15 Days In Pants

15 days have flown by, and now Leo has spent 2 weeks and an entire day in big boy pants. All of a sudden Leo is really taking to his new responsibility, and is relishing the praise and treats he gets when he uses the potty. 

Leo has even managed to get to the potty in time for a number 2! Of course he waited until I was at work to demonstrate this latest trick. Last Wednesday I got a text telling me the big news, and I was suprisingly proud to hear what my not so little baby had done!

We are entering a phase where Leo is quite happily telling us when he wants to use the potty, and today he has made it an entire day with almost no accidents. This morning Leo was dressed as usual, in place of the nappy that he has always worn until recent weeks, he donned his pants. Being Monday Leo was off to Nursery, and this would be the second occasion that he has worn pants. Last Monday Leo went and had multiple accidents as he was so engrossed in his play. Today Leo went along and did ever so well. Leo stayed dry the entire time, he told the Nursery staff each time he needed to go, and when Granny went along to pick him up they were full of praise.

The dry spell continued all day, I got home from work at 5pm and Leo was still in the same pants he had been wearing that morning. It was only when Granny and I took him out in the car, and Leo fell asleep for a short time and he woke up disorientated that we had an accident. It didn't happen while he was asleep though, it was just after we had got back into the house. Leo was sad about his accident but we soon managed to cheer him up. 

15 days in pants has been a experience for both of us, but I think it is now starting to become easier. We can go out further a field and we just have to make sure that we have a potty close to hand. When we took Leo into town last week, we just put a potty in the basket of the pushchair. We took him to the toilets and he even sat in the boot of Granny's car!

We are getting through stickers like they are going out of fashion, which of course is a good sign. I am so pleased that we are getting the potty training ball rolling before Leo's 3rd Birthday this month!

A Triumphant Potty Moment

Sometimes your average day can take a unexpected turn, one minute you are going through your average Sunday afternoon, and the next the most amazing thing is happening! Take yesterday for instance, we were having a quiet day at home and indulging in Leo's latest love of Andy's Dinosaur Adventures, when Leo decided he needed a wee. As we had spent the entire day at home, and Leo had systematically pulled off everything he had been wearing including his nappy... I thought I would present the same opportunity I always do when we find ourselves in this situation. I offered the potty!

Of course I had an idea of what Leo was going to say in mind, and it usually goes something along the lines of 'No!! Nappy!' and I give up and put one on him. This time I threw in a bit of reverse psychology and told him that I bet he couldn't do a wee wee on the potty. Of course hearing those words, it's enough to make you consider the impossible. When someone tells you that you can't, that is when you decide that you will and that you can! 

Leo got down from his perch on the sofa and wandered over to the potty, he sat down. I watched while sat on the edge of my seat, it was as though I was about to witness a historic moment in time, one that would warrant a standing ovation. I tried not to show my excitement, if he saw me play that card prematurely. he may stand up and this whole exercise would have been thwart, but still he stayed sat on his potty.

It's not the first time has has sat there and told me he is going to go for a wee, he usually sits there for a few minutes and then stands up declaring that he has finished...Revealing an empty potty. Today felt different, it was as though he was determined and he was ready to take this all important next step. Then I heard it, the song Leo's potty sings when it is being used! Leo was taking his triumphant first wee in the potty!

He sat there until he was done, he stood up to inspect the contents and I just had to give him a high 5! It has been a year since the potty first arrived, we have left it out just so he can get used to it. Since that first wee he has gone on to use it twice! We are definitely getting somewhere, so we will continue to take baby steps as we do with everything else, and now he is ready we will start to tackle potty training! 

Hear that nappies! Your days are numbered!

32 Months Old

The months seem to be coming around faster, and each month see’s you getting that little bit closer to turning 3 years old. On the 27^th March you will be exactly 3 months away from yet another birthday, and I still cannot get my head around where the time keeps on going.

