A Big Send-Off

 The final Friday of July, we loaded up the family and headed to Colorado to drop off our daughter for college. 

 We stayed with my Mom, then left her there, for Mom and my sister to deliver to the airport in Denver.  Her flight was mid-week, and we couldn't get off work for then, so Mom and sis helped out a lot.

 We didn't get out of town until late, so it was after midnight before we got to Grandma's house.

 Saturday my sister's family joined us (and Dad, who had come to visit for the occasion too) and the babies got re-acquainted.  I showed them how to play ball, and they did it really well.  It was very cute.  These guys are 1 year old now - his birthday is the first day of July and hers is the last.

 So while we were there we had a little birthday party.

 The three year old was so excited when I asked him to help his little brother unwrap his present.

 We got my niece this elephant - it's very soft.  I was happy to see her get so excited by it.

 There was a little mechanicing that had to go on to put one of the gifts together.

It took quite awhile.

 This train was the hit of the party. Walking while holding onto a toy was a new trick for our baby at the time.

 The problem the baby had was that he would pull backwards and kept tipping over.

 Here he is with his new walking/riding toy.  He's come a long way since then (which has only been about two weeks).  This little toy converts to a walking toy too, and now he can make it all the way across our living room pushing it.

 He had to stop for a visit with Grandpa.

 There was a cute cake for my niece.

 She made quite a mess with it and had a lot of fun.  She even got an ice cream cone :)

 My sister thoughtfully bought some fruit juice ice pops for our allergic-to-everything baby.

 He thought they were pretty good.

 Before we headed out Sunday afternoon (much later than we intended) we took some group photos.

 I guess he was celebrating his sister leaving ;)

 These guys - both celebrating a little time away from each other.

This goodbye was the hardest one by far for her.  These two have been inseparable, and he is the one she will miss the most.