The Alamo was a highlight for our trip. It is amazing to me how landmarks can become such powerful symbols. The men who died at the Alamo, vowing to never surrender, are a symbol of sacrifice and endurance. In this day in our country, with people demanding that the government take responsibility for their happiness instead of building their own lives and dreams, it is nice to be reminded that there are people like those men at the Alamo.
Having learned from our trip to Greece that we need to incorporate Alyssa friendly activities, Alyssa and I went to the San Antonio Children's Museum while Dan was at his conference. This was really a fun museum. The top picture is of the "grocery store". There are child sized carts, and items that they can pick off the shelves, including fruits and vegetables (of the plastic variety). They even have a scanner at the checkout so kids can scan their items just like at the real grocery store. Our girl's favorite part was putting things in the cart. She didn't care too much for putting them back on the shelves. The second picture she is coloring a heart that we gave to Dan for Valentine's Day. The third picture is of Alyssa looking at an alligator, which she called "dinosaur". I couldn't convince her that it wasn't. We had to go back three or four times for her to look at her dinosaur. The last picture is of the fish tanks in the front of the museum. Other fun things we did included playing a virtual drum set, finger painting, and building a small house. After we left the museum Alyssa wanted to go to the water.
Dan had a conference this past week in San Antonio. Alyssa and I went with him. I wish we could join him in all his travels, but am very grateful when we are able to. Part of the joy of San Antonio was that it was warm! Connecticut winters can be 
very long and sometimes bleak. It was wonderful to be able to take Alyssa out every day. The River Walk was incredibly beautiful. Alyssa loved it! Every day she would say Mama, stroller, water. Now that we are home, she is still asking to see the water.
When Dan and I were dating long distance, I was in Seattle and he New York, he came out to visit me and we went to the Pacific Science Center. At the gift shop he bought an adorable silver dinosaur with silver claws and a wide gaping grin. He said he was buying it for his nieces, but I secretly hoped he would give it to me. (He ended up getting them a snake stuffed animal.) Who wouldn't want such a beautiful dinosaur stuffed animal? He did actually give it to me, which made me a very happy girlfriend. We named him Trogdor. Alyssa found Trogdor in our closet last week, where we were protecting him from Sophia. I think Trogdor might have replaced Ribbit as second in the stuffed animal heirarchy. She asks for him a lot, and it is so precious.
