This picture makes me so happy - 2 years old today, surrounded by all those who love you most...a very lucky little lady indeed.
We kept it small and simple today - blueberry pancakes for breakfast, then a couple of laps around the block on your new Trike (a total hit) in your pyjamas...Grandparents joined us for a cuppa and cake mid morning, and a few more parcels were torn open excitedly. Next a picnic by the Lake with some of our favourite people, where you ran yourself to exhaustion with one of your favourite little people.
I still can't quite believe you have been here with us for 2 whole years already - as the cliche goes, these first precious years have flown by in the blink of an eye...In the spirit of this post, I want to again get a few details down on paper of you at this moment in time - hilarious, complex, strong-willed little you, before you go ahead and change again on me!!
Things you like to do
You are in to music in a big way...you sing songs (some learnt, others made up) all day long - the car, the shower and the dinner table are your favourite venues to perform, your renditions often breaking out at the most unexpected and therefore hilarious of times (today you sang Happy Birthday to Me all the way to the picnic, while your Daddy and I tried to hold it together in the front seat).
As much as you love singing however, dancing most definitely tops the list - especially if Grandad and Irish music is involved. Joining your beloved Grandad in a good old jig has been something you have shared with gusto since you could walk - in fact, more often than not, the first thing you do whenever we visit their house is take Grandad by the hand, and lead him away to the lounge room, promptly requesting he put music on so the fun can begin (which we all know he secretly loves too).
Bubble baths, taking Mia for walks, having stories read to you, 'helping' me with daily tasks (hanging out the washing, cooking the dinner) and pretending to drive our car are among your other most enjoyed activities at present - the later made even more exciting if Daddy is washing the car at the same time.
On a side note, having your hair brushed, getting dressed and sleeping top the list of things you most like not to do these days.
Things you like to talk about
Everything and anything!! You are indeed a chatterbox, and your speech in the past few months has well and truly blown us away. You speak in sentences freely, are able to recall details of your day with relative ease, and continue to surprise us with sweet greetings or responses at the most appropriate times - "good morning mummy" when you see me first thing, "its a lovely day" when we step outside to begin our day. Your softly spoken manners are just about the sweetest sound I've ever heard, and make me so proud when we are out and about.
In very recent days however, we have realised even more so the influence our own conversations and reactions are having on you - the mimicking is both hilarious and at times a little confronting, as you demonstrate so innocently our own habits and flaws. Just this week you were in the car with Daddy, stopped at a roundabout, waiting for the heavy traffic to allow you to continue on, and you suddenly chimed out from the back seat, "come on!!"..I get the blame for that one apparently, Daddy hearing only my voice shining through yours.
New tricks and triumphs
Just a few skills practised and perfected over the past couple of months...climbing out of your cot (which is now as a result, is a junior bed); eating more confidently with a fork or spoon, your fine motor skills improving every day; building impressive towers with your blocks, able to delicately balance them atop one another, your precision and slight of touch becoming more refined; and generally climbing up/over/along any dangerous surface available to you (we have had some scary discoveries lately - one morning we entered your room to find you sitting on your change table, another day you opened drawers to create a step ladder to reach the top of our sideboard!!!)
My darling girl, you are indeed a complex and fascinating little creature, who continues to steal are hearts away with each passing day. We can't wait for more of your unique and quirky traits to be revealed over the coming months and years, as you move farther away from your Toddler self toward little-girldom...You are sweet and strong, stubborn and tender, and bring all of us around you more joy than we ever felt possible.
Happy Birthday Matilda Rose, I hope you have enjoyed the spoilings as much as we have enjoyed spoiling you! x
Today is special for two reasons... Firstly, my love and I are celebrating 4 years of wonderful marriage, and secondly, our little one turns 18 months old - officially a baby no more, astoundingly more like a little lady each day.
Where did that time go??!!
Tonight the Boy and I are treating ourselves to a very posh restaurant, and a late session flick at the movies...time to chat and reminisce over the past few years, share some delicious food and wine, and just enjoy each others company - some savoured togetherness is the perfect gift.
Although we have been together almost 13 years, these past four betrothed have most definitely defined and cemented our relationship more than ever. Since saying our i-do's, we have strove together to dream, work for and then reach so many goals - I feel so proud of us, both as individuals and as a Team for the way we have supported, cared and loved each other along the way, navigating all those tricky bumps in the road.
Becoming parents has indeed been our greatest triumph to date, and seeing my husband take so naturally to the role of Daddy only makes my heart swell larger for this man of mine. I'm a lucky lady for sure, reminded of it especially today - happy anniversary my love.
......
Matilda is 18 months, and I truly can't believe it... time seems to be speeding up the older she grows, so more important now than ever to record the details, write it all down...
Here are a few particulars I don't want to forget, of 18-month-old-you:
Favourite words: flower (wow-wer), owl (oowwwllllll), water, milk (mulk), hat, shoes (shoooooes), car, cheese, apples (ALL fruit/vege is apples, except for na-na of course), Mima & Umty (Jemima and Humpty from Play School), no (hearing a LOT of this one lately!).