At 32 months old you have been practicing your words all the time. You have been repeating things you hear on the television and from your favourite films. I have heard you talking about ‘Rusteeze’ the imaginary company who sponsor Lightning McQueen in Cars, and then hearing you in the next breath ‘you too, can look like… Meeee!’. You copy the things you’re electronic toys say, and you are listening to the conversations around you. You were copying me the other morning before I even knew you were awake, you heard me talking to your Daddy and started chattering down the baby monitor at me, copying me word for word and looking incredibly proud of yourself.

Today after a prompt morning bath, I was getting you ready for the day ahead. I asked you if you were cold and you replied 'I not cold Mumma'.

You are using your manners more consistently without having to be prompted all of the time, and if I ask you a question you usually respond with either ‘Yes please Mummy’ or ‘No thank you Mummy’ which always brings a smile to my face. When I tuck you into bed at night you say ‘Night night’ ‘love you’ ‘see you tomorrow’, you are always coming out with something new, and I am loving hearing all of your new words and sentences.

With each new thing that you say, I still get incredibly excited. You are talking later than many 2 year olds but are developing all of the time. You are getting there and being able to put your points across more as the months go on, it was only this week that you managed to convince nursery that you were poorly so that they sent you home. You told them that you ‘hurt’ and they decided that you were under the weather and were concerned that you may have the chicken pox.

Recently your love for nursery has died down and you would much rather not go, you cry on a Monday when we get your things together and you cry when Granny drops you off. 9 times out of 10 you are fine within minutes of Granny leaving but your overall excitement has fizzled out.  

We are still waiting to see if the spots that you do have could be chicken pox, but they haven’t spread any further and if anything they look as though they may already be fading.

32 months has seen you being as much fun as ever, you have laughed, played and had a good time. You love to draw and we often sit and get creative with all of your colouring pencils, you draw trains and I draw whatever pops into my mind…and then you help me colour our doodles in.

All of a sudden you have taken to taking your favourite toys to bed with you, and very often you fall asleep surrounded among all of your favourite things. I have to sneak back in and take them all back out again.

You have completely stopped having your bottle and because you adjusted so well, and completely lead the transition, I threw all of your bottles in the bin on the 23^rd February 2014, 4 days before your 32^nd month. I still feel really pleased with how you have taken this change, and waiting until you were 100% ready is what made the whole process so much easier. To anyone who knew you only a few months ago, and saw how reliant you were on your blanket and your bottle, they know how far you have come since then.

In terms of naps little man, you are still having one long nap a day. You still really need a lengthy sleep or you are the most miserable toddler come dinner time. I love that you still nap as much as you do, but I am wondering how much longer it will last. For the moment though you love getting into bed mid morning for a few hours shut eye.

Today I woke up feeling really under the weather. My head was pounding and my skin was aching. I suddenly had a cough and my voice was in the midst of a disappearing act. You accepted that I wasn't feeling great and you kept on kissing me on the head. You contently played with your cars while I wrapped myself up on the sofa. You were being so affectionate and I really appreciated you letting me have the day to get over whatever it was that was making me feel so rough.

Month by month you are growing from a beautiful toddler into a beautiful boy, and with each month that passes I can't help but smile. I smile because you are turning into the most charming little guy, and you always manage to put a big smile on my face.

These Autumn Days

The leaves that were only a vibrant Green a few short weeks ago, have mellowed and crisped taking on their golden coluring for Autumn. Slowly the golden leaves have relinquished their hold on the tree and floated down to the woodland below. 

Autumn has rolled around again.

Leo loves any excuse to get out and about, and now he is at the perfect age to do just that. I walked him down to the local nature reserve today, a place I used to play as a child. I would be running around there in my welly's rain or shine, and as the reserve backs on to my parents house, I was given the freedom that any young child desires.

My time was spent building dens up high in trees, or among the clearing of a bush and even now those memories are clear in my mind. Once upon a time I was a ample tree climber, a tom boy through and through. On occasion I had to be hosed down with a hose pipe in the middle of winter due to falling in a few mud baths on my adventures... I re-call a less than impressed Mother not letting me come back into the house until every shred of mud had been washed away.

