Eve and I had a fun girls day out today! She earned two tickets to Girls Expo from her cookie sales so we headed up there today to check it out. It was an expo alright, in the Exposition Center, with lots of booths selling stuff and lots of activities and lots and LOTS of girls! :)

On the way in we had to pause and think hard about which way we wanted to go! Eve said, “It’s a good thing Grandpa Tom isn’t here!” :)

Making a Bristle Bot with terrible instructions and incomplete parts.

Fortunately Eve is a smarty and figured it out anyway!

Checking out the gymnastics bus. Eve loved it! There were trampolines and bars and rings and lots of other gymnastics things in there. And no grownups allowed! :)

Building a grow box. I think you’re supposed to plant seeds in it and watch it grow but Eve wants to just use it as a display box for her stuff.

I was surprised in this workshop at how many mothers did most of the project for their kids. I saw mothers opening the bags and spreading out the pieces while their daughters just sat there and stared. I saw girls running around while the mothers were reading directions and trying to figure out how to build the things. I saw mothers talking with each other and complaining that the instructions were too hard and didn’t make sense. Seriously, they were little wooden building kits. Eve did hers without even reading the instructions. Not really that hard. I helped her hold pieces together and helped hammer the nails all the way in, but otherwise she did it all while I watched the other people and realized that maybe the reasons girls grow up helpless is because their mothers are hovering over their heads, doing the work for them while simultaneously complaining how hard it is to follow simple instructions and hammer in a few nails.

Painting canvas totes. Eve met her friend, fellow scout, and neighbor there and we hung out with her for awhile. Eve makes beautiful faces, doesn’t she! :)

Back on the bus.

Eve ran a pedal-powered blender and peddled her way to a delicious smoothie!

We ended the expo here. These blocks are awesome and so fun to build with, but Eve was loopy and getting rowdy with them, so I decided it was time to head out.

We left the expo around 2:30 and headed out to do some clothes shopping. Poor Eve is wearing holey, too small clothes all the time these days! I figured it was about time to get the girl something that fits. We stopped for pizza along the way. There was a bakery next to the pizza place, so after lunch we went into the bakery to get some dessert. Faced with donuts and cookies and cakes and all sorts of treats, Eve decided she wasn’t ready for dessert and we left. I could have eaten everything in there, but I took advantage of her will power and we got the heck out of there!

We spent the next few draining hours at nearby outlet stores, trying on clothes and trying to be patient with one another. Neither of us really like shopping. Eve takes EONS in the dressing room then comes out dancing and singing and being totally useless. She argued with me about what fits (like too small overalls with no shirt – hilarious!) and I had to remind myself of the right questions to ask. Not “Do you want it?” but instead “Will you wear it?” Often the answer to those two questions was not the same!

After three stores and a big pile of clothes we decide to call it quits. We ducked in to a cute market and picked up some ice cream and chocolate, then swung by Dunkin Donuts for caffeine and bagel twists, then headed home!

Over all it was super fun and I’m so grateful to get quality one-on-one time with my growing girl. I am also grateful that tomorrow is a no plans day! :)