Happy 3rd Birthday Gabe!

 As Gabe was making this pose, he said "Batman to the rescue!"  He's a huge Batman fan.

 Gabe and Eva have been playing basketball with the local military base.  It's been fun watching them.  Gabe is weirdly good with a ball.  He is the youngest on the team, but he has some serious skills.  Eva's not too bad either.  She make three baskets that night.

Gabe at 7 weeks old.

On the road to teenagehood

Here are some of the conversations I've had with Eva lately:

Mom: Eva, please pick up all the stuffed animals you dumped all over the floor.
Eva: You have to help me mom.
Mom: No, you threw them all over yourself, you pick them up yourself.  I'll help you move the bins back to the toy room once you pick them up.
(About twenty minutes later and not one animal is picked up yet)
Eva: mom, I'm not picking up one single toy until you come and help me now!
Mom: Eva, you have two choices: 1. pick them up now and then go play or 2. go to your room and sit in time out, then still have to pick up the animals by yourself after you sit in your room.
Eva: Fine, I'll go to my room.
(she eventually picked them up after spending about twenty minutes in her room not seeming to care one single bit)

Another conversation with Eva:
Mom: Eva, it's too early to be awake.  Please go play quietly in your room and don't wake Gabe up.
Eva: No
Mom: Eva, you can either go back to bed and sleep, or quietly play in your room.  You chose.
Eva: Fine! (with a foot stomp)
(then she proceeds to pass her bedroom and head to the living room)
Mom: Eva, where do you think you're going?
Eva: To play in the living room.
Mom: That was not one of your choices.
Eva: So...
Mom: Get to your room now!
Eva: (eye roll and a sigh) Fine.

One more conversation with my wonderful daughter:
Eva started talking back to me about something.  She was arguing "her case".  She just kept arguing and arguing.
Mom: Eva if you don't stop talking back to me, I'll flick you in the mouth.
Eva: No you won't.  I'll flick myself in the mouth.
(Then of course, Eva starts to flick herself over and over in the mouth)
What do you do after that?  (besides trying not to show her that you're laughing)

It sure is a good thing she's cute, otherwise she'd be lucky to still be alive.