Suffice to say it was a little cold...

With Leo proudly sporting his wellington boots we opened up the garden gate and peered into the now overgrown nature reserve. The paths I had once walked were grown over with relentless nettles and the entire space I had once known like the back of my hand looked like a completely different world. Leo walked around triumphantly, and gladly let me pick him up and run down that rather steep hill that I had once done with ease. Today I was a little skeptical as to whether it was a good idea or not, but luckily even in wedge boots I managed to pull it off.

Leo saw no fear at all and giggled the whole way down, the bumpier the better.

Leo proudly held my hand as we walked around the nature reserve, and smiled as he found that Autumn had not yet diminished all of the Blackberries. Stealthily Leo took ample supplies from the Blackberry bush, and streaked the berries around his lips leaving that dark mustache as a tell tale sign that he had been munching them. His main mission after this was to hunt down the remaining Blackberries that were hanging around the place.

Although the old pond where I used to catch Newts and Tadpoles has long since dried up and grown over, some of the trees I used to climb have got old and blown over in the wind, there are still some land marks of my childhood around the place. A tree I occasionally used to climb is still standing tall, and as I showed my curious 2 year old, he seemed incredibly excited to have a climb for himself. He tried his darnedest but admittedly did take a few tumbles, but he got into the crook he had aimed for eventually. 

A very triumphant moment for him and a very proud Mummy moment for me!

Feeling a little bit of my childhood returning to me, in my wedge heels I climbed up past Leo balancing my iPhone in the sides of my jeggings, and hanging my big camera on a branch...All the while willing myself not to fall. When I perched myself a few branches higher than Leo, he wanted me to lift him up with me... I took this as my time to act my age and not my shoe size and climbed back down to his level.

I forsee future tree climbing experiences in our future...

After our very lovely stroll around the Autumn woodland, my mind pondered how we were going to get back up the hill again. The slippy, muddy hill that may prove a little difficult if Leo decided he wished for me to carry him. But my little champ climbed all the way back up with complete ease.

What a superstar!

Here is Leo's Autumn Adventure in the woods.
The very first of many..

  

In Your Own Sweet Time

I have said before how Leo still seems a lot younger, more baby like than other toddlers his age. He still seems to need me in ways that other children have surpassed, and this is something that I am clutching to for as long as he will let me.

Leo is one of those toddlers who says things, but he definitely seems to have his own little language going on. For instance... Lightning McQueen is known as 'Da da da' but regardless of it sounding nothing like the actual name, I always know what he is babbling on about. It is a consistent word he uses to describe the lovable red car off of Disney's Cars. For the longest time anything that Leo considered was hot, was known as 'Oosh', and although he still uses this word, he has added 'hot' and 'fire' into his vocabulary.

A week or so ago I noticed that Leo had stopped saying 'Yeah' and replaced it with 'Yes'. It was just a sudden switch for every answer that he replied to. The way he pronounces it is just so endearing, so lovely to hear.

Among all of the words that everyone would understand, there are still quite a few words that Leo seems to make up as he goes along, but for the most part we have a perfect understanding. 

We haven't really had any counting or 'ABC's' coming out of his mouth just yet, but I am always counting and discussing colours with him. In fact one of Leo's favourite things to count are the wheels on the car, but instead of saying 'Four' he says 'more'.

 Apparently my persistence is paying off though... Yesterday Leo was lay cuddled up in my lap when all of a sudden he looked me in the eyes and said 'Mumma, Blanket TWO!' 

Leo was telling me that he has two comfort blankets, and he is absolutely right. Leo does have two blankets, one of two blankets that he takes everywhere we go. 

So now when I ask 'Leo, how many blankets do you have?' he replies very clearly, and very matter of factly 'Two'.

