Eva's "4th" and Stella's "1st"

We had our first party at the new house for Eva's 4th birthday and Stella's 1st birthday. Eva is a lucky duck because she had her "summer" birthday at Lake Hauto on her actual birthday. Here are a few pics from that....















And then she also had her NJ birthday the day after Stella's 1st birthday with all of our NJ peeps. (we missed you Danalisa & fam and Susan & fam and wish you were all closer)! Here are some pics from the Lollipop party!

And...she's back!

It has been a ridiculously long time since I blogged last. I find that the longer it is since I have blogged, the harder it is to start again! But here goes....



What is new? Um, everything. We sold our house - for wAy less money than we paid for it, but oh well!


Goodbye old house!









Because we bought a beautiful house with my parents.

Hello new house!

Recent Eva-isms

Today at the grocery store Eva looked at our cashier who happened to have long hair in front of his face and said (VERY LOUDLY), "Mommy, he can't even see." Then she laughed. When I said, "Huh?" (because I didn't look at this boy and had no idea what she was talking about) she said it again (EVEN LOUDER). Whoops!

When Eva uses her "Cramara" to take a picture of you she says, "Snile!"

Cycling = Recycling
Adego = Diego

Today Eva was carrying her Dora doll (her baby) and she said, "This kid is killing me. She's like really crying a lot and a lot." I have no idea where she got that from!! Haha.

Yesterday she wanted to know what the labels on her medicine said. I told her, "You probably shouldn't breast feed your baby while you are taking this." "Try not to operate heavy machinery." "And I wouldn't drink any alcohol with this med."

Congrats to Matt on Gettin Himself a Jobby Job!

So Matt began his first teaching job as a 6th Grade Math teacher in Marlboro, NJ. He is loving it so far but is definitely putting in some long hours preparing and getting used to the technology and lesson planning process.

The Sicksters

I have decided that we need a new last name. Cahill isn't working for us anymore. Since we are sick constantly I am thinking we should change our last name to Sickster. Eva has kennel cough. It is totally disgusting and she is coughing up green junk. GROSS! I have the sinus infection that never ends. I am on my 3rd antibiotic. Matt also has a sinus infection. We all have a cough. I am afraid to tell you about Stella so as not to curse her so I won't speak about her!!

Stella turns 4 mo!

I'm 4 months old!!!

now let me finish chewing on my hand!

MLK Weekend w/ the Family

Here are some highlights from our weekend at the Lake (which is totally frozen by the way)!

Making cookies with Nana

Watching the Frosty the Snowman movie with Papa

Bug & Daddy

Bug & Nana

Mommy being Goofy with Eva

Recent Eva-isms

Here are the Top 10 Eva-ism Translations:

1. Bomb-mom = bottom

2. Purpot = purple

3. Cramara = camara

4. Poke-E-O = Pinocchio

5. Anopoly = Monopoly

6. Pits = Nipples (i.e. "my baby is eating from my pits")

7. Bits = Genitals

8. Mrs. Bartwey = Mrs. Bartley

9. Sniggle Snaggle = "S" - "that's what it's shaped like"

10. Nee = Aunt Lisa

Today she made a card for Great Papa and said, "We can drive to Heaven to give it to him."

Eva's Rendition of Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer:

Rudolph the red nosed reindeer (reindeer), SHINY nose

And if you ever sawr is (sawr it) you would even say it glows (like a flashlight)

All of the other reindeer (reindeer) used to laugh and call him names (like Poke-E-O)

They never let poor Rudolph, join in any reindeer games (like Anopoly)

Then one foggy Christmas Eve, Santa came to say (HO HO HO)

Rudoph with your nose so bright won't you guide my sleigh tonight

Then how the reindeer loved him (loved him) as they shouted out with glee (Yipee)

Rudolph the red nosed reindeer (reindeer) you'll go down in history (like George Washington)

1 Tablespoon Cereal In.....2 1/2 Tablespoons Out!

Hard to believe but Stella is almost 4 months old. When we went for her 3 month visit, the doctor suggested it might be a good idea to start her on cereal both for the iron and because she is a peanut! Here is our first attempt at feeding Stella some cereal. Matt aptly pointed out that it seemed that as we put one spoonful in, she seemed to spit out at least 2 spoonfuls worth! Not so successful, but funny nonetheless. She will get the hang of it!!

Stella waiving the white flag! No more!!

The Fun Memories from This Christmas

Since Christmas was a little interrupted by our trip to the ER I feel like I focused on the negative in that post. Here is a focus on the positive.


Most importantly, my Dad is on the path to recovery from kidney and prostate cancer and will hopefully be here with us for many more Christmases to come.

Here we are at Breakfast with Santa at Eva's school. (Ok, so she was terrified of Santa himself so we don't have any actual shots of Santa...but whatever, we had fun!)

Eva enjoying her bagel!

Stella could barely contain her excitement to see Santa Claus!

Matt & Eva working on her craft

The finished product!

Eva came home from school with some fun things to do to celebrate the impending holiday. She made reindeer feed to sprinkle on Nana & Papa's front lawn to attract Santa's reindeer. Here she is spreading it on the lawn!

The next morning Eva looked to make sure the reindeer had eaten their food!

On Christmas Eve, Eva's advent gift was a cup and a plate for Santa's snack!

She decided Santa would like Hot Chocolate and chose the cookies for him and his reindeer. She put them out on the coffee table.

Here is Eva as she excitedly sees that Santa has enjoyed his snack and left her a note!









So excited that Santa brought her the choo choo train she asked for!

Eva and Bug - on Bug's new playmat from Santa!

Eva the Photographer

Lately Eva is really into taking pictures. She is always asking me if she can use my "Cramara." Even though it makes me nearly pee my pants every time she says that word, I have found that she has an interesting perspective when she is taking her photos! Some are actually even quite cute! Here are some examples of holiday pictures a la Eva....

M "ER" ry Christmas!

I find it both ironic and interesting that the initials ER are in the word Merry. Perhaps this is because we found ourselves in the ER on Christmas Day with a super sick Stella. She began coughing on the 21st and I thought, "Hmmm, that's not good." Then she began being really congested and I thought, "Oh great, a cold just in time for X-mas." And then she had a fever and so I thought, "Time to see the pediatrician." They diagnosed her with RSV a virus that seems to find its way to infants and young children mostly. She continued to cough and schmug (my word for the sniffles) for the next few days. I took her back to the pediatrician on X-mas Eve because I suspected an ear infection because her ear seemed tender to the touch. "Oh no," I was assured, "she is just congested." "MmmmK." So X-mas Eve we set out to Papa and Nana's house to sleepover and wait for Santa. By the next morning she is inconsolable and I notice there is fluid leaking from her right ear. "Super." Emergency Room here we come. Four and 1/2 hours later and two exhausted parents and we determine "Hark. She has a friggin ear infection." Why didn't I go to med school?

Family Picture

So I decided now that we are four we should have a family picture taken. I planned outfits, bought some new clothes for those of us who didn't have matching attire and scheduled the appointment on the computer. First appointment: CANCELLED due to ill parent and child. Second appointment: Off we go to the mall with an excited Eva, sleeping Stella and two anxious parents. We get there and Eva becomes a crank pot. Stella gets a gas bubble and Matt and I realize it is like 90 degrees. So here is the pic of two sweaty parents, a cranky child who temporarily stopped cranking to smile and a screaming infant who for a second stopped screaming (mostly because she required being on her stomach!) This may be the only pic of the four of us we ever do!!!