As Matthew so kindly pointed out I am now closer to 30 than I am 20 and I am only 26! Crazy how that happens. I have come to realize that birthdays aren't what they once used to be with the little kiddo. But, I wouldn't trade it for anything else. Just wanted to show you the beautiful cake Matthew made me with yummy homeade frosting. Spent the day with the fam this year, and it was just right!

On Saturday, Nathan and Shiara came to good old Hillsboro and spent the day with us. We love that they are so willing to travel and spend money to see us. Well, this time around we decided to check out the Pittock Mansion with them in Portland. When Eva was little Matthew and I hiked up to the mansion but we never actually went inside. We probably should have then beacuse this time around it was hard to go in with a more hyper than usual child. She was quite the handful but we had fun. I think Eva's favorite place was outside. She had lots of place to run. It was fun to catch all these pictures with my camera. Since she's been born I haven't really had the chance to practice in good lighting how to capture a moving baby. It was FUN! These were some of my favorites. I know I didn't get any pictures of the mansion, silly me, but there are some of the view in our picasa family page if you want to check those out. Maybe Shiara will post her pics on her blog and if not you can see the cute couple on our picasa page.
On a side note, classes for this term were over today for me and I couldn't be more excited. I think I am done for now working on my 31 page research paper. For now anyways because by next term I will have two more sections to write about. They joys of grad school!

These were taken moments after the tantrum she had below. I had to post them seperately because my pictures are so big I couldn't put them all together. On the bottom one she is responding to my direction of "Toca tu nariz, Eva." She's are smart, little, bilingual baby!

I thought it would be fun to show you the progression of Eva's temper. She makes us laugh. Who does this remind you of, family?

Verenice

When I was in college, my girlfriends and I always tried to perfect Matthew's mom's chocolate chip cookies. I am sad to say that we could never do it. We came close a couple times but it was never the right consistency. I know that everybody prefers their chocolate chip cookie a certain way, but these are definitely some of the best I have ever had. Well, I am not the first to tell you that I am not a baker. Chef, maybe, but not a baker. I just don't have the patience. However, believe it or not, Matthew has the most patience when it comes to making sweets. He is really good at it. And, I thought it was about time that I share how beautiful and delicious his cookies turn out. I don't know how he does it but he does it real well. Eva and I love it when he makes us cookies!

I couldn't resist last night and I had to take out the camera to share Eva's latest, "it has to be my way guys." Sometimes I have to tell myself that I am the adult in the relationship here and not her. But this battle was kind of a cute one so I let her win. Since her little friend Meg comes over and watches Eva once or twice a week, Eva has learned from her that little girls sit in the big people chair. Or as Eva likes to call it zeja(silla in spanish ). Even though she can't even reach to eat her food she still has to sit there without her booster. It cracks me up to see her. However, she never ceases to amaze me with how good she is a eating her food.
The bottom two pictures are from the zoo trip we took today. My friend from work wanted to have Eva and I come along with her. Eva was soo good. She is finally starting to understand that there are animals there and she started to wave good-bye to them as we would leave to see more. I think she really enjoyed the birds. We all did! Some people that were there gave us their food and I couldn't believe how the birds just come up to you and drink out of this cup. It's really neat. Can't wait for more sunny, nice days to take Eva back.
ps. Grandma Carla, Eva personally picked out her jacket today, the one that you got her for Christmas. It has become one of her favorites!

Enjoying the time I have to be with these people...

Life seems to be moving faster than I can keep up with. If I'm not working on my teaching job, then I am working my masters and trying to figure out how I am going to finish in May with 360 hours of practicum time along with my FULL TIME job. Oh, the stress. But, I am realizing that because life moves so fast I just have to sit back and enjoy the moments I get to spend with the people I love most, my family. Eva and Matthew are my pride and joy, and River is up there too. It it wasn't for them I don't think I would work as hard as I do everyday. I count my blessings every day for the things that I do have.
Stories behind the pictures, Eva loves piggy back rides on her papa and why is she not dressed you ask? Well, because it has become stinkin' hard to get clothes on the child or to take them off. She has even started to tell us, "no, nigh, nigh, no."
And the ones with River, well, she just loves River and she loves to give her kisses!