If you ask me how old I am, I'll tell you I'm three. But we had my 4th birthday party yesterday with my grandparents and Uncle Michael. I can't wait until my actual birthday on the 20th when I turn four and I get bigger. We're also going to go get my fish that day. I got a new fish tank from Mommy and Daddy for my birthday, but I don't get the fish until my real birthday. The fish tank makes a great night light for my room. Mommy and Daddy also gave me the new Tag Reading System from LeapFrog. We love it! I've already taught Daddy what a compound word is - I learned that from my Diego book. The other thing I got from Mommy and Daddy was new swim goggles. My dollar swim goggles didn't last long because I've been playing Olympic swimmer so much lately. I break world records swimming across the blue blanket on my living room floor, just like Michael Phelps. Or I set up goals and play water polo. I also do lots of flips on the blue blanket when it becomes a gymnastics mat. That's why Mommy made me an Olympic cake.
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I sat and watched her put all the rings on the cake and do all the decorating. It took a long time, but it was worth it because I got to taste all the frosting colors. And then everybody came over on Sunday to help eat it. Grandma and Grandpa Lanz and Michael came and brought me some Hotwheels race track and cars. I can make the cars do lots of cool stunts with all that track! Grandpa Ron and Grandma Barb brought my present in a bag with pictures of money all over it - that was cool! And inside was a Twins' helmet and a Mauer jersey! It helps me play really great baseball (and the jeans from Grandma Lanz help, too). Tomorrow I get to go to the doctor to see how I'm growing. Then the 20th will be my real birthday and we can go to ToysRUs to use my certificate and the pet store to get my fish!

Today was a hot day, so we tried out my new swim goggles at the wading pool this afternoon. Eliana got to try swimming, too. She's feeling better now. But she didn't like swimming too much. Mommy thinks she would have liked it better if Mommy and been wearing her swim suit so she could get in the water and hold Ellie close. I said that next time I could hold her. Mommy thought that was a nice idea.
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Yesterday Mommy and I took one last trip to the old St. Cloud Public Library. Eliana was napping at home with Daddy, which was nice because she's too little to remember this library. But our weekly visits have been one of my favorite activities since I've been able to walk. And now they're going to tear it down. So Mommy brought the camera and we took some pictures of the old children's room with the red carpet everywhere. The same red carpet I peed on a couple times and that Mommy played on when she was a little girl. In a few weeks they will open the new library. I've been watching them build it for a long time and I'm excited that I will soon be able to go inside. I wonder if they'll hide Remy (a stuffed rat from Ratitoulle) in the new children's room. Yesterday I got to find him hiding and pick a prize. The librarians are always thinking of fun new games for the kids. I also wonder if they'll bring the legos and the train table to the new library. Those are some of my favorite toys. Or maybe they'll have new toys! I'll let you know when they open it in September!

Swimming lessons and Bam Bam ball are finished for the summer and I can't say that I'm sad. I really had a lot of fun at Bam Bam ball, but I was ready for it to be finished. I loved the last day. They had dilly bars after the game, and a picnic with hotdogs and chips and even a dunk tank! I got to throw the ball at the target three times and then I got to go up and push the button to make the coach fall in the water. I played dunk tank at home for a good solid week afterward.

Last week we only had swimming lessons, so it was much more relaxing. Mommy figured out that I needed to be there ahead of the coaches like we were doing in the beginning, so we went and played at the park for a while one day. Then the last two days the coaches were actually really early so we didn't beat them either time. I still did okay warming up, though. Especially the last day when I was so excited to show the toy I got to bring. I brought my new wind-up scuba diver. I didn't understand why everyone kept calling him "Scuba Steve" even though I kept telling them that he didn't have a name.

This week we haven't had anywhere we had to go during the day. We did a library trip on Tuesday and otherwise we've been enjoying the lazy summer. Mommy's been coughing like crazy all week, so that's kept us at home more. But I keep myself busy inventing new games or playing baseball, soccer, and football in the house. Ellie is getting big enough now that I'm allowed. And she can even play, too! Did you see the pictures of her playing goalie? It's not really good to kick the ball at her head, but she's a tough baby.

Today was an eventful day for me. Swimming lessons was cancelled due to the weather, so we thought we were just going to have a lazy day at home for a change. Then Mommy's friend Tonya called and asked if we wanted to go out to lunch. So it was a good thing that swimming lessons was cancelled because otherwise I'd be climbing out of the pool sopping wet at 12:25. Instead we met Tonya and Andy at Bravo Burrito and I got to have my first burrito! I had to learn to peel it (but not too much) and bite it. It was good. I got the kiddo burrito and it was still big enough for me for lunch and dinner and to share some with Mommy and Daddy! Maybe part of the reason why I had so much left was because Andy and I were so busy playing at lunch. We get along really well and we sure can get silly together. Just like Tonya and Mommy did before they grew up to be Mommies. We stopped at the play area at the mall to get all our wiggles out after lunch. Eliana liked watching us run around and climb. And she got to play with a baby girl who was a little older than her. It was funny to watch her sit and chew on that baby's dress. Despite the rain, it turned out to be a fun day.

What a fun day we had! We went to Beaver Lake where I swam, went tubing, swam, played in the water, and swam until I was so cold and shivery that Mommy made me get out of the lake and into dry clothes. I did take one break from swimming to eat snacks, which is why I didn't eat very much dinner. I ate all my barbequed chicken and corn on the cob, though - they were delicious! After dinner I jumped on the trampoline while Mommy and Daddy finished eating and packed our stuff up. It was a bummer to leave before the party was over, but Mommy wanted to go to the big fireworks in town. We went to her friend Denise's house where we parked the van. Then we walked to Hester Park to join Denise's family and watch the fireworks. They were very loud! Just when I got up the nerve to uncover my ears, the finale started and I had to cover them again quick! The fireworks were cool! Eliana liked them, too. She didn't cry at all and even had her ears uncovered more than I did. I think Mommy and Daddy's favorite part was being home by 10:35. That's already way passed my bedtime and I was beat from all that swimming and jumping on the trampoline.

