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Here we are... less than 24 hours until you are officially 6!

This is you yesterday on your 100th day of kindergarten.  

With a refashioned womens skirt from the thrift store, some glasses, pearls and a vintage purse - you were ecstatic to be dressed as a "100 year old grandma" as you kept saying.  All the while I just could not get over you.  Such a big kid now.

It always sends my mind reeling to look at your baby pictures.  I see so much of you in those pictures - little glimpses at the little lady you are now.  The way you hold your mouth when you are thinking or the way your eyes light up and shine when you smile.  

But it is hard to look at you now and see that little baby sometimes.  It is getting all filled in with this long-legged, grinning girl.  You're so tall and all legs and arms, laughing and telling horrible knock-knock jokes.  (You are really bad at them by the way!)  Sometimes how much you have grown and changed slaps me in the face catching me off guard,  taking my breath away.

Instead of seeing that little, chubby baby, I now see these little spots and peaks of the teenager and grown up you are becoming.  Crossing your legs on the park bench, rolling your eyes a little when I get really sappy, raising your chin and staring me down when I am saying something you don't want to hear, putting your hand on your baby sister's back to help lead her in the right direction, becoming fascinated with an idea and asking question after question until you learn all you can, seeing far off places and wanting to go visit them, running to catch a friend at the bus and waving bye to me over your shoulder and then blowing me a kiss from the window, going over the alphabet with Theo and patiently correcting him when he calls a D a B. 

Your heart is so big and so beautiful, Eva.  Thank you for these six years of you.  

Happy Birthday.