Leo Turns Two

On Wednesday 26th June 2013 I tucked my one year old into bed for the last time.

I stood by his cot and told him that when he woke up the next morning he would be one whole year older.

He would be two years old.

I stood there watching him, and I knowingly stood there a little longer than I usually would. I was thinking about how quickly the last two years have come and gone, how amazing they have been and how I would not change a thing.

I was taking in the beauty of my little boy as he settled down to go to sleep and smiling at him through the darkened room.

It was then I bid him one final goodnight, wished him sweet dreams and a Happy Birthday. I told him I loved him to the moon and back again, and I would see him in the morning when he would be a Birthday Boy.

Walking out of his room and closing the door behind me, I knew it was now that the real birthday work would begin. I had a Timmy Sheep cake to make (you can see how to make your own here), cupcakes, birthday presents to wrap and not a whole lot of time to get it all done. 

I finally retired to bed just after 2:00am, really tired but excited. Excited to see my little boy's face when he woke up to his second birthday.

Leo awoke bright and early, he was a little full of cold but didn't let that stop him demanding to watch 'woof, woof' otherwise known As 'Lady and the Tramp'. After a few rounds of 'I am Siamese if you please' my new found 2 year old came downstairs to open his cards. 

Leo was presented with his birthday card, a very large Timmy Sheep birthday card with his age and name emblazoned on the front. He was so pleased that Baa was making an appearance. Little did he know that Timmy Sheep was going to be making quite a few appearances today!

I had planned Leo's whole day to a Timmy Sheep theme, balloons, cake cases, cake embellishment, an actual feature cake! 

We took Leo to our family photographer to get some birthday shots of our now very grown up boy, it is hard to believe that the first time we took him there he was a tiny baby in arms! Leo however didn't want to play ball, and as soon as we walked into the studio he stopped chatting to me and buried his head in my shoulder. Sufficed to say that we didn't get the snaps that we were hoping for, but with that all out of the way we took our birthday boy to Granny's house for his real birthday treat!

At Granny's house nestled away in the back garden was Leo's main birthday present. A present fit for any little boy with an imagination.

His very own hideaway den in the form of a wooden playhouse. Inside Leo's new house was a beautiful red kitchen that I just knew he was going to love. I ran out of the house ahead of him so that I could capture that one moment when he laid eyes on his birthday gift. 

Leo's eyes widened and his face pursed into a Cheshire smile, it was apparent that he had seen his present and he was marching intently over to inspect further. He did not stop once and that smile was not wiped off his face as he made his way over to the play house. Upon reaching his intended destination, he climbed up the stairs, opened up the front door and found his beautiful kitchen, the smile he was beaming just continued to beam brighter and then the laughter started.

The house had been decorated like a scene from Disney's Up, and I did half wonder whether he would be flying away on an adventure of his own. A 'Happy Birthday' hung around the circumference of Leo's new haunt, Timmy Sheep of course.

Leo ran in and out of his house, cooked up cakes that he fed me through the bars of his balcony, before running off to cook up some more!

It was then I knew that the wooden playhouse had been the perfect birthday gift choice for my very imaginative little monster.

It was around this time that his Goddaddy arrived, and his little friend too for a play date. It was also around this time that the sunshine disappeared behind the clouds and rain decided to rain upon our parade. 

But could I get my two year old out of the house and into Granny's house?

NOPE!

Leo and his little friend were completely soaked through, going down the slide and landing on their bottoms in the puddle forming beneath it. But they were having the time of their lives and I watched them from the shelter of the kitchen door, as they ran around not even noticing the rain falling around them.

Somewhere among all of the playing we fit in a few nibbles for lunch and even opened up some presents. I will never forget Leo asking for 'more' presents once he had opened the last one!

With all of the excitement of the day, Leo had missed his nap time. I pulled him inside, dried him off and put him down for a well deserved nap. Upon his sleepy slumber coming to an end it was time to see more family members and whip out the cake for a round of Happy Birthday.

I cannot believe that my little man is ANOTHER year older, I don't know how time is going by so quickly but I know this year and every year after is going to continue to speed by. I am just intent on making every day special for Leo, making every birthday count and keeping that beautiful smile of his firmly on his face where it belongs.

Staying up late and baking Leo a cake that I knew he was going to love was worth every moment. It was worth all of those practice runs and planning. It was worth it because Leo LOVED his special day, and next year I will just have to pull out the stops again and think up another birthday that he will love equally if not more.

For now though, Happy Birthday Baby Boy.

I am so glad that you enjoyed your special day, and welcome to year 3 of your adventure.