Eating them faster than they can grow. (strawberries-that is)

Despite the lack of direct sun in Oregon over the past few months, the strawberry population appears to be unaffected.

We did our best below to diminish their numbers ever so slightly.

Ponies, of course, required riding.

And naps, of course, needed to be taken.

Gazing at ballon animals in the middle distance

Nana and Uncle Ted were only with us a week. But in that time they managed to:

Snuggle with short people,

watch short people gaze into the middle distance,

enjoy Sylvia's first balloon animal and

Rose Festival Parade,

and settle in for a big smile.

Much love!

Lots of sweets.

Wow!
Busy week.
Nana and Uncle Ted are in town so the dinner table has been full.
here are a few pics taken the day before they arrived.

Nap time (full o' leche).

Beaming mama in the giant rhododendrons in Peninsula park.

Happy mama with two sweets.

Papa time.

Coming next: Rose Parade!

When leche addicts attack

Beware of the leche addict,
for she may strike at any moment and get your arm quite soggy.






For some reason, people find this to dangerous and
antisocial behavior to be humerous. Then you know the leche addict owns you.

A rare cloudless sunrise

While I intend to refrain from a Oliver Twistian introduction to the life of Camilla Beth, I will begin before her beginning with an image we saw the morning she was born: Mount Hood glowing in a rare cloudless sunrise.

Two pigeons who had kept watch over us through the night, ruffled their feathers in the dawn.

The actual birth was as wonderful as it was fast. Ask us sometime if you want the whole story but suffice it to say that I don't think it is possible to leave your home any later and still give birth at the hospital. But the result was two happy and tired adults and one slightly bruised and sleepy bundle.

Sylvia visited her sister a few hours after the birth. Below she helps Camilla open the gift she brought her.

And then scores a gift from Camilla.

Camilla slept through most of the action,

with mom joining her for some well deserved rest.

And Mount Hood shone radiant
over the Willamette Valley and
across the city of Portland.

Presento Camilla Beth Hidalgo

Without further ado...

Camilla Beth Hidalgo

Born:
May 19, 2011
4:05 pm
Portland, Oregon

Weight:
8lb 10oz

Length:
22 inches

















We in Oregon love you all and can't wait for you to meet our new little one.

And now we're going to bed.

(With these pics it looks like the Dinnertable has scooped facebook yet again).
(Snap).

OPH

Our super buds Holly and Filip threw us a baby shower to celebrate the coming of the deuce. Me, being the poorly mannered guest that I am failed to take any pictures of my hosts and instead mostly focused on the kids.

(Vivian, Sylvia, and Gabriel)

Besides the great food we also enjoyed some onesie painting,
that Sylvia took to with great aplomb.

At 10 OPH (onsies per hour)
the above ought to cover us for about 50 minutes or so.

Cupcakes for all!

For those unable to attend Sylvia's 3rd Birthday party

here are a few snippets of the action.

Testing the party games.

Success!

Setting the table. Thanks Mom!

Enjoying the fruits of her labor.
(Three years of growing that is).

Rocking some Knuffle Bunny.

Some artistic help from Aunt Vic.

The Wonders of Ground Cover (and a few pics of the family)

Last weekend, with the sun in full shine,
we trouped out to the garden for a few family portraits.

While the following pictures are inherently interesting due to the presence of cute kids and pregnant mommas I would like to also draw your attention to the fine grass cultivated by yours truly. Only a few months ago this area was patch work of mud and rills. Now, with the application of approximately 1 pound of seed per cubic foot, we have ground cover. Now I need to teach Sylvia how to use the hose.

Monster Cat Encounter

How many monkeys does it take to score free candy?

Just one!

All hallows eve began with a wonderful dinner with our buddies Christy and Michael who are the parents of Sylvia's good buddy Annabelle. We all trooped out the door, mostly costumed, to take the neighborhood on.

Witches and
monkeys on the move.

Sylvia, never the shrinking violet, quickly got the hang of the drill: "trick or treat" followed by immediately digging around in the bowl for a handful of sweets.

Sylvia and Annabelle with bags weighed down.

Piratical papa attempting to keep in his daughter's good graces to score candy.

Evening ended with monster cat encounter...

Summer 2010 Highlights - Part 2

The end of the break continues....

What summer would be complete without a visit to the zoo where you can even ride the hippos (bet you can't do that at your zoo),

and comparisons to bears are inevitable.

One of the major highlights of the summer was a week long visit with Nan and Uncle Ted in Newport, OR. Now the sun may have refused to shine on the beach for more than five minutes at a stretch but we persevered through the rocky shoals (sandy beaches) in search of quarry.

When reality grew stale we headed
to the Newport Aquarium to tussle with star fish.

Is that the sun,
why yes...quick everybody outside and get on your whale.

Much tasty food was had by all.

Dessert please.
(Please ignore hand of papa that is making a move to "clean" the cone which looks in danger of dripping. Thanks mom for the tip).

Followed by a walk home in the arms of your uncle.

Summer number three draws to a close.