Alec turns two

Yesterday morning, I went to get Alec up and found him sitting in his cot looking a bit forlorn and repeating the word 'messy' as he looked around him. He'd been sick. Everywhere. His carefully washed hair was entangled with bits of last night's dinner, Peter Rabbit was a subtle shade of orange, and there were peas in between the sheets. I hadn't expected it, as I had only heard what I thought was him coughing during the night, but now I realise it was bang on schedule. Alec is two today, so as toddler tradition dictates, he must be ill just in time for a special occasion.

This isn't quite how I'd expected to blog about reaching the two year milestone, but toddlers are unpredictable little creatures in many ways. In others, they're a little too predictable for our liking. Yes, we've already had the pleasure of discovering the Terrible Twos. They arrived a few weeks ago, unannounced, as though someone had simply flicked a switch on my adorable little boy and turned him into that wailing cliche you see on the TV. One morning, as we all did our best to get ourselves out the door and away to nursery/work, Alec threw himself to the floor and burst into tears at the injustice of being denied a showing of the Gruffalo film at going-out-time. Andy was there to witness the event and we couldn't help laughing - much to Alec's disgust. He pursued this line of behaviour - quite valiantly and with enthusiasm, I must admit - for about a week and then, like a switch once more, he flicked back into being a delightful little soul.

The language is coming thick and fast, and every day he surprises me by remembering things I had only mentioned in passing but which have stuck in his mind like glue. Like the fact that there will be a red fire engine ('nee-naw') birthday cake today (who could forget that kind of promise?) or that Daddy is 'away' for 'work' and that, adorably, a heart means 'love'. (It's best not to pursue the love thing with toddlers, I've found. While Alec admitted that yes, he does love mummy and daddy, when pressed he also told me that he loves a hedgehog and a cow.)

Alec's nee-naw cake

He loves the drums, and especially loves playing the drums with daddy. He loves to sing Baa Baa Black Sheep at every opportunity and shouts 'Yes Sir!' when I ask if he has any wool. He loves Baby Ballet, which he does on Wednesday mornings at nursery, and talks about for the rest of the week. He loves our Monkey Music classes on Friday mornings, but mostly because of the bubbles and stickers which come at the end, but which he always tries to demand from the teacher right at the start. And he is totally obsessed with the Gruffalo (known as 'Mouse' in our household), and will spoil any sense of suspense by telling you exactly which animals are about to appear on the screen before they've made their entrance.

Taking the drums very seriously

Ok, so he has Opinions now, this is true. Like taking an extreme dislike to his new dressing gown, which Grandma bought him for Christmas, which keeps him warm in our freezing house, and which he adored when he first clapped eyes on it on Christmas Day. And his new coat, which was a bargain in the Mothercare sale and is actually a better fit for him than the one he insists on wearing every day because it has stars on it. Oh and gloves - don't get me started on gloves...

See? No gloves. In fact, he's flicking the V-sign at gloves.

But otherwise the Twos have so far been kind to us and I'm hopeful that the next year will bring more moments of laughter than it will tantrums. We have lots to look forward to. Alec will be getting a new brother or sister in early May, and he already seems quite excited about that, gleefully pointing at my tummy, saying 'Baby!' and waving hello. Whether it will be a boy or a girl, though, he's not too sure. Some days it's a brother, other days it's a sister. And on others it's a brother who he plans to name 'Sister'.

3 months to go...

So happy birthday, Alec, and thank you for two amazing years of getting to know you. I'm getting a little teary as I write this (I blame the pregnancy hormones), not so much at the thought of you growing up and becoming a proper little boy, because that is wonderful to watch, but more at our miraculous fortune in being blessed with such an awesome and fun little child. I know every parent is deluded into thinking that their child really is the best one but... well, ours really is.