Saturday, December 29, 2007

Sunday, December 16, 2007

Eva's coat from Neema


While in Vancouver in November, Neema got this lovely coat for Eva as a birthday present. She is so cute in it. It is eggplant cordaroy with plaid flannel inside.

Saturday, December 15, 2007

Eva's favorite birthday gift


Eva loved her sewing basket the most. It was an old picnic basket I found at my favorite Thrift Town. I filled it with needles, embroidery thread, scissors and loads of felt.

Friday, December 14, 2007

Eva's classmate birthday celebration


After celebrating at school we invited a few new friends and one old one (Avalon) to come over to tea. Most all these girls have not been to our house and Eva really wanted to celebrate with them. So we had Ariel, Isabella, India, Etta, and Beatrice on the guest list.

So this did not happen glitch-free! Art and I arranged to both go to school and shuttle the girls across town to our home. We had all the girls loaded into our cars, which were double parked in front of the school. I went to start the Saab and NOTHING! my battery was completely dead. arghhhhhh luckily a mom that offered to come over and help was still in front of us. I ran up to hear and explained our situation. She not only gave us the jumper cables to get my battery going she drove the second half of the girls. Poor Eva was so mad as Etta kept saying how funny it was that my car did not work. Eva was not amused.

Luckily this was long forgotten when they walked in the doors. Each girl dressed up in a favorite dress and then we had some snacks. Eli was not present for this part, he went to the park with Delilah from his class whose sister was at our party. After the girls had their fill of tea we put on the "Sound of Music" soundtrack and we had a performance.









Eva's turns 5


Eva loves a good birthday morning. She woke up and immediately came to tell me she saw the decorated breakfast table. Once the entire family was awake she found her loot. She loved the newly configured art table. Art pounded throughout the evening to get the Ikea wooden boxes assembled.

We had a nice breakfast and then it was off to school. Eva was excited about taking her new slippers to school. She's been complaining for months that she did not like her dirty slippers. As it turned out she now has matching slipper to Isabella, India and Kathleen - how wonderful is that.

The kindergarten had a lovely ceremony for three of the December birthdays. It was so sweet watching Eva parade in to the room clad with crown and cape. Dagmar told a lovely story about each children's first 5 years of life. The entire class sat around a circle and each child was flanked by their family. It is a tradition for the teacher to make an elaborate centerpiece to house the birthday candles. We then had cake and fruit. Eva was a happy girl when we left her. I was very proud of her, needless to say. This is why we pay the big bucks for her education - right?




Wednesday, December 12, 2007

Sunday, December 09, 2007

Eva's birthday - turning 5









Eva had a schedule of birthday events beginning the Saturday before her birthday. We met friends (Dahlia/Amy, Erin, Kyle, Haley/Heather) at the B.A.R.T. station for a trip downtown to Yerba Buena Center for the Arts. We took Eva's old friends to see ODC's presentation of the Velveteen Rabbit. The children were pretty good listeners. I was a little tense, making sure we negotiated our way through the station and the crowded holiday streets to the theatre. Chloe and her Dad Peter met us there. I love this theatre because all seats are good. Lucky for us as we were all the way on the LAST row. The children seemed thrilled with our seats as I kept hearing echoes, "the higher the better." The venue did not disappoint. The children all remained captivated the moment the curtain went up until the end. ODC does such a fabulous job telling this tale of a boy and his beloved lovie.

After the performance we had a little snack by the water fall, threw a penny for a wish into the water and headed back to the Glen Park B.A.R.T stop. The ride was fun, the children all got along very well with each other. The 15+ minute walk to our home was wonderful. I was in the first group that was lead by Eli sprinting along. There were a few dragging their heals up the hill but swiftly caught up with the leaders down Chenery Street.

The children all had some soup. Some did not like it but most were able to eat enough to get the go-ahead from their parents that it was fine for cupcakes. Art got fun vanilla cupcakes with sprinkles from Noe Valley Bakery. Eva felt feted.

Thursday, December 06, 2007

Tuesday, December 04, 2007

Sunday, December 02, 2007