hours!) :), and we snuggle every night before she goes to bed. That's how she falls asleep! And I love it. I wouldn't trade that time for anything. So yes it'd be nice if I could just set her in a crib and she could fall asleep- but I'm too much of a softy and I love the snuggles so it works for now. :)

ANYWAY- on to the pictures! Part of this whole "growing up" thing has been encouraged by a new carseat! We just got it a few weeks ago. I LOVED her infant seat and she was still under the weight limit and had just BARELY gone over the height limit (by half an inch). I LOVED carrying her into stores ASLEEP or wherever we needed to go. It's made sleeping in the car and transitions into the house/stores, etc. more difficult- but she loves facing forward and seeing everything around her now! She definately knows she's a big girl. :) (Don't mind her binkie... we'll get a picture of her smiling without it one of these days.)

This next picture is a little shout-out/thank you to Aunt Gini! She sent Alyssa this cute shirt and the tights for her birthday! It was meant to be with the jean skirt and her boots. :) (THANK YOU, Virginia, for the clothes! You seriously spoil Alyssa more than we do- so I'm glad it's "therapeutic" for you.) :)

And now for some fun stories of what Alyssa's been up to lately. SO I hear moms talk about those "quiet" moments you experience- where your child isn't sleeping- they're just doing something they probably shouldn't be doing. So one night I was fixing dinner and realized it had been quite a while since I heard Alyssa. My first thought was, Oh no... what's she gotten into?! I was most pleasantly surprised (and even felt a little guilty for thinking she was doing something she shouldn't have been doing) when I found this...

Today was a little bit different, however. I teach piano lessons a few afternoons a week. I love it! Alyssa was not so sure about it at first, but she's definately gotten used to it over the last few months and I think she enjoys having kids come over. So some days she's really good and totally entertains herself, and some days are, well, not so good. Today was one of those days. She was really fussy, so of course I try to find anything to entertain her. This morning she'd been playing with leftover Valentine's Day candy hearts- carefully taking them out one at a time (just a few) and then putting them back in the jar. Well today, while she was sitting just inches away from me- I looked over to find a pile of candy hearts on the floor, and a few cinnamon hearts (big red, chewy ones covered in sugar) in the jar. At least she knows how to sort things right? :) I let her continue to play with them for the last 15 minutes as it was not worth the screaming and tantrum she'd throw if I took them away. This is how it ended up. :)

Gotta love these days. :)