Leo has demonstrated an understanding for such a long time, and even though he is not as developed in the vocabulary department as some 2 year olds, he is taking everything in. He is putting the pieces of the puzzle together and I am hearing more and more new words coming out of his mouth as the days pass. 

Patience is a virtue and I have all the patience in the world when it comes to teaching my little guy. He will do everything, but just like his Mumma, he will do it in his own good sweet time.

27 Months Old

Another month has come and gone, adding precious moments and memories to your 27 months with us. 

It seems that you just come into your own that little bit more with each fleeting month, a new piece of the jigsaw comes together and slots into place. 

Even over the last couple of weeks I can see changes in you that were not there before. Simple things like you suddenly saying 'Yes' instead of 'Yeah'. That has only happened over the last couple of days, and although I do not know what has prompted the sudden change around, the pronunciation of the word 'Yes' just sounds perfect. The 's' on the end is perfectly formed and is elongated by you hissing like a snake. 

You are still so stuck in your 'Mummy's Boy Phase' and all you really want is a cuddle from me. I love that you have this special bond with me. You provide kisses on demand almost any time I cheekily ask, and you have even spontaneously planted them, right out of the blue. I know because my bottom lip is still recovering from the impact. 

But it was a very lovely thought.

You were poorly the other day little man, right in the middle of London. After only arriving an hour prior. All you really wanted at that moment in time was for me to pick you up, stick you into your car seat and drive you back home again. All you kept on saying to me was 'Mumma Car!' but unfortunately we had to hop in a taxi and head back to Paddington Train Station... Where we had to wait a little while for the next train home. Boy was I worried that you may throw up on some poor unsuspecting stranger. Luckily... Even though you were a little bit poorly on the train, for the most part you slept all cuddled up on my chest. 

By that evening you were sporting that famous smile of yours once again.

And to think that this was the day that you very ALMOST met a real life Spice Girl. Baby Spice or Emma Bunton to be precise. 

This month your Uncle Matty has flown off on a really big adventure. He has moved himself off to Australia for 2 years, maybe more. He is currently touring Thailand and no doubt causing mischief and mayhem where ever he goes. You said your goodbye's to him on Sunday but only really understand that he is going on a airplane just like you did. And you are also very aware that he is going to the beach... This definetly turned your face sour as you are longing to go back and play in the surf again.

To fill up the rainy Autumn days that have suddenly been bestowed upon us we have taken to doing some fun projects in doors. Just this week we cooked up a storm in the kitchen together... You helped me bake some Mickey Mouse Cookies. You were such a good little helper with your wooden spoon, but completely refused to get your hands dirty when it came to kneading the cookie dough together.

 So little man, here you are at 27 months. You are becoming such a big boy these days, and you know this already because I am constantly telling you. You nod in agreement and say 'Yes' because you really are growing up.

2 Years Wise...

It is coming up to 2 months since Leo turned 2 years old, and we haven't really slowed down since then.

We have been on many exciting trips in the weeks that have followed, and spent lot's of quality time together. Leo has enjoyed seizing the day and running off on his adventures with Mumma just as much as I have in taking him. 

My very clever two year old has begun to recognise the make and model of cars, I have a Peugeot 206 and if we are out and about he will point out another Peugeot and associate it with 'Mumma', he gets even more excited if it is a 206 in the same colour. Leo also recognises Daddy's VW van, and now if we happen to see a white VW... Then of course it has to be Dadda. The many White vans that I have driven past of late only to hear 'Bye Bye Dadda' chirp up from the back seat. Leo is also recognising his Uncle's Passat, which has been nick named 'Josh' after his baby cousin.

On the 19th July 2013 Leo took a momentous leap in learning to scoot on his Micro Scooter. I decided the time had come for my big boy to have the seat taken off, so that he could be just like the bigger kids who were now scooting circles around him. That very same day Leo rose to the occasion and discovered just how fun scooting could be.

Today Leo was able to scoot around with some of the bigger kids on our street, and even got to play with the boy next door for the very first time. Our street has been in drastic need of a re-surfacing for a while, so the last few days the road has had just that. Today the roadworks were finished and there were very few cars parked up, so as soon as the last work man cleared away... The kids came out in force to make the most of this new flat space.

