My first pigtails!

PIGTAILS!!!

Aren't the bows too cute! I'm not sure she's so thrilled with them.

This little toy is a lifesaver in the car. It teaches the letters, and she loves to push the buttons.

What a face....I'm not sure if it's for the camera or the pigtails..ha ha!

Alyssa is finally getting enough hair for ponytails and pigtails...even if they do stick straight up! Her Daddy thinks they look funny, but I think they are adorable. She will let me put them in, and even tries to put the bows in her hair. After a while though, she will try to pull them out. If she forgets about them, we're good to go! Since she is seeming to be more of a tomboy than I am...I have to take what I can get. She loves to be outside playing and running. It doesn't seem to bother her that it's over 100 degrees outside..lol!

Alyssa is now 16 months old and weighing in at 24.4 lbs. She is growing up soo fast, and is so smart. She walks around constantly asking.."what's that?" Although, it sounds more like.. "wa dat?" She is also saying cup, daddy, ma (sometimes we get mom), duck, and dog. She can show you her nose, ears, head, and mouth, and even point out your nose and ears for you. She is starting to learn animals too. She'll show you the duck, bear, turtle, fish, and rabbit in her toys, but she's not saying the words just yet for all of them.

Palm Beach

This past weekend we met some friends down at the Palm Beach in Moody Gardens. Alyssa had a great time playing in the water, and especially in the sand. This is a really cool place, it had sandy beaches and clear water (all chlorine pools). There was even a splash pad with sprinklers and water buckets that dropped water on the kiddos. Alyssa had a ball running through the sprinklers and getting all wet...she was laughing so hard when it would spray up on her. She helped build some sand castles, and then knock them over. I was really impressed that she even tried to swim some. Mark would hold her in the water flat and she would kick her feet and move her arms to try and swim. We did have a few scares...she would take off running for the water without us and would dunk her face in the water. She tried to swallow some of the water, but laughed about it.

Let me do it, Daddy!!!

Making a sand castle...or ruins..

The sand goes in the bucket...then out.

Maddy preferred putting the sand in the water over buckets...

Walking around looking for a good place to fall in the water.

Swimming!

Alyssa and Mommy after the sprinklers.

Gotta love that smile...such a big grin!

Getting ready for nap time after a long day at the beach. I just love this little cover up.

Pool Party

Destiny had a pool party for her birthday, of course. It was Alyssa's first chance to get into a big pool (other than the little one ring splash pool in our back yard). She was a little overwhelmed at first, but then seemed to think of it as a big bath tub. She was splashing everyone and kicking me. She had a great time, and after we got out, she kept trying to get back in. We would be up on the porch and she would take off running for the pool. She'd get half way up the steps before I could catch her. I think she's gonna be like Destiny and love the pool.

She loved this duck...we're going to have to get some more toys for her.
The birthday girl!! I can't believe she's 11 now.

Trying out the turtle float.

Looking cute in her floppy hat and shades...though she wouldn't leave them on.