Leo Turns NINE

The year of 2020 meant that Leo was turning 9 years old, and right in the midst of a rather crazy time with Covid 19 thrown into the scenario. 

It's been a busy old year already, one that has been testing for both Leo and myself. 

From March onwards Leo and I were both at home conforming with lockdown and self isolation, and when we next poked our heads outside, Winter had given way to Spring. 

I really cannot begin to sum up that boy of mine, Leo has acted beyond his years on many occasions this year and has had to contend with more than I can ever imagine. Yet he has done so with a huge strength, courage and his Mumma's positivity.

If there is one trait of mine that I hope I can instill in Leo, it's that. 

To always stay positive, keep moving forward and if you do get knocked down, to pick yourself back up again and just keep pushing on. 

I really do feel that 2020 has been a glowing example of this, and no matter the knocks that we have faced as a team, he knows that I am still fiercly championing him on. 

The feeling of pride I feel when I look at the boy I have watched grow up from a tiny newborn baby, into the grown up little man he is today is immense. I am so proud of this little human that I have had a hand in shaping, his compassion and empathy have brought light to days I have felt dark. 

His kindness and love have made me smile when I didn't feel like smiling. 

His charm and witt have had me crying with laughter, and together we have become strong.

With everything that has gone on in the pregnancy and the worries about his baby brother, Leo has been the wind in my sails. He has told me that everything will be ok, and been the strength I needed to get up and keep going. 

Leo's 9th Birthday was one I wanted to really pull out all of the stops for, with everything that has been relentlessly weathering around us, I wanted to present Leo with the ultimate gift. Something I knew that would make him beam from the inside out...

A gift fitting for the incredible boy that I get to call mine.

The preperations and research started weeks ago, Leo's downtime like many children his age involves a Nintento Switch and a very popular game that I don't understand.... Fortnite. For a long time Leo has wished for his very own game chair, but I have always said that until we purchased our home that we wouldn't be able to make room for one right now...

I decided that if I moved his room around, then I may actually be able to make a decent amount of space that would potentially be ideal for a gaming chair. Of course in typical Laura style, I found the chair that fit the requirements and ordered it long before I actually came to sort Leo's bedroom out!

My brilliant Dad and I built the chair and hid it away in their house until the big day, and then on what turned out to be the hottest day of the year... I began to sort Leo's bedroom out. I moved the bed and re-arranged his bedside tables, and my efforts were rewarded when a very obvious space for a gaming chair appeared. 

I am big on Birthday's, especially Birthday's for little man. I filled his room with the helium balloons that I had chosen for him and spaced them all around his game chair. It was all worth it for his absolutely golden reaction. 

I have been thanked on countless occassions since he recieved it (as have his Grandma and Grandad who very kindly put Leo's birthday money towards it!). 

Seeing that look of pure joy on his face was exactly what I had hoped to achieve, and if there was one boy deserving of such a grand gift, it is my Leo.

Leo's birthday fell on a Saturday, just as the nice weather ended. Weirdly just like the weather on the day he was born back in 2011. We had a relatively quiet day hiding from the rain, we popped out in the morning to pick up his Birthday cake that I had ordered from a local cake maker (Of course it had to be Chocolate for my Chocolate cake fiend of a child!) and then we came back and made bacon sandwiches!

The rest of the day was spent at Leo's grandparents, my Mum cooked up a big homemade chinese dinner (Leo's favourite!) and then finished up with cake and a brazier fire in the garden.

Leo had the best day and was spoiled rotten from start to finish, just as I had wanted and just as I had planned.

Day's later Leo is still saying 'Thank You' for his gaming chair and the appreciation is very clear. 

My baby boy is now 9 years old, and we have quite the year ahead.

One that will see us welcoming a baby boy and working through the aftermath as a team, finding and buying our family home, MOVING AGAIN, decorating and getting Leo's bedroom set up exactly the way he wants it and finding our places in the world.

I am so lucky to have this boy by my side and I can't wait for this next chapter with him.

Happy Birthday baby boy!