Kids with bikes, scooters and skate boards took to the street. I had no idea we lived on a street with so many kid's, but Leo loved the opportunity to meet new people and make the most of all of his favourite toys. 

Leo very proudly showed off his super scooting ability.

He had such wonderful compliments on his Jakayaan Balance Bike.

He even got to try out the new Digger I bought him earlier this week.

Today Leo even had his very first knock on the door for 'Can Leo come out to play'. The boy next door and his little friend had made the very special visit to come and call for him. The very first time anyone had ever come a calling for my ever popular little man.

As Leo is a little young to just go out and play, I invited the boys into the back garden where Leo was patiently waiting for the boy next door to come and talk to him through the fence. If you could have only seen Leo's face when he saw that the boy next door was actually in his garden, and here to play with him... It truly was a picture!

Leo is just getting over a viral infection that has knocked him for six over the past couple of days, and in turn knocked me for six. Tonight though my little guy was back to his happy go lucky self and we giggled as we cooked dinner together. I offered Leo some chopped Pepper which he popped straight into his mouth, and then looked well and truly put out. Until I put some in my mouth and the crunchiness became the best game since sliced bread. 

Then came the bouncing around the kitchen like mad people just because we could, with a very giddy toddler shouting 'more, more, more!' as we got a little bit faster! 

Suddenly bedtime has caught up with us, a little bit later than usual but time just tends to run away with me, and now he is a big 2 year old boy... What is half an hour!?

Note to self: I must have the only toddler in the world who thinks that the only kind of phone call is a FaceTime chat... *Makes time to show Leo the old fashioned way that phone calls take place* 

The Boy Next Door

Oh to be 2 years old again...

Young, innocent and running with the whole world at your feet.

It's so easy to make friends at 2.

You can simply walk up to the fence dividing your garden from the next and stare through the small gap into next door's garden. 

There is no worry that new people won't like you. You don't even think about it. You don't know any different.

I guess that is why it is all so easy..So natural and lovely to perceive. 

You don't worry about standing at that gap in the fence watching the neighbours eat their dinner in the glorious sunshine, and they don't seem to mind you shouting about all the things you can see as you stare in, or the words you repeat after their children...

'Football' 'Dad' 'Mum' 'What!'

You can shout 'found you' from the top of your slide as you continue to stare innocently into their patch of green. Finally the little boy spots you after all of your attempts to make contact with him. 

You can get excited and use your words to talk to him. 

'Cat, Meow' 

He's a bit older than you but he seems just as excited by you, as you do him.

You and the kitty stand there together both as inquisitive as each other. Both wanting to be involved in the laughter on the other side. 

You can sneakily widen the peep hole so that you can pass toys back and forth with the young boy who has now become the reason you love to go into the garden.

You can laugh like a mad man when the kitty escapes through the now very wide peep hole.

You can tell Mummy to take the fence down, just so you can see your new friend better. 

You pout when Mummy explains that this just isn't possible. 

You get home from a day at Granny's and instantly shout 'where are you'. your telling me you wish to go outside. You want to see your little friend.

It's amazing how you both stand there at that peep hole for as long as you do. 

Captivated by each other, two little boys wanting to tear down the fence and play.

Maybe the time has come to see if the boy next door would like to come over to see you. 

Maybe it is time you meet face to face.

Now That You Are 2...

Now you are two you seem so much bigger.

Surprising me each day with new words that you hear.

Just today you said 'Yes please' for the very first time,

right after I said it to the lady in the post office.

I had to double take to make sure I had heard you correctly, 

but you said it clear as day. 

Even the post office lady agreed.

You still need at least one nap a day,

and on some days we can still squeeze in a morning nap 

as well as one in the afternoon.

On days like today where we don't fit in any, 

you become the grumpiest toddler in the world.

