So our friend Jake came to visit us this week.  He's the ideal houseguest because he's staying in a hotel. hehe  No really we did tell him he could stay with us, but he wanted to be close to all the touristy things, you know and be on vacation to the fullest (aka - sleeping in, etc). 

Yesterday we did the Microsoft tour and today we went to dinner at the Space Needle.  I'd have to say that I highly recommend it, it was way better than the view at the top because you have a clear window to look out of instead of looking through wires and such.  AND it's a rotating restaurant so you get to see the entire city while dining.  The service was pretty amazing and the food just as good, so it's worth the touristy price.   

         

But that's not why we don't have cable.

Before we went up in the Space Needle we were walking around the area down below which for San Diegans is similar to Bellmont park.  It has carnival rides a shop or two and is also next to the Experience Music Project building and the Seattle Science Center.  So as we're walking around this guy comes towards us and says to Alyssa "Hey little one, you're cute." AND then he says "Oh woah, another one on the way huh?  Wow, so I guess you guys don't have T.V. at your house?" and laughs as he walks away. 

Thanks random guy - that's too much information! lol 

In edition to the elephants that live upstairs and the car jackers who live across the way, we also have an intriguing neighbor that lives in the building next to us.  It's a girl who lives right in front of the parking lot and has 2 big corner picture windows facing the walkway from the parking lot. Anyone who parks their car and walks through the courtyard to their apartment, like we have to do, has a theatre viewing of her apartment - that is if the blinds are open which they are most of the time.  During the day there is not much to notice because although the blinds are open it's darker inside and you just mostly notice furniture or her cat sitting in the window, but in the evening when she has her lights on you can't help but notice what's going on as you walk from your car to your apartment. 

So when we get home after dark, Luke usually says "Well let's see what's going on in the Fishbowl tonight."  The usual things that go on in the fishbowl include the girl watching T.V. and sometimes eating dinner at her coffee table and sometimes hanging out with a guy or on the weekends sometimes there are several of her friends over, but nothing out of the ordinary. 

But the other night when we were returning from an evening out, Luke says to Alyssa "What do we have going on in the Fishbowl tonight?  Maybe some friends over?"  Then all at once we take a glance and then Luke says "Just walking to the kitchen with a chainsaw."  Then we both crack up laughing because there really was this girl, the girl who lives there, walking to the kitchen holding a chainsaw in the air.  So of course Luke continues to make chainsaw comments all the way home, "Yeah just taking my chainsaw to the kitchen for a snack." etc. It was the funniest thing.  What the heck is she doing with a chainsaw and at night none the less?! lol  

Elephants

Oh and for those of you following the elephant saga.  Last week I found peanut shells on the sidewalk and on the stairs leading up to their apartment.  How funny is that.  So I guess I picked a good name for them. 

My mom and grandma came to visit and help us celebrate Alyssa's birthday.  We had a mini party that included a 1/2 chocolate and 1/2 white cake with chocolate frosting that was "Alyssa Sized" and then a few cupcakes for the rest of us.

Here's a view of Alyssa's 1/2 white and 1/2 chocolate cake that I baked.  There was a minor fiasco in that I filled the cake pan with too much batter and it spilled over the pan into the oven.  We kinda freaked out when we smelt burning and I was glad it wasn't the actual cake that was burning.  So we opened the window which caused another fiasco.  All of a sudden I started sneezing like crazy and my nose started running and I was like what is going on.  We later realized that the light rain outside had stirred up the pollen and when we opened up the window to air out the burning smell it let in a lot of pollen and thus begun my allergy attack.  Well I guess it wasn't an attack per-se but I felt terrible all day because my allergy medicine has to be taken before the allergy "attack" is in full force or it doesn't work properly.  It was the worst allergy day for me - uh I hate Springtime.  But the show must go on right?! lol  Despite my allergy craziness I did manage to bake and decorate her cake.

We sat Alyssa on our table and set all of her presents around her.  She was able to reach into the bags and mostly pull out her presents which was pretty cool and she even liked opening up the cards.  And she seemed to enjoy all of the presents she was given as well...even the clothes (although she liked the tags on them the best).

Then it was time for the cake.  She wore the Princess Bib that my mom and dad had gotten her and you may recognize it from the pictures from her "First Cereal" photos. We lit her candle and sang Happy Birthday to her. 

                                  

Then we put the cake next to her on the table and right away she wanted to touch the candle.  But when we didn't let her touch it right away she cried.  So that was a bummer and we had to settle her down before we 'began again.' 

So then with the candle cooled down she was allowed to touch the cake.  She took a big touch, but then was like "uh - what is this on my hand?" 

 

I cut her a little piece and tried to get her to taste it, but after knowing that it was "sticky" she didn't even want to try it.  She didn't even want to try a polka dot sprinkle, but then when I had one she wanted to take it off my tongue.  Although it looks from the picture like she wanted me to lick her fingers.

