Eva, so glad you joined our family...

Six pounds 9 ounces. You were a tiny little thing.

Then you grew and grew. I love your face in this picture. Look at you all comfortable at the former stomping grounds of the president.

You grew into a great artist. Look at the art work on your face.

You grew into a great lover of literature. You still need a book to go to bed. You are sleeping at your grandparents' house tonight and you called me and reminded me to pack some books next time. Oops.

You grew into a lover of beautiful things. You decorated my room for me. Materials: 4 plastic kids cups. 4 fake flowers. Instructions: Place a flower in each of the cups. Line them up on the dresser.

You grew into a beautiful girl. With great big charming eyes. (You still let me dress you and do your hair. From what I hear, I am lucky. Thank you. I seriously love doing these things so much).

You grew into a real live princess and out of the fakey Disney kind. I once described Disney Princesses as crack for little girls. You loved them. But, now, you are done. I can't believe it. You still have an invisible crown.

You grew into a sweet, big sister. Samuel was grouchy, so you made him breakfast in bed. Menu: cereal, milk, a clementine, and... m&ms. YOUR m & ms. You are so sweet.

You grew out of dress-ups in general. You said you are done. Kinda sad. But that is okay. You are a real live "Wumer woman," too.

Just to remember:

You like your covers off.

You like your toast with butter. Just butter. No jam, no honey. And you leave a little pile of crusts.

You don't like jeans (but even your stretchy pants bug you sometimes).

When you are frustrated (like when your stretchy pants are bugging) sometimes you don't say anything, you just rub your feet together and kind of grunt.

You are an excellent folder. You put me to shame with your neat towel piles.

Your hands get really dry on the back. I don't know why, they just do.

You are a saver. Just like your Mom. You like to save things because you can make something out of it later.

You can play for hours which means you never get bored which means you have a great imagination.

You completely zone out (or in, however you say it) when the tv is on.

You love cantaloupe (so sorry that I am not a good melon buyer).

You crack me up (I found a little box in your room. Opened it, and there were little locks of hair from several different dolls and ponies. Wish I would have taken a picture).

You are so forgiving (except when we take you to a too scary movie like Coraline. You still remind me daily that we shouldn't have taken you). Lucky for Samuel. Lucky for me.

You grew from a tiny little Eva bean (I remember calling you that, you were so tiny) into an amazing six (oh my goodness, that sounds so old!) year old.