Eva Ruthie Tootie-toot

That is what Isobel lovingly calls Eva...

Eva turned 5 on Monday! Holy cow - does that make me old? Bryce and I pretty much let Eva have free reign on her big day - since it's the last birthday she has at home - next year she'll be in school on her birthday. We asked her if she wanted to go to lunch and she said she wanted to go to Bobcat Bite. It's a great hamburger joint, but we asked what she liked there and she said "hot chocolate and fries." Well, if that was her only request, we could go somewhere else. So we went to Denny's but their hot chocolate machine was broken! So we went across the street to Village Inn. Here Eva is - happy as a clam - with her hot chocolate :)

It's a crappy picture because I took it with my phone and she doesn't hold still well :) I wish you could see her outfit. She is wearing this tye-dyed shirt, a plaid patchwork skirt, and two-tone checkered pants - wow!

That afternoon, for her birthday party, we had 10 little girls over to dress up, dance ballet, paint pictures, have snacks and cake. All her choosing. The girls and I (and Karen - thanks for joining me:) danced to Josh Groban for a long time. It was great! At the end, when I was SO ready for the parents to pick up the kids, I decided to let the kids go crazy and we listened to the Twilight soundtrack (thanks Share). They totally loved it! I was exhausted and needed a time-out when we got home, but the girls (mainly Eva) had a great time - so it was worth it. Good thing birthdays are only once a year!

It's funny, now that Eva is 5, she will do her own seatbelt and wipe-flush-wash her hands. Yeah!

Here are some of my favorite things that Eva says lately:

HEY! There's a ROAD-RAILER train! (It's called the Rail-Runner, but it has a picture of a road runner - very confusing)

Mom, you and I are twins - only, your hair is stuck to your head and mine hangs down a little bit.

Mom, I'm going to be hot if I wear a short-sleeved OR long-sleeved shirt.

Eva: How do I look today? Mom: Cute. Eva: Mom, you are supposed to say it like "Eva, that's SO cute!" Mom: Oh, (giggle) sorry. Eva, you are SO cute!

I am sure there are way more - but that is all I can think of at the moment. Please feel free to leave some of your favorite Eva quotes in the comments - she'll love reading them!

WE LOVE YOU, EVA!!