 

 

Then Luke decided that he would give her a taste "Wedding Style" and so thus the chocolate face. :)  Then she started feeling tired and rubbed her nose and so then it got a little bit messier.  And then of course she got more icing on her hand and then the show was over.

                            

And so the birthday party ended with a nice warm bath and a happily ever after.

                Happy 1st Birthday Alyssa!

 

Well Alyssa has made it through the first year of her life.  Here are some highlights in case you missed them:

           

The first and last time she ever sucked her thumb

1 day old

 

 

 

The first thematic outfit she wore -4th of July

2 months old

 

 

 

 

 

First terrible family picture

3 months old

 

 

 

 

Best sad/crying picture

4 months old

 

 

 

 

Documentation of her foot and hand prints

4 1/2 months old

 

 

 

 

First time skinny dipping
(well almost)

and night swimming with the frogs

5 months old

 

 

All dressed up in her "Princess Bib" for her first taste of cereal.

Her reaction: "eh, it's okay"

5 1/2 months

 

 

When our floor cracked and flooded at our condo we drew our hand prints underneath the new flooring.  I free-hand drew Alyssa's because she didn't feel like participating. :)

6 months old

 

First and last sink bath given by grandma Linda (the other grandma Linda - not my mom- which by the way might be somewhat confusing - having two grandma Linda's...hmmm)

5 1/2 months

Alyssa's baby dedication at church.

She wore the same outfit that I was dedicated in - so cute.  I love the bonnet.

6  months

 

Alyssa's Halloween costume.  It's actually a dog costume because it was cuter and cheaper than some of the baby costumes. And it was more of a jacket so it was easy to put on and take off if she got too hot which was nice. :)

6 months

Attempting to eat her "Alyssa sized" pumpkin while sitting on the "Great Pumpkin."

6 1/2 months old

 

 

 

 

 

 

First 'mom made' costume! 

Dressed up as an Indian for Thanksgiving.

7 months

 

 

 

 

 

     

In awe of the screen saver with her mouth wide open - so funny!

7 1/2 months

 

 

 

Christmas Eve in her fancy Christmas Dress.

 

Christmas Morning Breakfast..mmm Rice Krispies

 

 

  

 

 

Opening her Big Gift - a Disney Princess Snow Globe that played music and flew snow.  She obviously thought it was the best gift ever.  Thanks grandpa Coco!

(We're also planning on giving it to her next year for Christmas! hehe)

8 months old

 

Alyssa talking to grandma Coco via webcam - she loves it, but wishes she could touch her! :) 

 

9 months

 

 

Oh so early! Eating breakfast after a good long night's sleep with crazy hair and crazy sleepy face.

10 months

 

 

 

Playing "Catch a Leprechaun"

St. Patrick's Day

11 months old

1st Bathing suit fashion show.  Trying to figure out which bathing suit to get.  We went with the third one, you know 'cause it was the most slimming...and it came with a built in skirt trim. :)

11 1/2 months old

Swimming in her "old" swimming suit with her swimming instructor. She loves the water, so it better be nice and sunny when we come to visit San Diego because we want to go swimming outside in the sun!

And now last, but not least a picture of her at 1 year old.

Yup, that's right.  For her birthday I scheduled her 1 year 'well baby' doctor check-up.  Luke said it was mean because it also meant she got her shots that day. But I have to say that she's a trooper and while she didn't exactly enjoy her shots it was a short lived sad cry and soon forgotten.

 

So birthday pictures on the next blog...stay tuned.

This is Luke here, with my first guest post on good old Boss Lady Blog.

 I just have a quick little story to share.

Today Sabrina and Alyssa came to my work to pick me up so we could go out to lunch. As they were driving up, I looked in the back seat and noticed that Alyssa was holding a lolipop. It still had the wrapper on it but she was obviously really enjoying chewing and sucking on it. So I got in the car and said to Sabrina, "Alyssa has a lolipop?" She looked at me like I was kidding. When she noticed the look on my face meant I was serious, she looked back to see for herself.

Sure enough, Alyssa was holding a lolipop.

Luke: "Where did she get that?"
Sabrina: "I have no idea. I have never seen that before."
Luke: "Well its not like she can really go that far to get it. She is strapped into her car seat."

We just drove on to lunch really puzzled about who was giving our little girl candy without us knowing. And where was this person hiding in the back seat.

The Punchline

Then, after lunch we were putting Alyssa back into her car seat and Sabrina reached over to pick up a toy out of her seat. It was this Star Wars Storm Trooper head that Sabrina had given her to play with. Just then the light went off in her head. You see, this wasn't just any Stormtrooper head. It splits in half to reveal none other than a lolipop in the middle. Alyssa had figured out how to open it and found the prize inside.