Eva is now Four

On the day Eva turned 4,

she went to Chuck E. Cheese.

-
-
-
We had celebrated her birthday with friends on the previous Saturday, so on the actual day of her birthday, things were quiet. When I quit work and went looking for her, I found her playing air ball with her mama in a nearly empty Chuck E. Cheese, which is the only way I like Chuck E. Cheese, but kids... well, they love all that bling and noise and chaos.

-
-
-
-

-
-
-
Eva had a cup full of tokens and was speeding from one game to the next, often leaving her mama to finish the game for her. In fact, it wasn't uncommon to see other mamas and papas playing the games while the children darted around a corner to gaze at another machine.
-
-
-
-
-
-
Because... we all know... that playing the game isn't the whole point of a visit to Chuck E. Cheese.
-
-
-

-
-
-
-
The whole, entire, complete point of a visit to Chuck E. Cheese is to get more tickets. As I pontificated on previously here. Look at that fascination!
-
-
-
--

The only thing a kid likes almost as much as tickets is cold, hard cash.
-
-
-

-

The night of Eva's birthday found us at Marj's final softball game where Ms. Jackie, Eva's favorte non-relative-grown-up, gave Eva some money for her birthday. And I do have to tell you what Eva did with it. On the long drive home, we stopped at a gas station. We had eaten dinner out of the cooler and remained hungry. Eva asked if she could spend her money shopping the gas station, much like her Aunt CC likes to do. Patti advised Eva to save her money for a toy at Walmart, but Eva grabbed a bag of Fritos and said, "Can I buy sumpin' for my Grampsy?" (Fritos are his favorite) After she paid, she was surprised to get change back. She bought those Fritos for her Grampsy, knowing her mama wouldn't let her eat any of them, and thinking that it would take all of her money. Isn't that sumpin'!