Sneaky smile

Toga! Toga! Toga!

My friends Kristen and Kay (first picture) turned 30, so what better way to celebrate than a toga party? It was so, so, so much fun.


And, of course, we had to go to IHOP. The best part: all these college kids asked us what school we went to! YES! Take that, 30!

Family day at the zoo

We went with our friends to go see the new tiger cubs at the zoo. And we had a big fun time.

Game time!

Mia is ready for the game tomorrow. Thanks for the help, daddy.

More driving the car

The makarapa

Oh my word. We were reunited this weekend with the greatest hat of all time: our makarapa. When we went to South Africa last summer, we bought this fantastic modified hard hat that's popular with lots of people there. It was the perfect World Cup head gear. But it was too big to fit in our bags when we had to come back to the United States. But - but! - Leigh's dad and stepmom brought the makarapa to the U.S. with them when they moved! Hooray! There have been so many times when we've wanted to wear this hat. Now we have it.

On the porch

One of the things Leigh and Mia love to do together is sit on the back porch. She loves to boss around the dogs and point at airplanes, and it's such sweet daddy-daughter time.

Big Foot sighting!

On Saturday, our Vilakazi board had a booth at the annual Plaza District Festival. Leigh and I took the last shift of the day, and what did we see? Big Foot. Of course.

Partaaay

So today was the big party. Mia, of course, probably didn't know it was her birthday party. I'm pretty sure she was just excited about the playground equipment.

We packed up the coolers and Mia helped.

Then she demanded that Leigh's dad help her carry one of the coolers all over the yard.
We celebrated with lots of good friends. Once again we had a decorate-your-own-cupcake station. Mia decorated three.



Then she enjoyed her own cupcake - the world's best cupcake ever. Our friend Alison, who is an absolutely baking superstar, made her a cake in the shape of the Arcadia Round Barn, which is a Route 66 icon in Oklahoma.

Then, we opened presents. Because even if you tell people that they don't have to bring presents, they bring presents. To be fair, shopping for a 2-year-old is pretty fun. Mia got tons of board books, which is fantastic. She wants to turn the pages and we've lost a few paper books that way. (If you try to turn the pages when she wants to, she'll quickly say, "No. Stop, mama." She also got some cute clothes and fun toys.

It was such a fun day, but I still can't believe she's 2. Remember when she was a teeny-tiny baby?

The car

Oh my word. Leigh's dad and stepmom have gone all out for Mia's birthday. They gave her this adorable little water bottle that says Mia.


And this cute little piano that she's loving.



But then there's this. When they left the house with Leigh to go present shopping, I said, "Nothing with an engine, please." Well, my friends, I have learned to be more specific. I should have said, "Nothing with an engine or a motor, please." Apparently, engines run on fuel; motors run on battery.


Mia helped to assemble her little Power Wheels. She's so excited she wants to tear her britches off.