Pumpkin Patch

Getting ready for Halloween!

Saying hi to a stranger
Itsy bitsy spider

Eva Praying

Tonight Eva did something very special. She loves to play by the stairs but tonight Justin and I looked over and she was on her knees with her hands clasped, elbows on the first step and her head bowed. We did not teach her this. We pray before meals and when I pray with her I set her on my lap. She got up, quickly came to me and reached her hand out and said, "Mommy pray". I followed her and we did. Then she did the same for daddy. We all got on our knees on either side of her, prayed together as a family for the first time like that. She was beaming. My friend said that maybe angels were talking to her. I don't doubt it.

River Center Story Time

Eva and checked out a new story time. I am not a huge story time mommy, but the ones that feature real animals definitely are worth going to! WE went to the River Center today and Eva got to pet several animals: two conchs in their shells, a sea urchin, a pencil urchin and a sea cucumber (feels like a pickle!). I don't know about Eva but I am excited about being able to see so many animals up close. I took a few pictures

a sea urchin

a pencil urchin
a sea cucumber

Busch Wile Life

Today we went to story time there again. Eva got to pet a skunk and they brought out babies for us to look at. We saw two baby barn owls and a 2 month old possum. The barn owls don't "hoo" they make a screeching/hissing sound.

Eva and I walked around and saw so many animals up close. It was feeding time so many of them were looking out for their caretaker.

Barn OWl

Possum

otters

A Latte Fun

Eva and I went to A Latte Fun yesterday. And it was! Eva climbed, jumped and went down both the slides. She can almost climb up the huge inflatable slide on her own.

Eva is now 2 1/2 feet tall! I measured her tonight and she is right at 30 inches! She has grown 11 inches in less than 2 years. Crazy!

I feel very blessed with the stage Eva is at. I enjoy and adore her, but lately I feel like she has been enjoying me too. She comes over to me and wants to bring me back to whatever she is doing to show me, she initiates sharing with me with excitement and almost everyday this past week when I have gotten her up in the mornings and brought her back to my bed she has spent about a half hour cuddling :) and even she reaches out to me to hold hands.

Today we took our first jog together! .15 miles! I had to carry her the last bit though :). She was really into it. As we got ready to go I said, "We're going for a jog!" She jogged the whole time, stopping now and then when she saw a car or needed to stop for a sec. But she would say, "Jogging, jogging!" So cute and I just had to walk fast. Good exercise for us both.

Fun with Friends

This morning Eva and I went to our friends house who has 3 kids - Christopher (age 4), Gabriella (24 months), and Julianna (12 months). The middle child is only 4 months older than Eva. After playing together since they were little babies they have finally gotten to the point where the play-dates have totally paid off. They played so well together today! They kept telling each other I love you, Eva in English and Gabriella in Portuguese ;). They talked together and shared toys and several times shared laughs. Eva loved being in the pool and Gabriella likes the pool didn't want to go in. So Eva kept calling to her from the pool, "In! In!!!" Longing to have her be in the pool. Eva loves to be with Christopher too. Eva is extremely sensitive to the feelings of the youngest, Julianna. Whenever Julianna would cry Eva would alert me and be very concerned, "Baby cry Mommy. Baby crying."

I love this swimsuit! So cute!

Eva and Her Best Friend

Story Time and Some Fun news

Checking out the birds.

Eva and her buddy Preston went to a story time at Busch Wild Life and got to pet a baby aligator and a skunk!

**

Eva can count to five!!!! And sometimes 6. Conceptually she isn't there, but she can do it. She will go back and forth from her left big toe to her right, "1, 2, 3, 4, 5...YAY!"

I don't know if I mentioned this before but she is singing all the time now. She loves to sing. Today she was singing my name, "Aimee, Aimee, Aimee" and looking at me so sweetly.

At bed time she loves to give us kisses through the crib bars :).

Eva had her first kiss! Today we were at our neighbors house, a very nice family! With the sweetest and happiest little boy I have ever met - no exaggeration. Well he was so happy to see Eva he kept trying to hug her and kiss her :). So finally Eva gave him a little peck on the lips and he calmed down :).

A Great Family Day

This past Saturday, for whatever reason, Justin felt like spoiling me :). I said, "Well...alright if you want to." Hehe. He took Eva and out for an incredibly delicious breakfast. The food was prepared by an English chef (at least he sounded English). I had the best eggs Benedict I have ever had and Justin had a ham omelet.

And then he took us to Cheesecake Factory for dinner! Wow :).

Little STories

Best friends...

Last night while I was cooking dinner Eva was plying in her little cabinet and extracting all of her kitchen supplies. She got out the basil and wanted a sniff. I unscrewed it for her and turned back to what I was doing. Behind me I hear, "help, help." As I turned around she was surrounded by basil and had no where to go for a clean step! It was so funny :). I took the basil and then told her she needed to get her broom and clean it up. So she scurried off to get her broom (side note: Eva runs the way Chris Farley danced like a maniac in Tommy boy - I love it!). Anyway she comes back with her broom and starts to sweep it under the stove! Justin was wondering if she learned that from mama!

After that I decided she might want to help me cook. Her response, "COOK! COOK!" as she runs into the kitchen and tries to reach up to the counters. I was making pancakes so I had a bowl with my dry and another with the wet to mix. As I mixed the wet and I thought she was mixing the dry she was really taking the fork and trying to slowly take a fork full of flour and such and feed me! Woop! All over the floor, haha. It was so cute.

Eva loves her Kokolum, my mom. Whenever she sits at the computer or gets a hand on a phone that is one of the first words out of her mouth. We do webcam visits with her everyday so they are able to be together despite the distance. Well today Eva Took the phone and sat it up on the table so that she could talk to my mom with animated hands. After a few minutes she started to try to give my mom a drink and feed her honey mustard via phone! I am a dork and took these with my phone and took the video sideways...SO SORRY! Still cute though.

Today Eva and I walked around the neighborhood this afternoon and as we walked through a shady spot she sat down and insisted that I do the same. I did. She laid down and again insisted that I do the same. We watched the blue sky and the faint clouds disapear. It was such a warm, breezy day in the shade. It was one of the most precious and peaceful moments of my life.

So often when I am with Eva I think of the lines from the Avril Lavigne song Innocence. Always bringing tears to my eyes. Turn on your speakers and check out the song that can only make me think of Eva Mae.

Waking up I see that everything is OK
The first time in my life and now it's so great
Slowing down I look around and I am so amazed
I think about the little things that make life great

I wouldn't change a thing about it
This is the best feeling

This innocence is brilliant
I hope that it will stay
This moment is perfect
Please don't go away
I need you now
And I'll hold on to it
Don't you let it pass you by

I found a place so safe, not a single tear
The first time in my life and now it's so clear
Feel calm, I belong, I'm so happy here
It's so strong and now I let myself be sincere

I wouldn't change a thing about it
This is the best feeling

[Chorus]

It's a state of bliss, you think you're dreaming
It's the happiness inside that you're feeling
It's so beautiful it makes you wanna cry
It's a state of bliss, you think you're dreaming
It's the happiness inside that you're feeling
It's so beautiful it makes you wanna cry

It's so beautiful it makes you wanna cry
This innocence is brilliant
Makes you wanna cry
This innocence is brilliance
Please don't go away
Cause I need you now
And I'll hold on to it
Don't you let it pass you by