The Twins Turn Two Wild

Birthday party for the twins up in Mission Viejo — two years old, so the balloon banner over the windows said TWO WILD, with a garland of green and leopard-print balloons strung above it. Each of them got a gold number balloon in the high chair, a 2 apiece, which held their attention about as long as anything does.

The cakes were the best part. Two matching little ones, white frosting with sprinkles pressed around the bottom, and on top a herd of plastic jungle animals wearing tiny party hats — a tiger and an orangutan and a toucan on one, a chimp and a leopard and a parrot on the other. The animals came off before the frosting got touched, which was the plan.

Candles lit, one cake per kid, grandparents on hand for the whole thing. Dad ended up doing most of the actual blowing out, leaning over the high chair trays while the boys mostly stared at the flames. Nobody grabbed a lit candle, which counts as a win at two.

The dog worked the floor under the high chairs the whole time.