Six Months with Alyssa

Sometimes it is so hard to believe that this is the same little girl brought to our hotel room 6 months ago.   The girl who never smiled smiles all the time.  She is one happy little girl who will only throw a fit if you make her mad.  Have to admit with 3 brothers and 2 sisters this does happen several times a week.  She, like her older sister Grace, goes off to pout in her room when you have upset her.  When she is ready she will come out and start playing again.  

Oh, how we love this little girl! People often say she is a lucky little girl but that is not true.  We by far are the lucky ones.  It blows my mind that God chose us to be her parents, that he entrusted us to love her and take care of her.  What an amazing God!  We are often asked why we chose to adopt.  I don't know that we actually did.  I honestly believe we were called to adopt.  There are so many children that need families. Many live in conditions that you can not even begin to imagine.  We know that by stepping out in faith we will be rewarded in tenfold with a wonderful son or daughter.  What greater joy is there? Julia, Grace, and Alyssa are as much our children as the boys.  We have been abundantly blessed!! The other question we are often asked is if we plan to adopt again.  The answer is wherever God leads us we will follow.

Now more about Alyssa.  She is absolutely obsessed with Minnie Mouse or rather Mickey Mouse.  It depends on who you ask.  Alyssa and I have a daily discussion about whether it is Mickey Mouse or Minnie Mouse.  Most times it is Minnie Mouse but she continues to argue with me that it is Mickey Mouse. Be prepared if you take her to Walmart.  Every Mickey/Minnie Mouse you pass she will yell "Mickey Mouse!" If you happen to pass Ariel, Tinkerbell, or Spongebob she will inform the whole store too.  Now if you pass a Hello Kitty she will yell "Minnie Mouse." We haven't figured that one out yet.

Alyssa plays very well independently.  If I am doing laundry or household chores she plays beside me or plays in her room.  If her siblings are home she loves playing with them.  She loves looking at her books, dressing Minnie Mouse, putting her Minnie Mouses night night, and playing Legos.

During nap time she often doesn't sleep.  I am okay with that as long as she has a rest time and isn't crying.  Today she kept telling Minnie Mickey "Mickey Mouse, come here, go night night!" We often hear her talking to Julia, Grace, Nicholas, Zachary, or Kristopher.  They aren't there but she is talking to them anyway. 

She says lots of words but only a few sentences.  Her favorite sentences are I like this, I don't want that, and that's my home right there.  Almost every time we get home she says "That's my home right there." So funny when she says this. She says it with a very southern drawl.  We have no idea where she picked up that.  One more thing... If you ask her where any one is she will tell you the bathroom.  Guess she thinks we all spend too much time there.

Didn't mean to write a book but I could go on and on about Alyssa.  She is a trip!  Alyssa often wakes up before us and just sings and plays until we get her out of her crib.  Every day she greets you with a smile and a hug!  I can't think of a better way to start the day!