cedar, two years old
Growing up, Boho Boy and his brother woke up on the morning of their birthday to their parents singing "happy birthday to you..." with their cake and candles lighting up the room. They made their wishes first thing, blew out the candles and the magical day began. They did this every single year.
We wanted to start this same tradition for Cedar's birthday, so this morning he was woken up with a song and a gluten free cupcake and two candles lit. It was awesome to see his wonder.
Another tradition we wanted to continue that we started last year was his birthday fort. Although this year, it lasted about 3 hours before he kept pulling on it and it came crashing down...three different times! Perhaps next year, he'll understand that in order to have a fort, you gotta keep it up. We had a blast while it lasted...all cozy and cuddly...playing and tickling and reading books.
I have a slideshow of the fort the day before...the morning candle song...and the presents he opened from his Omi. We are going to celebrate his birthday again over Thanksgiving. Everyone should have a birthday week!
A few things about Cedar and his terrific two~ness:
- Even though he can hold his bottle fine, he still only wants mama to feed him...even if its just a few sips after a nap and before sleepy times. That alone is comfort for him
- He still loves pureed sweet potatoes and carrots with each meal
- Avocados with a dash of sea salt are his favorite
- He just discovered popcorn and calls it "hopan"
- He's really into trains, airplanes, helicopters and school buses
- He loves to sing in the car when we're driving and for us to join in
- He wants all adults in the room to share in whatever he is doing, tasting, feeling, seeing. He invites you in.
- He is timid with other children in that way
- He went through a hitting phase, which was heartbreaking and a growing experience for mama...but after gently talking him through each experience, he seems to have moved through it
- He seems to have a joyous effect on other children
- People often tell me about the light in his eyes and his pure joy
- They also still think he is a girl. Even if he is in a super duper boyish outfit
- He loves to Skype with Auntie DD. They play trains and also both fall on top of a bunch of pillows on each of their couches. He thinks when she is not here, she lives in the laptop. He often runs up to the laptop and says "Hiiiii Thee Thee!!"...like he's calling her out to play. Its both adorable and heart breaking
- My parents are getting Skype over the holidays so they can have play dates with him too
- Right now, if I Skype with someone else, he covers his eyes. He believes only Auntie DD lives there and anything else is too bizarre to handle
- Mondays he goes through daddy withdrawals
- Daddy gives him a bath each night and they make bubbles with a bubble maker
- Cedar now thinks our lights that are in the ceiling are also bubbles because they are bulbous
- In his mind, the whole world is full of bubbles
- He loves being naked and always pulls his pants off
- He believes all of his stuffed animals are real and he has long conversations with them in his crib
- When he plays with anything that has wheels, he lays on the ground and observes how the wheels move while he pushes it slowly
- Before he has a meltdown on the ground, he does a little dance. Its really hard not to laugh
- He is fascinated with how things work and are put together. Last time we were at the park he laid on the ground under one of those bouncy horsey rides to see what made it go back and forth. He laid there observing for a few minutes
- He has a memory like an elephant and sometimes its almost creepy what he doesn't forget
- He doesn't miss anything and notices the tiniest treasures from a distance. Like a spec on the ground lots of feet away
- He is now a big fan of bamboo clothing (who isn't).
- He has never sucked his thumb but since birth, he rubs his ears for self soothing to help him sleep or when he is unwell.
- He has awesome rhythm
- He is as tall as a three year old
- He's really witty, already...so this means he might be a clown
- He is our greatest gift and our most favorite life teacher
Happy Birthday, our dear sweet gnome, wood nymph, faerie boy.