Alyssa as a Toddler

 Our little Alyssa is getting quite the personality.  I wanted to document it before she grows up and I forget how cute and funny she is.

 She still LOVES books and will sit really good while a book is read to her.  Dallin always begs to read her a book at night rather than his reading book from school.  This is one of my 'favorite things' watching one of my children read to another child.  I am glad that all of my kids like books.  If the day is getting wild and I am filling like things are out of control I know that I can gather all of my kids around me and read a book to them and that they will calm down and sit still for a minute.  Alyssa is a busy two year old and Dallin a busy 7 year old, so books are a rare peaceful moment for both of them.

 Smiling with gum in her mouth.  Jeff has candy in the garage because he has a candy machine route that he services.  Alyssa has discovered the Gumballs and she really likes them.  She is fast too. As soon as she finds it she stuffs it in her mouth.  She understands that she is supposed to chew it and then throw it in the garbage when she is done.  I will find her an hour later with gum still in her mouth, so that is good.  I am not sure if it always gets to the garbage though, that is not good.  She definitely has a sweet tooth.

 This girl changes outfits more times that I can even count.  She also strips down to nothing more times than I can count.  She is in the process of potty training.  When she decides she needs to go, she takes EVERYTHING off and gets on the potty herself.  Yes, she is quite independent.  Then she runs downstairs, still completely naked and jumps up and down yelling "PEE PEE, POTTY!"

 This outfit was her getting herself dressed, after I had already dressed her in a completely different outfit that morning.  It was so hilarious to see the shirt around her waist and the inside out & backward shirt on only one arm.  I had to capture it.  Her facial expressions were just right for the outfit.  There was one day when I was cleaning up the house because Jeff was about to come home with someone.   Right when Jeff & the contractor walked in, Alyssa comes sliding down the stairs with about 9 shirts (no exaggeration) around her waist.  No pants, no shirt, except the 9 around her waist.  I grabbed her and took her up to undress her.  I kept take layer after layer off.  Silly girl, but I am glad that she is willing to dress herself.

These two are just right for each other. They have a lot of fun and a few battles daily.  I am always amazed at the love and forgiveness children emulate.  They are a great example to me.  Alyssa can say just about anything she wants and is pretty good about letting us know what she wants or does not, sometimes a little louder than we like.  She loves playing with babies and is very sweet with them.  She came up to me today with a baby and a sad look on her face.  She told me her baby got hurt and wanted me to hold her.  She is a big bed now (versus the playpen she spent the first two years of her life in).  She can fall asleep on her own, but likes to push the limits.  We have realized not to put her in our bed after losing papers off our desk and having computer keys popped off.  She keeps things hopping at our house and we all enjoy her cute personality.