Every time we go to the grocery store Eve wants money to put into this machine. I always say no and I never have quarters anyway. Yesterday I mentioned that we had to go grocery shopping today and she eagerly got out her little purse and filled it with 22 quarters (21 really, and a nickel). After dropping Lex off at school we went to the hospital to visit Grandma and time got tight. I wanted to skip shopping, but Eve insisted we go because she really wanted to get 22 toys from the “toy machine.” I explained over and again how the machine works and that it’s a waste of money, but she insisted. So we went and she put in a few quarters (the thing requires $.50 now!) and got angry that it didn’t work. We did our shopping and while I was checking out she decided to try it again. Still no good. Then a guy came and opened it up and took the money out (all hers, I think). She watched from my side and excitedly told me that he must have been fixing the machine. “It was broken,” she insisted. When the man left she ran over and put a few more quarters in. Still no good. She got frustrated again and started talking about what a bad machine it was. Several of my words came out of her mouth, which is always funny to hear. All in all only about half of her money was spent and she decided to save the rest for something “not so broken.”

She's so darn adorable!

I guess we all learn our lesson with this machine at some point in life.

PS. We actually stopped at KAF on the way to the hospital and I bought Eve a giant blueberry scone. On the way out the door I remembered that her little purse was full of money and I said, “You have money, you should have bought your own scone.” She said, “My money is for all those toys, you have to buy me everything else I want.” Ha!

My princess and I had a lovely morning at the science museum today, including a special lesson on shadows.

Needless to say she got a lot of attention this morning!  In addition to the costume she walked around saying quack, quack!

We had a sweet little lion come visit this evening.

It mauled Lex! So much for sweet!

There's my sweet lion, in between roars!

ROAR! Lions through the years.

We had a birthday party for baby today. Not just any birthday, but “the actual day of her birth!” as Eve kept reminding us.

All of her pinkest friends came, and brought presents. Eve read them a story.

All newborns need matchbox cars and grocery store loyalty cards, right?

I believe baby was born of the closet, where we found her just moments earlier, upside down and surrounded by boots. It was a wonderful day.

I am a pretty ordinary looking person and I think you could count on one hand how many heads I’ve turned in my life, so it is fascinating to be to be out and about with Eve some days. She always gets attention, wherever we go, but some days it’s ridiculous! She’s not even a classically beautiful child (I say with no disrespect, of course!). I wonder if the stereotypically “pretty” kids with the long blond hair and deep blue eyes get as much attention as Eve does. I suspect not!

Today we went to the hospital to visit Grandma. Last night Eve picked out “my prettiest dress to wear to visit Grammy in the hospital.” This morning I put pigtails in her hair to help control the curl chaos. At Lex’s school drop off two of his teachers (para and student, not the primary) were GUSHING over how adorable Eve looked. They had her take off her jacket so they could see the whole dress. They oohed and ahhed. Eve basked.

She still doesn't like me taking pictures of her.

At the grocery store Eve picked out a little pink Primrose plant to bring with us and we bought a helium balloon at the hospital gift shop. Walking down the main corridor at the hospital Eve had everyone’s attention. She wasn’t even being loud or silly or really doing anything to draw attention to herself, other than wearing a winter jacket with a tutu sticking out the bottom, pigtails, pink and gray winter boots, and carrying a flower and a balloon. She was seriously, and quite literally, turning heads everywhere we went! In Grandma’s area all the nurses were talking to her and everyone kept asking if she was a ballerina. She didn’t quite get it. In her mind she was just wearing a pretty dress, I’m not sure she knew why people kept talking about ballet.

Silly girl! :)

After we were done visiting Grandma we got lunch at the hospital. While we were eating I asked Eve is she liked all the attention. I think I asked if it made her feel happy or shy. She said shy. I asked because I saw how she basked in Lex’s classroom when his teachers (very much known to Eve) were gushing over her, but as the morning went on she got quieter and quieter and after awhile even stopped responding to some of the people who stopped to comment on her adorableness. It must be an interesting experience for her. I wonder what kind of connections are being formed in that little brain when she gets so much attention from strangers. Oh to be inside her head sometimes.

Besides the excessive attention we had a really nice morning. It was the first time I’ve taken either of the kids to visit Grandma in the hospital. She should be going home this weekend so hopefully it’s the last time too! :) Eve and I went grocery shopping, then to the hospital and Eve was so excited that I let her choose the flowers and the balloon, and that we got lunch at a restaurant (Sabarro’s food court, but close enough!) and I even let her pick out (within my very tight restrictions) a little dessert treat after lunch. It was a full morning and now she is happy at school.

I have to get off this blog and focus on some work though. I have two (that’s right, two!!) meeting tonight and a busy afternoon. Lots to do!