Parties in L-town

What a busy weekend! Friday after Cory got off of work we headed down to Longview. We left around one o'clock and went and picked Grammy up eventually leaving Seattle around quarter to two or so. The car was packed to the hilt. Traffic was horrid even for a Friday. It took us about four hours to get to Longview which is normally about a two and half hour drive. It was awful, I was driving and it was stop and go until around Olympia. Grammy got to ride in back with Alyssa and fed her twice. We had to make a stop at a truck stop and change Alyssa's diaper. It was quite comical. She was on the trunk of the car getting her diaper changed. I wished I had my camera ready. It was funny with all the semi's in the background.

On Saturday was Nolan's first birthday! It was a great day of hanging out with family, good food and Nolan! It's amazing how fast this last year has gone by. It just seems like yesterday he was born and how much he has changed is amazing. I can't wait to see where Alyssa will be at on her first birthday! On Sunday I just hung out with my family while Cory went golfing. That evening we went to a movie and saw The Dark Knight. It was a good movie, long but good. The one thing that was awful was the air conditioning was out or not turned on in the theater and it was miserable. For approx. two and a half hours we sweated our butts off. It made time go by soooo slow.

Monday was Gails retirement party that some of her friends put on. It was very nice. They have a beautiful house in Castle Rock with an amazing garden. I would try and describe it but words just don't do it justice. Anyhow they had Gail sit down and rip up a planning book, reading sheet, and the WASL. I think she took a little too much enjoyment in all of that. We all got some good laughs watching. It was kind of crazy to see some old teachers that we used to have. I will be going back down to Longview in a few weeks to go see Phantom of the Opera with Amanda and Gail. Us kids got her tickets for her retirement. I am very excited about that. I have never seen it but hear so many great things about it. We will see!

Alyssa is growing like crazy! I started feeding her apple sauce this week and she is loving it. She does that thing where she shakes her head because you don't get it in her mouth quick enough. It's so funny! The best thing I ever bought so far I think is her "Little Miss Sunshine" bib. I was going thru so many cloth ones and decided that was crazy!! So I went and got one of the plastic ones it's also nice because it has a little pocket that is supposed to catch crumbs and such. Not that that will be a problem for awhile.

She has also started to play on her ladybug toy. She is able to turn herself around and play with the toys. She has been in her exersaucer and playing with those toys but at this point she is a little more interested in getting them into her mouth! She isn't sitting up on her own yet but is trying to pull herself up into a sitting position from on the flour and enjoys being like that on your lap. I'm going to be redundant but it's just amazing to me at how quickly they change and the littlest things that she couldn't do yesterday but is doing them today. She has learned how to take off your glasses and likes to play with them. She has also started taking her toys and throwing them. Although not far but still annoying especially when she gets upset afterwards.

Next week Alyssa will go spend the week with her grandmother while Cory and I head out to the Lake Tahoe area for my nephews wedding and a mini vacation. I can't wait for that! Although it will be nice it will be weird being away from her for such a long time. We have left her over night before but never for this long. It's weird at how quickly they become such a big part of your life and how you want to go away but there is a part of you that wants them with you at the same time. Oh well I know it will be good for her and for us as well.