Guess what? Today I typed "mommy didagreatjob" all by myself on the computer. Mommy was surprised that I remembered how to spell "great" without any help. She was busy making lunch while I was sounding out the words.

We are having a fun, busy summer. We usually go to a park for a picnic lunch with our play group on Mondays. This week we were at the Lake George splash pad. Then Tuesdays and Thursdays are bam bam ball. We go to the library after bam bam ball on Tuesdays, just Mommy and me. (I want to bring Eliana but Mommy says she has to stay home with Daddy and take a nap.) At the library I always check what there is to hunt for that day so I can get a prize. Today I found the stuffed rat by the award winners and got a deck of star-shaped cards. I also got a library card holder for reading enough books for the summer reading program, even though I still mostly get read to. I can read Go Dog Go and Ten Apples Up on Top mostly by myself, but they get kind of long. I want to win a prize like a basketball handheld game or a real soccer ball. Mommy says I have to wait and see if they pick my name. Meanwhile I can keep on reading!

Bam Bam ball has officially started! I got my jersey today and we played a real game (as real as it gets when you're three). Guess what color my team is? My favorite "clelor" - GREEN! And we're called the lizards. I also got new, fast tennis shoes! I want to wear them all the time, but so far I've only gotten to wear them to church and bam bam ball. Today we had our team picture taken. I really liked the photographer because she listened to my stories. I showed her the "bonk" on my knee where "there is blood and new skin is growing." It was nice to talk to her because the game was getting kind of long. I was having more fun hunting for rocks than chasing after the ball with all the rest of the kids. Mommy thinks the games might be shorter once all the kids learn how to play better.

These last few days have been lots of fun with friends! Thursday my friend Blake came over to play for a little while. Blake is a nice friend. We get along really well together.

Then Friday, my friend Abby and her little brother Logan came to play. They even slept over night! It was fun to have Abby sleep in my bottom bunk. We had a great time playing all evening. I play better with Abby than any of my other friends, that's why Mommy was so disappointed that they had to move last year. We have always liked to play the exact same things. Last night we were pretending the coffee table in the living room was bunk beds and putting blankets and pillows on it so we could sleep there. We also played play-doh together and rode bikes outside. There wasn't a minute we were bored. And we got totally tired out, so when Mommy read us stories, tucked us into my bunk bed, turned off the lights, and turned on the Lion King CD (also one of Abby's favorites) we went right to sleep!

Now I'm going to go play outside with my uncle Michael. As soon as Abby and Logan left, Michael came over. I love following him around and playing big-boy stuff. It's especially fun to have Michael come to my house because I get all of his attention with no neighborhood friends to distract him. We'll have a great time!

What a fun, busy weekend we had! I still haven't caught up on my sleep.

Friday was Grandpa Lanz's birthday, so we celebrated with dinner on Saturday night. Unfortunately there were also a bunch of nasty storms blowing through, which meant that Joe and Kathy got stuck in the cities for a while. They finally made it to the party, but dinner was pretty late. Good thing I wasn't too hungry - we'd come from a graduation party where there was a great taco bar and yummy cake! Michael and I were busy watching tv and playing, so we didn't even mind the wait. The best part of dinner was the presents (Uncle Joe got Transformers wrapping paper) and ice cream cake! By the time we got home to bed, it was late and we had to wake up early to head to the cities.

Sunday morning we went to visit Mommy's college friends and all their kids. At first I felt a little shy. Xander took my hand right away to show me Linda's big dogs, but I wasn't ready for that. Daddy went to the car to get my dog, George. It made me feel much better to have my familiar friend with me. We stayed there for lunch and more playing before the little kids needed naps. I skipped my nap and instead went to visit some family, since we were in the neighborhood. It was a beautiful day, so we had a nice dinner in the sunshine and played outside for a long time.

By the end of the weekend everyone was overtired and Mommy and Daddy had a frustrating time trying to get me and Eliana to sleep at night. For the last two days, Ellie has really been catching up on her sleep... but me? I've been fighting my naps, staying awake at night, and asking to get up early in the morning. Somebody's got to keep Mommy and Daddy on their toes.

Today something horrible happened at my house. My mom was vacuuming when I looked over and saw a tear towel (aka kleenex) being sucked up inside! It was the scariest thing I had ever witnessed. Tear towels are my security blankets. Whenever I am sad and big tears are rolling down my face, a tear towel dries my tears and makes me feel better instantly. To see it getting sucked inside that demon vacuum was more than I could handle. Mommy's hugs could not console me. She tried to explain to me that the tear towel was supposed to go in the vacuum. She put some smelly stuff on it and it was making the vacuum smell nice instead of like dog hair and ladybugs. But I couldn't accept that this horrific deed was intentional. I wanted her to get the tear towel out. She said it would make a big mess if she opened up the vacuum and then she'd just need to vacuum again, but I didn't care about a mess. There was a tear towel that now needed MY help! I was not going to rest until it was saved. The new one Mommy got from the box was no replacement for the one stuck in the vacuum. Finally I convinced Mommy to attempt a rescue. Luckily the tear towel didn't get sucked all the way in. It was caught on the brushes! It was safe! I used it to dry my tears and set it in a place of honor in our home, right next to the cross of Jesus!

Editor's note: Luckily kleenexes all look alike. I'm a more skillful magician than I realized. It helps when the audience's eyes are blurred with tears.