Favourite foods: cheese (if it weren't for cheese, you would have starved some days Miss Fusspot!), apples (and by this I mean grapes, blueberries, bananas, peaches), anything fishy (tuna, anchovies), baked beans, Daddy's scrambled eggs, anything with noodles, Mama's bolognese, yogurt.
Those you love: your beloved Bunny (bubby - wherever you are, so is he), plastic dinosaurs, Play School (!!!), books, tupperware, your tea set, Daddy's chair (your spot for watching said Play School, always), hats & shoes (I can tell this is going to become costly), Mia (you sweetly bring her toys to play with, and tease her to play tug-of-war with you).
Things you love to do: walking up and down stairs (apparently I am not allowed to help you anymore with this), dancing, singing (always singing - ba ba black sheep, Play School song, Old MacDonald - in your own special way of course), emptying drawers and cupboards, draping yourself in Mama and Daddy's clothes, anything that involves water (showers, puddles, hoses, bubblers), collecting rocks/twigs/handfuls of dirt when we are at the park.
You have certainly come leaps and bounds these past couple of months little lady, learning new words and tricks each and every day. You have completely bewitched your Daddy and I with your gentle, but very cheeky nature - we couldn't be more proud of you, nor wish for a sweeter girl to call our own.
Lately I've spoken a lot about the many remarkable and rapid leaps in Tilly's development, mainly in relation to movement & motor skills, as well as the recent life-changing ability to self-sooth and settle herself to sleep.
These are all milestones as a parent I have been anticipating - little graduations all the books prepare you for and encourage...signals that your little one is becoming less little by the day.
So lots of boxes have been ticked these past couple of months, and of course I could not be more proud... I am ever awestruck at how truly amazing these wee creatures are - the most curious of sponges; observing, absorbing, contemplating and learning from absolutely everything around them, and all that we as their companions do.
This is why the latest revelation has really taken me by surprise, in the most lovely way - a change in Tilly's behaviour I wasn't expecting, a gift that has nourished me as a mama more than she will ever know...
Affection.
Over the past couple of weeks, this little lady has become quite the little nurturer. She lunges at me unexpectedly for big, bear-hug cuddles, strokes my back tenderly when I carry her on my hip, leans in of her own accord to plant delicate mmmmming-kisses on my cheek.
Just today, I hurt my back and had lie down on the floor to rest a while - without a word, she curled up beside me, rested her head on my tummy and patted my hand - almost in sympathy.
The funny thing is, after sharing my experiences with friends, it seems as though their little people too began showering them with affection around this age... What a monumental leap the books have neglected here!
As a mamas we are forever giving and showing love to our children, partners, families...we are nurturers instinctively.
I didn't realise how much I was in need of affection until Matilda began to show me. Sweet tokens of appreciation expressed in her own way - simple but beautiful gestures that revive and fulfil me beyond measure.
So thank you darling girl, for loving me as I love you.
*photo taken when Tilly was 3 weeks old - newborn skin so delicate, touch her strongest sense
Yesterday, surrounded by wonderful friends and our loving families, we celebrated our baby Matilda turning 1, and a magical first year of parenthood. Despite the wicked wind, we all gathered at a sweet country Teahouse for a birthday brunch and bubbly, and an afternoon frolic in the pretty garden.
It was a lovely, casual affair, allowing us time to catch up with treasured friends and marvel at how much our Little Miss has grown over the past 12 months - all of a sudden we have a real little girl tugging at our trouser legs, with a strong will and fierce determination (this one is all her Daddy!)...
I think she knew it was Her Day - after the initial overwhelming greetings as our guests arrived, Matilda quickly relaxed and busied herself with her baby mates, before swiftly turning her attention to the mountain of gifts with their enticing ribbons and rustling papers.
The wooden 'activity cube' from Grandma proved a crowd pleaser, as the bubbas tousled for prime position - and the new Teepee, from Daddy and I, became a hot spot for play and peek-a-boos.
Despite my doubts, Matilda beamed as everyone sang her "Happy Birthday", and clapped her hands with delight as we all cheered Hooray! She showed her appreciation of my wonky, mumma-made cake by swiftly nabbing a cheeky marshmallow off the top, her Daddy helping her blow out the candle.
My heart was full as her Daddy did his best to deliver a little speech - he was so choked up with sudden emotion, the words getting stuck in his throat and his eyes glassy with tears. We were both taken by surprise at just how emotional the day became for us - from reminiscing about our Birth journey a year earlier, to observing this perfect little person playing happily and confidently with her pals - happy tears welled in our eyes numerous times, and we squeezed each others hands more than once in recognition of precious moments we were sharing.
Witnessing so much love in the room for our daughter from all who were there, really filled us with such immense gratitude and joy - for we know that she will be shaped by all these people in some small way, and no doubt they by her...
So again, Happy Birthday to my darling daughter, Matilda - there is no greater gift than you my angel. Thank you for the most incredibly magical, dizzying, wondrous adventure this past 12 months - I can't wait to see what the next chapter entails, as you officially become.... a Toddler - eep!!!
