Simon's birthday started out with "hot coffee!" (steamed soy milk) with Grandparents Kagle down at the corner Starbucks. That exciting event was followed by a generous amount of time in the sand and on the play structures of the new park down the street.

After a four hour nap, Mama, Daddy, Grandmother, Grandfather, and Lala (his new best friend) took a trip to Chuck-E-Cheese to "push butts," ride a bicycle-helecopter, eat pizza and cake, and meet Chuck IN PERSON. Simon got a hug from Chuck as well as a song and dance which was the highlight of a very good day.

When the tokens were almost gone and even Chuck was looking haggard, we left for home.

Although it took him a quite a while, once Simon figured out how to open presents he was unstoppable: "open! open! open!" One hundred balls and a play tent, Play Doh and books, Legos and a Caillou keyboard, a paper bag that sings, stickers and an Etch-a-Sketch - enough toys to be taken out, one by one, through the long Winter ahead.