Alyssa in action

Our little girl thinks she needs to get mobile....here is where we start scratching our heads trying to imagine two mobile kids??!!  Life is about to get even more interesting! We know the time will come sooner rather than later, but in the meantime we will be thankful for the baby-baby phase.  It is so fun to see her discovering her own strength and abilities.  What an amazing time! 

So here is her progress - the first video is Alyssa a month ago, and the second is from today.  

 

Springtime growing

The other day my sister commented that she felt like she did not even know what Alyssa looked like any more since we have not sent many pictures! Oh the neglected child :)  So here we go, yes they are growing so fast, sometimes it is hard for even me to remember that time is just flying by....she is nearly 6 months old already!  Thanks Heather for prompting me to update you all!

Terrific TWO

 At times, I still sit in amazement and simply stare at my oldest daughter.  Somewhere behind the jabbering and the funny expressions, I try to catch a glimpse of my baby.  Her chubby little cheeks keep shrinking, her pudgy limbs keep slimming down.  All of this is testifying to the passing of a phase, her baby phase.  How could this be?  Here we are, parents of a toddler!  In all its wonderful, silly, crazy, spontaneous, stubborn, tumultuous, sweet and beautiful of a time!!  She really is 2.  Here are the pictures from her birthday party to prove it :)    

Christmas and Annual Leave

Our trip to the states for our annual leave 2011:  from Guam to California, to Kentucky and back to California.  It was fun to be able to spend Christmas with family this year.  This was the first time most of the family got to meet Alyssa, so that was also special.  Thank you to our families and friends who we were able to spend time with, you made the long trip more than worth every mile!   




Festive moments...Christmas time in Guam

Christmas Train & Lights

Zoe, Ashlyn (hiding) and Shylah -- all aboard!

Hello!! So at the mall they have set up a train that does laps around a giant fake evergreen tree amidst a snowy scene that is scattered with more fake evergreen trees and palm trees...of course.  It is rather amusing that even here on a pacific island, the "Christmas Scene" is that of snow & evergreens - I wonder how many people here have seen snow or much less, had a white Christmas!  Still, I suppose evergreens have a much more decorating-concive habitus than a palm tree :)  This reminds me of something Zoe did last week - she was sitting looking at one of her books.  I asked her "Zoe can you find me a picture of a tree?" She starts flipping pages rapidly and triumphantly stops at one picture, then starts pointing proudly at it.  I go over to see if she found the tree and smile.....Did she stop at the "tree" picture that showed your classic deciduous tree? No, she stopped at the island picture that was dotted with palm trees! :) ahh, made me smile.  Oh our little island-girl....yes those are trees!! But, as far as the "snow" you chased around at the mall....well, hopefully we can introduce you to the real thing in a couple weeks when we are states-side! :)

Daddy & his girl enjoying the lights

Moms & the girls: It was fun to see Ashlyn, Zoe & Shylah together again...they sure are growing up fast!

The littlest girl in the group...missing out on the show but enjoying a good snooze


and of course, the trees :)

Christmas Fun at the Mall