12 Months!!!

During her 12th month, Alice could sign "more," nod her head yes, got to go on her first vacation, and finally slept through the night most nights.  Yep, took a year for that to be normal.  She can play peek-a-boo, clap her hands, and scream her head off when you don't feed her what she wants.  She loves sandwiches, bananas, applesauce pouches, and goldfish among other foods.  She's no where near walking, but can cruise along furniture.  At her 1-year check-up she was just shy of 18 lbs putting her in the 2oth%. 

It's hard to remember a time without Alice in our lives. We're blessed to have her.

One More Visit

Visiting Multnomah Falls on our way out of Portland is another tradition from when I was growing up.  Any time we'd drive to Idaho to visit my grandparents we'd stop at the falls.  I've seen it a million times, but I still love to stop and take in how beautiful it is. 

OMSI

We stayed near Portland 2 nights with my college roommate Laurie and her family on our way back home.  We all went to OMSI one day (Oregon Museum of Science and Industry.)  I remember going here lots as a kid (even having a 6th grade class sleepover here,) and it's just as fun as an adult.  I know lots of people are loving the new Curiosity Museum near us at Thanksgiving Point.  This is somewhat similar except much larger, less crowded feeling, and much more awesome!!  (If you have a membership to Thanksgiving Point you can actually get into this museum for free.  Just FYI.)

 (Jossy's in an earthquake machine above, holding on.)

Imagine my surprise when Dan goes "Hey, Monica's here."  My little sister from Washington whom we had met up with at the beach house left a day before us to spend time with her in-laws outside of Portland.  Neither of us knew the other would be at OMSI at all.  Pretty crazy were there at the same time and in the same area of the gigantic building!!

 

 We love Portland and our friends there!

Best For Last

No Oregon coast visit is complete without a stop at Tillamook.  

Alice got to try her first bit of ice cream from the best ice cream in the world!

We asked around for a good beach nearby which led us to a new favorite beach for us.  Now I totally can't remember the name.

Alice finally got to stick her feet in the ocean.

 Lacey finally got brave enough to do so as well . . . only to be knocked off her feet by a wave just 3 short minutes later.  She never would go back in after that.  

Matty learned you can make a sand castle with no tools at all.

 

So long to our freezing cold, windy, beautiful beaches of Oregon!

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