You demand milk and blankie and refuse to eat your dinner. 

Your latest party trick is headbutting objects, 

tables, chairs or whatever you think may grab my attention.

You will soon work out beautiful boy that this will continue to hurt your head,

but that blank look I give you when I do glance over will not be the attention you crave.

Since you turned two your temper tantrums have indeed been spiking on the terrible two richter scale,

but through the head banging, the tears and the ear piercing shrieks, I will always stand you back up on your own two feet again.

Now you are two you are telling me more so what you want, and exactly what you do not want.

We seem to cross wires when you tell me you want Macca Pacca and really want Mike the Knight. 

You are biting holes in your milk bottle teats again... 

Then complaining that the milk isn't flowing as you would like.

Little man we really wont be buying any new teats now that you are two...

My advice is stop chewing them as once they are gone...They really are gone this time.

You are experiencing your first proper summer, 

getting the chance to play in the paddling pool and relax under the sizzling sun.

You are discovering ice lollies and water slides, 

and hating when Mummy slathers you in sun cream. 

Each new day is a new adventure, and you were so excited when Tigger joined you outside for the very first time today.

Tigger chased you, you chased Tigger.

in and out of your pop up play house, 

around the garden until Tig disappeared into the confinement of the bush.

Since you turned two you have tuned in more to the way your body works,

if your enjoying some nappy free time you tell me when you need a wee.

You say 'Mumma' and look down between your legs, 

and I ask you pronto if you need a nappy on, 

because I know you will refuse the potty or accidently pee on the floor.

You tell me 'Yes' that you do need a nappy, and then lie down on the floor

as good as gold for me to put it on.

The next step is trying to convice you about the potty, 

but you are doing so well with knowing when you need to go.

One small step at a time...

Since you turned two Leo you have taken to calling out the anatomy of Mummy.

Just the other day in the middle of a supermarket you grabbed my top and shouted at the top 

of your voice 'BALLS'.

I have to thank you very much for going around the supermarket 

grabbing handfulls of 'BALLS'.

I am sure you made the day of the other shoppers!

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

Eyes Wide Like Saucers

I love the age Leo is at right now.

22 months old.

An almost 2 year old toddler boy.

He is so curious about the world around him, and the simplest everyday occurrence is the most magical experience for him.

Simply seeing a pigeon or a cat makes his eyes grow to the size of saucers, and the real magic moments make his jaw drop open wide.

He runs around discovering the wonders of the great outdoors and takes in everything. Leo notices things before I have even seen them these days and it is him pointing them out telling me what they are.

He has discovered bouncy castles and bouncy slides down our local park, he doesn’t think of the money factor, he just see’s something he would love to do.

Leo was on the stairway to the slide before we even had chance to hand over any money. He worked his way all the way up to the top, to the point where the slanted stairs suddenly become vertical!

Followed closely by Daddy of course…

Daddy had to hoist Leo up the vertical stairs to the top, while holding on himself…At this precise moment Leo’s God Daddy who had gone up behind them managed to fall from the peak, rolling right down to the bottom.

He rolled all the way back down until he landed at the very bottom generating great laughter from the people watching their children bump down the slide, whose eyes had been diverted to the fully grown man rolling down the stairs.

The thought of it happening is enough to crease my face into the biggest smile!

Getting to watch Leo enjoy these experiences and even take part is giving myself is the most amazing opportunity. I feel as though I am getting to re-live my childhood again, getting to re-discover the magic in the world.

I am allowed to believe in fairies and Santa Clause, and I can help manifest this magic into Leo’s life.

I get excited about taking Leo to feed the ducks and planning special occasions that allow me to sprinkle some glitter into our lives, anything to keep that smile on his face and the magic in his life for as long as possible.

I am kicking birthday preparations into gear and with his birthday present already here, I am already imagining that amazing look on his face when he sees what he has.

My little 22 month old is only just beginning to see the wonders of this world, and I am determined to show him everything to keep the magic alive and those eyes wide like saucers.