and this is how we celebrated Eva...

So, a while ago, I had to take a break from blogging (and everything that was practical for that matter) and focus on my then current project... Eva's sixth birthday party. A baking party. With images of 10 cute little bakers (wearing aprons with ribbons and frills and felt flowers) dancing in my head, I sewed and sewed and sewed. I know it sounds insane, but, seriously, I love doing this kind of stuff.

As the girls arrived, they found their aprons (I personalized each one) and decorated their chefs hats with heart stickers. We then started making little pizzas (thanks, Pillsbury! That was so nice of you to make the dough for us). One girl decided that she wanted her pizza in the shape of a heart. And, well, that meant all the girls wanted heart pizzas. Michelle, my friend/mom on one of the party girls, was working hard shaping when Drew says, "That looks like underwear!" Hearts, underwear, picky, picky...

While the pizzas were baking, they made fruit kabobs. Blueberries were the favorite. They also jumped on the couch. But not with the kabobs.

Pizzas done. Everyone ate. Little girls don't eat a lot of pizza. They would rather jump on my couch. But not Eva...

Eva ate and ate and ate. She made that thing and she was determined to finish. Look at her all alone. It is so so so so Eva (and kinda me, actually). She went and got a knife and fork and worked and worked. She is stuffed (and funny, really funny).

Next, decorating tiny bundt cakes. Jenn, you don't read my blog but if you did, you would know how much I use and love the mini bundt pan you gave me. Little girls like frosting. They got to choose a flower and stick it on top. They looked so perfect wrapped up with a mini rubber spatula and a red cookie cutter.

For the cake, we did chocolate cupcakes with pudding frosting (because sometimes the best part about being the cupcake maker person is that you get to choose what you make).

Eva loves pinatas. You really get to know a person's personality when you see how they go at it at the pinata. So funny to see how aggressive these sweet little girls can be. We put the prizes in baggies so everyone got the same. Next, presents. Eva, being Eva, spent days opening the packages. For a while there, it felt like she was opening a new toy everyday. I think that is a great way to do it. See Eva, in the middle (um, still eating her cupcake) with no apron? I didn't think one of the little girls was going to come so I didn't make her one. Eva was so sweet and let her wear hers. Someone taught her well (it was Karl. Not me, the apparent RSVP nazi).

Eva and Katie.

Thanks to all that came, helped, and to all those people that came up with most of these ideas.

So, that was all the kid stuff, right? We had lots and lots of food for the adults that helped and for the family that came later that night... Olive Garden soup knock offs, Zupa Tuscana and Pasta Fagioli, my mom's (mega awesome) clam chowder, French bread, "Those Rolls" from Lee's market in Logan (courtesy of Gumma), artichoke dip, veggies and dip, window pane sugar cookies and tons of candy. Grandma Geddes made another beautiful cake. We asked Eva what she wanted and she said, "A dolphin, with a wave." Huh? Where did she get that idea from? Grandma certainly delivered. This dolphin got way more than just a wave, it got a beach, an umbrella, a palm tree... the works.

Grandma Geddes also showered the kids with Valentine gifts. A tradition that my kids adore. So nice. Lot's of people came to celebrate Eva. Thank you so much. And thank you, Eva, for being a girl so worth celebrating.