The Birthday That Just Won't Stop!

We thought we were done celebrating... but then Aunt Joan presented her photos from the big party and we had to share them... So here they are!

Birthday Party Hoopla!

Lola's actual jour de naissance is still a week away, but we wanted to grab as much pre-Thanksgiving attention as possible. So today was the celebration day. And boy was it fun. Fifteen of Lola's closest friends joined us at the wonderland that is My Gym, a place where kids can literally bounce off the walls. There were games, goofiness and a Tinker Bell cake. Pretty much everything a soon-to-be 4-year-old girl could ask for...Click here for an especially fun video clip of the morning.

Anatomy of an Outfit

Lola's mailman has been a busy soul this last week and here, Lola embraces two of the little gifts (shout outs to Waxhaw) from the bounty she's received. The dress and the glamourous fur were also gifts (shout outs to Philly). As was the fancy hair bow (shout out to Atlanta). We were all grateful that the temperature dropped to a mere 55 degrees this morning so Lola could wear that great coat. And this elegant dress is a would-be flower-girl ensemble (shout outs to Grandma) that didn't make her cousin Peggy-Anne's wedding. But fortunately made the perfect birthday frock!

The Childrens Circle Gang

Lola's the one wearing the faux fur and the tiara..In case you missed it. And Jackson Upchurch is the lucky little boy sitting next to her. (As it happens, his daddy plays drums in the band Three Doors Down.)

The Big Moment

It's amazing what an impact a grocery store sheet cake can make on a bunch of 4 year olds. Particularly when there's a teeny tiny little fairy dangling on top of it.

Lola's New Favorite Holiday

It is impossible to overstate how enthusiastic Lola was on her first (memorable) Halloween. This year, she went trick or treating with her usual gang - Neorah and the Triplets - and by the time they made it past two houses she was saying: "I want every day to be Halloween."

A group shot of Lola and her classmates.

Fun at a Pumpkin Patch

There's no autumnal seasonal shift to remind we Angelenos of a seasonal shift. But we do know something is happening when the parking lots around town start to look like the hay-strewn barnyards in rural America. Albeit, barnyards with bouncy houses and inflatable T-ball kiosks. Here, Lola demonstrates her enviable eye-hand coordination.

A couple weeks ago, Lola and Gina went to Philadelphia to visit Grandma and Pops.. One day, we took the Philly Phlash, a trolley-shaped bus that traveled to an amazing place called the Please Touch Museum. Lola was almost as excited about the bus ride as she was by the kids museum..As evidence by their outer-wear, it was a bit wintry that day.

Lola's closest friends are a set of triplets. Here the gang (Ethan, Emma and Isabella plus the Little Miss) prepares for another blissed-out day at Kidspace.

Lola Superstar

It was nearly 100 degrees outside, so Lola and Mom passed the time making mini-movies. Lola had just given herself a secret mani-pedi (with her own craft paint, unbeknownst to Mom) and was especially pleased with herself. So click here and here and here to enjoy some of our afternoon silliness.

Lola Steals the Show (Again)

Here's our beauty taking the stage once again. This year it was "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" and Lola opted for the zebra costume. Here she's captured doing an incredibly deft leap. That kid's got talent! She later performed an encore to the song "Lollipop." In typical Lola fashion, she stole the show with her verve. Click here for the live version of the Lion Sleeps Tonight. And here for the Lollipop dance.

Lola Loves Camping

Lola and her Dad experienced camping for the first time earlier this month. Gina, as it turns out, was the outdoors(wo)man of this bunch. (Cue the snickering.) We spent one night at the El Capitan Campground 17 miles north of Santa Barbara. Lola's entire nursery school class was there too, so it was super super fun for the kids. There were lovely views. A pristine beach. S'mores at sunset. And yes, a dawn downpour that sent us fleeing for civilization the next morning.

It was gorgeous. Though amazingly we were close enough to the 101 Freeway that the sounds of 18-wheelers nearly drowned out the sublime mantra of surf crashing below. Oh, and there was the freight train that blasted through every three hours. Good times.

Michael stayed tethered to civilization via BlackBerry. Here, he puts on a brave visage as nightfall in the open air came hurtling toward us all.

On the beach

Here, Lola and her good friend Emma Lauer showed their best beachy smiles. Click hereand here and here to see the video of Lola's joyful first moments at the campout at the beach.

Lola Caught Unawares

Lola spends more time playing alone these days, and here, she sings the soundtrack to her fantasy play that her Grandma taught her. Click here to see her idly humming "Who's the Prettiest Girl in Town?"

More Lola Song-and-Dance

Today was a big day spent basking in the glow of Kidspace with Grandma and Pops. Lola, pictured here in her brand new mermaid dress and matching star barrettes, was moved to perform when we got home. Click on her YouTube page here to watch.

Mother's Day Hysteria

What a laugh-riot these two are, huh?

Birthday Party Bonaza

Lola has attended back-to-back birthday fetes in the last week. She's in a class full of Tauruses, apparently. Here she's snuggled between two classmates, Emma and Evan. Lola loves parties!

Have A Mud Pie, Won't You?

Last Sunday was Dad's birthday so we ventured down to the Santa Monica Pier. And the adjacent beach. Lola chased waves and made her first mud pie. It was a big day for everyone.

Apologies to Gloria Steinem

Last Saturday, we journeyed to a place called Lollipop Dream where Aurora aka Sleeping Beauty led an awed group of 3, 4 and 5 year old girls in the ways of princess-dom: the curtsey, etc. For two hours. Not an especially P.C. experience to share with your daughter, I know. But damn, it was cute.

The Coronation

Just another princess in a poofy dress...

Lola and Tuesday Live it Up

Princess dresses. Brownie cupcakes. And best girlfriends. Life is good.

Ta-ta for now..

It happens that the littlest of our two rambunctious cats likes to nap in Lola's doll stroller. Lola gets a big kick out of it.

World's Most Tolerant Cat

Lola and her new buddy

Since Aunt Joan joined us out here in sunny L.A., Lola has reveled in finding new ways to introduce her to our fun-filled life in Valley Village. Below, they pose inside their "princess tent" wearing "wigs."