Just Over a Week...

With just over a week until your second birthday, it was all systems go for all of us, but at the same time it was the perfect moment to reflect on the new things you were starting to do. It was perfect because you were coming along in leaps and bounds, I wanted to make sure I got all your cheeky antics stored away in your online memory box.

We had had Tigger almost 2 weeks and you were finally becoming less excited about your new furry friend, and Tigger was becoming more relaxed around you. You loved teasing him with the cat toys, and every time you gaged his interest you would move it high up out of his reach and giggle when he jumped up to try and get it. You seemed to spend most days giggling at Tigger, and suddenly had an interest in picking him up. The first time I saw you do it I couldn’t jump up out of my seat quick enough, but you were holding him perfectly around the middle. Then the next day you did exactly the same, so I grabbed the camera to quickly snap the moment…only for you to have him by the neck…Safe to say that I quickly released the poor kitten from your grasp.

 I am sure you will agree though Leo, this photo really is one for the memory box. You just look so proud of yourself…and Tigger looks anything less than pleased.

With every day that went by Leo, you were becoming more sure of yourself. More determined to do what you wanted to do and were still beaming me those cheeky smiles whenever you did something you knew you shouldn’t. In fact you were taking it one step further these days, when I used my sternest voice with you, you were really taking the micky out of me. It really is hard to keep a straight face and discipline you when you smile that smile and growl ‘Mumma’ at me, as you try to put that smile on my face to wash away the stern grimace that was there moments before.

On the other hand though, you knew when I was really serious and on those occasions you couldn’t even look me in the eye let along pick up your bottom lip long enough to smile. You knew exactly when you were in real hot water and didn’t even try the smiling tactics!

You were discovering Disney movies for the first time, and after Timmy Sheep was taken off Cbeebies you began to love Lady and the Tramp. We sat and watched this over and over again, and I loved that the time was coming for you to start enjoying the same classics that I did as a child. You would get comfy on the sofa with your blankie and your bottle, demanding to watch ‘woof, woof’. After watching Lady and the Tramp as much as we did in one week, I was fast approaching the time that I hoped to find another movie you liked.

Blanket and your bottle were still in high demand, if not more so than ever. Blanket was now coming on every outing, even if it was just a trip to a friend’s house or in to town because that is when you would always want it. In one respect you seem quite a lot younger than other toddlers your age because you are still so reliant on your comforts, but I just found this endearing and didn’t want to rush you in growing up. I was always happy for you to do things in your own time.

Bedtimes were such a doddle with you, and putting you to bed consisted of giggles and plain sailing. 7pm was the time that I would take you up to your cot, sometimes you would even take yourself! I would tuck you in with all of your comforts and that would usually be the last I heard from you until the following morning, but over the last couple of weeks you had started talking to me over the baby monitor. You knew I could hear every word you were saying even when I was not in the room, and that is why you would talk to me instead of crying, and boy were you patient.

The first night you started talking down the monitor to me I was catching up on my soaps, and I thought you were chattering away in your sleep. It took me a good 5 minutes to work out that you were saying ‘more’ over and over again. So I came upstairs to you and asked you if you wanted more milk, your reaction told me that it was exactly what you wanted. You giggled and said ‘yeah’ and with your fresh milk in hand, I didn’t hear another peep out of you until the next morning.

The end of your second year has seen you come on so much, you understand everything I say to you even if you cannot say certain things back to me, and even if you only act on the bits that you want to. You already seem to have selective hearing on board…

I know this next year is going to see you grow up further, and instead of you being the toddler that stands before me today, you will be a fully-fledged child.

Growing up seems to happen in the blink of an eye, and I think I blink too much as you are growing up far to quickly