Evie's Turns 4 (by Dan)

"Eight, six, four and eighteen months" is what I rattle off when anyone asks our kids' ages.  I've been rounding up for a few months now, and until today they were technically, eight, three, five and a year and a half.  Then today, donned in her butterfly cape (one of her birthday presents), Evangeline celebrated her fourth birthday.  We love you so much baby girl!  You are truly our Ethiopian Princess!

 

Evie raced through unwrapping her gifts and nearly forgot to stop and look at what the gifts actually were before going to the next one.  Rachel had to say, "Evie, don't you want to see what you got?".  I'm not sure that actually slowed her down very much but it was worth a shot.

Some of the wrapping paper had glitter on it, which the kids know is not my favorite crafting item, because you can never really get rid of glitter.  Jude said, "Dad, your favorite kind of wrapping paper...glitter!"

One of her favorite gifts was a doctor's jacket with all of these little gadgets in pockets (right now, Evie wants to be a doctor).  It has been 12 hours since she opened her gift and we still have all of the medical devices in the pockets....while it's only a matter of time until the stethoscope ends up in a Lego box or the thermometer makes its way into one of my dress shoes (which will make my heart skip a beat at 6 am because we have scorpions here), for now they are all in the right place.

 

The other day someone at work asked me if we were done at four.  I said no, at least one more to which he replied, "dude, you're crazy"(no, we are not currently pregnant and have no immediate plans to become so, or to adopt!).  With images like this, I'd be crazy not to want more.  The truth is, they all love each other to death and our life is full of these moments.  Jude giving piggy back rides, Indi helping her little sisters and Evie calling out, "Little Miss is up!" when Iris pitter-patters out of our room after a nap.

This was not an inspiration piece out of a magazine.  This is what Rachel made for Evie this afternoon.

Feel free to stop by...we have leftovers...you know you want some.

While big sister was helping put on one of Mommy's necklaces, Evie was watching intently in the little mirror she got and decorated for her birthday.

Evie must have asked half a dozen times when Mama was going to make her cake.  Her moment finally arrived.

Finally, only the words in the post are by me (Dan).  The amazing pictures were captured by Rachel, she made the beautiful cake and the dress Evie is wearing in the first three pictures was crafted with her skilled hands.  I just want you kids to know that all the memories you have don't magically materialize, your Mom makes them happen.  Every year, without fail.  Your special days are from her.