Is she really five years old??

Incredible but true - the Juju-bee turned five today! And oh boy, was she excited, literally bouncing her way through the day:

One of her favorite birthday presents was a dress the Nanny had bought for her at the Mexican market in San Antonio. The Mommy was dubious whether a white (!) dress was really the best outfit for a Kindergarten party prominently featuring chocolate cake, but the birthday girl would not be swayed:

When the Opa and Oma then came by to deliver more presents, the day got even better:

During the tram ride to the river picnic, Anneke seized the chance to snuggle up to her Oma...

... while Lautje took the opportunity to explain to the Opa in detail the intricacies of tram-driving and Straßenbahn design...

...before mercilessly beating up on him in soccer!

All in all, a truly lovely day. And while it seems incredible that it has already been five years since the Mommy and Daddy first held the Juju-bee in their arms, this picture says it all - this girl is clearly not a baby anymore... 

The times, they are a-changin'

These are momentous times for the Dude and his little sister: June and July have been packed with exciting events. First up was the annual kindergarten summer party (themed "Journey Around the World"), where Lautje got to perform twice. Unfortunately, his samba moves (representing South America) were so nimble the camera was unable to catch them, but his samba headband was still present when he played the (African) drums:

Meanwhile, his sister was a horse, dancing around in the company of cowboys. Why? Somehow, that seemed to represent North America. Well, the only part of the continent that matters anyway... 

 Also, she loved it. So who cares?

Then, there was Lautje's Kindergarten goodbye party, with a sleepover, treasure hunt, and theme park visit. Somehow, neither the Mommy nor the Daddy remember such shenanigans from their own transition to elementary school! Lautje received a diploma from his favorite teacher...

 ... and he couldn't have been prouder! (and neither could the Mommy and Daddy...)

And finally, Juju had her first big ballet recital, dancing the caterpillar dance alongside her friends and her lovely ballet teacher. The Mommy and Daddy were quite impressed that she handled performing in front of at least 400 people with such incredible self-confidence and poise:

Obviously such momentous occasions take their toll, and each of the kids found their own way of dealing with it. Lautje tends to rest. A lot.

 And the Juju-bee? She just laughs it all off...