Dad took me and Z to the Teddy Bear Tea Party again.

We got to color in some bears.

I decided to throw everyone a curveball and make mine pink.

Yes. It is shocking.

Then there was some music, so we listened politely.

Z feigned interest as best she could.

Pretty soon, the music was over, and …

OUT CAME THE BEAR.

Z gets along great with this bear.

Mostly.

Then there was even MORE music. Z had her monkey, and I had my penguin.

Finally, it was time for tea.

See?

They have these fancy drink umbrellas that I just adore.

Glug glug.

These photos are from way back in April–right between little sis’s birthday and mine.

Beach Grandma came out to visit.

She brought a thing called “Spin Art.”

Much enjoyment ensued.

This isn’t Spin Art, but it’s still good.

I think Beach Grandma should get a Spin Art kit for when I visit New York this Christmas. I think we should use it a whole lot while I’m there. Ayup.

Well hello there. I am in a silo.

So is little sis.

When we go to the farm, dad likes to put us in here because (1) it keeps us mostly out of trouble and (2) the light is really good.

It also lets little sis practice her raking skills.

That’s good raking, little sis.

If there were a sign right here that read “CHICKEN INSIDE,” that sign would be accurate.

These are the stairs that lead up to the long rope bridge. Dad loves coming up here with me.

No trip to the farm would be complete without feeding corn to some hungry goats.

Two hands are better than one.

That’s good goat-feeding, little sis.

This is Cookie.

She remembers me from last year, I think.

TETHERBALL!

Yep. Tetherball.

This is Penguin the cat. He usually hides from us …

… but today he let little sis pet him!

Actually, we’ve been to Boo at the Zoo more than two times, but it rhymed. In related news, REESE’S PEANUT BUTTER CUPS ARE GOOD.

Big sis is holding a pack of peanut M&Ms, which are even better.

Hey, check this out:

ROAR I AM A DINOSAUR!

… a dinosaur with a bat bucket for collecting candy.

WE ARE SCARY.

For her almost-two-and-a-halfth birthday, little sis got a big-kid bed!

She made herself right at home …

… even bringing her favorite reading materials.

After a brief rest, it was time to pretend-microwave some pretend-pizza and pretend-charbroil a pretend-anteater.

I helped with the pizza.

Yes, I know it’s not real. I said that earlier.

This delicious mitten that Zoe’s cutting up? Very, very real.

Here we are at birthday fiesta numero uno.

Is it OK if we just show some photos without coming up with 52 things to say?

Good then!

For birthday fiesta numero dos, we went to the East Boulder Rec Center gym.

BOOM!

Boom.

Along with basketball and soccer …

We did running stuff.

This kid has a mad handle.

I have no idea what that means.

OMG YES DUCK DUCK GOOSE!

Little Sis caught on pretty well.

When we told her she’d been to this gym before …

She even kind of remembered it.

The cake was good, but …

The highlight of the whole party …

Was when Little Sis decided she’d mastered her footwork …

And instead reenacted Maradona’s famous “Hand of God” play.

You might have heard by now that I went to Asher’s Gymboree birthday party today.

There was a magic carpet and everything.

Little sis was probably the youngest one there …

… but she had a lot of fun too.

This is me getting some serious air.

This is me getting a turn on the tire swing.

Dad is …

… running out …

… of things …

… to say.

Ba ha ha ha!

Because she is …

… in my preschool class too …

Clara was there!

They wrapped up the day with bubbles …

…like everyone should.

Here’s the birthday boy himself.

This is a bit out of context, but …

R is for Riley!

Dad sure was impressed with the instructions that came with our new KidKraft Vintage Kitchen.

What could possibly go wrong?

(Plenty.)

He thought it made sense to put it all together with a Leatherman multi-tool!

This is big sis showing you a bolt.

We had to take a break in the middle to go to Asher’s birthday party.

Chaos ensued.

(Awesome chaos.)

I had fun too, even though most of the kids were twice my age.

I am nearly two, see.

I can almost make it into a faux tire swing.

Big sis had a love/hate relationship with this part of the day.

Everyone gets on the tube …

Strange Boulder-ish adaptations of old children’s songs are sung …

And then things get a little wobbly.

Whoa!

Big sis had a bunch of fun with this kid.

She ate two and a half slices of pizza!

(I think she made him self-conscious about his hat.)

I ate a slice on my own. Dad ate our pizza bones, since that is his job.

Sometimes furniture assembly isn’t a two-person job …

So I got involved too.

Sure, Riley is helping here, but the whole thing never would’ve come together without my magic marker skills.

AERIAL VIEW!

Furniture assembly is hard work …

… requiring serious nutrition.

Big sis was really good about sharing grapes.

One for me …

One for her.

GRAPES ARE DELICIOUS!

Once the kitchen was (almost) all done, big sis gave dad a big hug …

… and I demanded a cracker.

If you look at my cracker really really close …

… it looks like this.

I gave it to Aspen.

Sometimes, right before naptime, dad asks me to read him a Curious George story.

We both really like the one where George goes camping.

If dad tries to read when it’s my turn, I remind him how this works.

I have to admit that George can make me sleepy.*

*A little bit, but not too much.