Tuesday, October 22, 2013

A Few Fun Shots

Here are a few fun shots of Alyssa playing outside about a month ago.  I took the camera out & dusted it off when my guilt got the better of me for the lack of fancy cam pics I've taken lately.  Now that Alyssa boo is so mobile (and i do mean, blurry pictures on the go!go!go! mobile) I just haven't taken the time to formally shoot her as I did when she was a cute floppy infant.

So outside we went to help daddy finish the yard.  And by finish the yard I mean, we were out there to smile and wave & look all together adorable for him to see when he came around the corner with the manly lawn tools.







Last but not least, a much over due letter to my baby boo.
Dear Alyssa Kate,
So much has changed since my last letter.  You are a walking, stomping, clumsy little girl who is always on the go.  You love to walk like a big girl any where we are.  You are finding out how much fun that climbing can be & mommy and daddy are finding out how quick our reflexes can be.  You aren't a very fast runner just yet, but that's not for lack of effort.  Your left arm swings so hard you'd think you were running (and winning) a very intense sprint.  You can't quite jump yet, but you love to try.  You have decided you don't need to jump off of things to be caught, walking right over the edge & yelling "rea-y" will work just fine.  You say tons of words but you have your own way of interpreting them.  If it has two syllables or more you're fine just repeating the first one you heard several times.  And if you can't say the word "dada" will do.  So there are quite a few "dada's" around.  You sleep with your "dada" (blanket), you stay with your "dada" (Grammy) twice a week while mommy is at work, and there are plenty of other times that you just say dada and I just say okay because I have no clue which dada you mean.  You are in the middle of a growth spurt (finally!).  Your waist barely holds up 3-6 month clothes, but I've decided to go ahead and make Target your official label of choice since their 12 month pants seem to stay up better than the rest.  Although, as many have pointed out, you rock the "Lil Wayne" saggy wasteband/skinny jeans look quite a lot.  Mommy & daddy don't mind because we've always loved a good nickname (Wheezy ;) )  The rest of your clothes are 6-12 month size mostly, with the occasional 3-6 month dress thrown in there.  Honestly who knows what these companies are thinking when they think up these sizes...  We recently took down your crib rail & tested out the "big girl bed".  You rocked it and have been rocking it even since!  Everyone told us you'd just stay in bed like some magical rail was holding you there.  Boy did you prove them wrong.  But after standing at the door knocking and calling for "mama", one "Great & Powerful Oz" voice from mommy through the monitor telling you to go back to bed was all it took.  You slept peacefully in your crib until the next morning when you played with your toys until we came to get you.  You've been impressing us with each nap & each bedtime since!  Your daddy & I can't believe how incredibly lucky we are to watch you grow up and make these huge strides with such ease.  You are quite the roller coaster lately, but your smile and butterfly kisses send us over the moon.  We love you baby boo.
XO-Mama

Big Girl Birthday Parties

Alyssa attended her first birthday girl party a couple weeks ago!  There were slides, a "bouncing bubble", & best of all...BALLS!  Lots & lots of ball throwing was happening from this little tot.  To say she enjoyed herself is a massive understatement.  They even served Chikfila for lunch...a birthday party made of dreams you could say.  It was a fun time for her & a realization for me.  I will not be able to attend these parties with two kiddos in tow without a daddy present.  Keeping up with her & trying to help the world's smallest little lady eat lunch at the big girl table was no simple task.  Let's just say, I see a lot of newborn wearing in my future.  So bring on the baby slings & Baby Bjorns! 

Here are a few shots from our adventure at Wonderwild!
Loved being set free to run & jump

Always seems to find an instrument & make as much noise as possible

Playing with the birthday girl

With her favorite toys...Balls!

The "jumping bubble" was a huge hit with Alyssa
Goody bag = Purse

Digging in

Excited much?


"We have to leave mom??"

XO-The Culpeppers

Saturday, September 28, 2013

Belated Father's Day/Dad's Bday

This is a million years late & way too short, because this mommy is in need of some toddler free time while Alyssa sleeps & before the 5am wake up call for work.

For Chase's birthday we made daddy a card we knew he'd l.o.v.e :)

Ready, set, draw!


Talent.  Notice the blue on the chin

Yep.  That's my girl
Masterpiece!

A picture from daddy's bday dinner.  One happy lady when she's in daddy's lap.
 XO-The Culpeppers

Wednesday, September 25, 2013

A Week in Review

Mommy has been trying to keep the yummy hot meals coming & Alyssa approves. Especially if the yummy tortellini.  Mommy's happy hour looks like the second pic... Starbucks and grocery shopping solo (look out!). Then as if solo shopping wasn't enough mommy got to relax while Chase had daddy daughter time in the big tub! The house got some holiday decor. Alyssa loves Oreo pudding. Yep, you guys are as shocked as I am I bet. And we've called off the week with allergies talking over this house.

Oh yeah and we worked some in there.

XO-the Culpeppers

Monday, September 16, 2013

Football Love

Alyssa has become quite the football fan, whether she means to or not. We doesn't Friday night cheering on cousin Coco & all day Sunday watching lots of football. Rather Alyssa took everyone's phone and iPads...to check her fantasy team of course. She's got the week to rest up before we do it all again next weekend!

Friday, September 6, 2013

Making a Come Back

Baby girl eating a yummy breakfast while mommy makes a grocery list & she watches her favorite cartoons on the iPad. Here's a hint...it's a really adorable red fluffy character with a super fun high pitched voice...better known to Alyssa as "Ehhmmooo" ;) Gotta keep baby girl quiet for daddy's sleep some how.

XO

Friday, June 7, 2013

Beach Babe

A couple of weekends ago I got off work late one night and fought the Memorial Day weekend traffic down to Galveston so that I could stay in the beautiful Drake retreat & spend some much needed time with my sis Lex, who was in town with my adorable niece & nephew.  Alyssa was already there waiting to greet me.  We had a great evening catching up until late into the night & then I was woken up early by the beautiful Galveston sun & noisy seagulls for a day at the beach! 

This was Alyssa's first time & something I'm sure daddy was not happy missing out on.  Fortunately he didn't miss out on much.  Turns out the beach turns baby girl into a flamingo in that she pretty much hated the sand.  What I envisioned to be a trip spent trying to keep her from eating the sand I, instead, spent my time trying to get her to give the sand a chance.  She fussed and whined and only wanted to be held by myself or Grammy.  Eventually she lightened up and would sit on the towel playing with mommy's water bottle and even before we left Grammy got her to enjoy dipping her little bottom into the waves.  So no worries for daddy, there will need to be another "first" trip with, hopefully, better memories.

Here are some photos from the day.


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XO-The Culpeppers