Eve is FOUR!

Shame on me for taking so long to post this!  Nevertheless, Eve is FOUR!!!  I've already posted pictures of the new bed, which the girls "opened" the night before Eve's birthday.  Eve anticipated her birthday for quite some time, and was very excited.  We started the day off with a trip to Krispy Kreme.  Yum!  When we got home it was time to open presents.

Since her birthday was on a Saturday, she actually got to have her party on the real day.  She had a party at Giggle Bugs (a local bouncy house place) with mostly school friends.

Eve and Melia

John and Marco

Eve and Brantley

Look at those red cheeks!

She picked a fairy cake.

Claire, Melia, and Eve

Ellie, John, and Lydia

Claire and Melia

Alex, Brantley, and Brooklyn

It was a fun party, and I'm pretty sure everyone went home ready for a nap...at least I did!  I find the older they get, the harder it is to describe their personality and what they're doing at their current age.  Eve has the same strong spirited, strong willed personality she was born with.  She talks almost all the time about almost anything.  She's definitely into girly things, princesses, lady bugs and butterflies, fairies, dressing up, and mermaids.  She's quite sassy, has a bit of a potty mouth, and is short tempered when she's frustrated.  At the same time, she's very friendly to people she meets (we worked on being friendly to strangers, i.e. kids on the playground, that introduce themselves.  Recently we were on a retreat and every time she came out of the bathroom she introduced me to her new "friend" from that trip).  She likes to play rough, but when someone is genuinely hurt, she's very compassionate and tries to give them something or hug them to make them feel better.  Once recently John got hurt.  I was holding him to console him and Eve came to give him a hug, then Ellie came to hug him from the other side...and my heart melted.  Eve is also a big helper.  Several times when I've said we're going to eat soon, she's done her best to collect all the supplies for getting lunch ready and wants to help.  Sometimes when it's quiet and I notice she's been gone for a while, I'll ask her what she's doing and find she's been busy folding clothes and putting them away (not necessarily to my specifications, but still I'm impressed).  She also pulls clothes out for herself and often John and Eve the night before.  This past year in school she adored some rather girly girls.  I love how she loved them and wanted to be like them, but at the same time maintained her own little identity.  I love her spirit, humor, compassion, and desire to help.  She is such a blessing and we love her so dearly.