Happy 2nd birthday, Bear!

If this last year came with a sound track, it would have been the Benny Hill theme. I have a feeling the next year might follow suit.

I have no idea where you get your energy from (for a long time, it wasn’t food). I have no idea how you so enthusiastically play with EVERY.SINGLE.TOY in the space of 30 seconds, I have no idea how you keep going without conking out on the sofa, how you run around for hours and don’t fall asleep on the 2 hour car journey home. But you do, and you have done from the moment you found your feet and starting walking at 15 months. You’re a non-stop, full of energy and full of fun little whirlwind, and you make us smile every day.

We’ve been to Pyjama Drama classes weekly, we’ve been regulars at Café Junior, swimming, Tiny Tumblers and Jump. You mastered the art of the toddler tantrum, and spent a good few months perfecting it. That was fun.

You found your voice earlier this year and have been chatting ever since (can’t think who you take after). We love our little chats and our deep and meaningfuls, which mainly centre around Peppa Pig, biscuits and chickens. If you’re in doubt as to what we’re babbling on about you just say “bum”, which helps…

This last year has seen the arrival of your baby cousin in late 2014, holidays to Bluestone and Devon, an onslaught of Peppa Pig and Frozen, a chipped front tooth, a nasty bout of chicken pox and the realisation that food is, in fact, not all that bad. You had your first trip to A&E, courtesy of a rocketing temperature, and entertained all the lovely staff by moonwalking round our cubicle in the wee hours.

You spent much of this year with an irrational fear of stickers and bubbles. You’ve come to realise that you were being a bit of a silly billy and, these days, if anyone stands still long enough in our house they end up covered in stickers. While stickers and bubbles once put the fear of God into you, spiders didn’t. You love spiders – both real actual spiders and the ones that are more commonly known as freckles.

So that’s how your spent your year as a 1 year old – keeping very busy, running around and having fun. In just over week we shall drop you off at pre-school for 3 mornings a week. After 2 years of mainly me for company on weekdays, you’re off to make some new friends and learn some new things. Without us. By far the best but most emotional decision we’re making to date I reckon, and I have no doubt that you’ll be less of a cry baby about going than me.

I used to look at parents of 2 year olds and think they were pros at this “bringing up a child” business. Whether I was right or wrong, having tripped over my own leg last week I feel nothing but bemused to think I’m now responsible for one myself (a 2 year old that is, not a leg…although I have to take some responsibility for both of those, too).

Here’s a little photo thingy for you to look back on when you’re older and see how much you changed in the last year. Have your volume up…

Happy birthday little one.  Eat cake (or not…you sampled your birthday cupcakes yesterday, spat it out and said “no, no”, so I assume you’re still not a fan of my baking), enjoy your presents and have the happiest of birthdays.  You’re the busiest bee we know, thank you for keeping us on our toes.

All our love,
Mummy & Daddy xxx