I have pictures of both girls around every birthday playing with this exhibit at The Magic House. It’s never a planned thing, we just seem to find ourselves there every once in awhile, walk around the corner and see this, and then remember to take a picture. It’s like a growth chart on the wall, only with grubby tennis balls and bells.
Of course, now that I have this photo (taken yesterday), I can’t find any of the old photos to link to so that you can see the changes throughout the years. But with both girls that magic age of two seems to get them to the point where, with an enormous amount of reaching, equal parts concentration and determination, and the tippiest-of-tiptoes, they can send those tennis balls down the chute and race to the bottom of the steps to watch them sail over the silver bell and back into their hands for another round. It’s a milestone no less than all the other more familiar ones. Tall enough.