Søren's second year - 2 today!

I am not sure how the past year has flown past quite so quickly. Søren's first year seemed like a blink of an eye, and here we are another year down the road, and he is two today!

This time 2 years ago I was snuggled up with a tiny and wrinkly (and yet unnamed Søren). He seemed so small compared to his then 2 year old sister.  It felt like a lifetime since Miss Astrid was a newborn, but those two years really do go so very fast. It's hard to imagine that tiny newborn becoming a fiercely independent, clever and chatty toddler.

*Photo credit - Melissa Ellis Photography

One hundred and four weeks later Master Søren is no longer a baby and is keeping us on our toes well and truly! Today we are celebrating his second birthday with a visit to the adventure playground, presents, cake and dinner out.  On the weekend there will be a big second birthday bash as we go 'under the sea'.

I was amazed with Astrid at how much they grow and change in that second year, and go from babies to real little people, with more opinions (and tantrums) than you can poke a stick at. At one they are still babies but by two there is no baby left!

Soren is most definitely chock full of personality.  He knows what he wants, when he wants it and exactly how you should do it. If you don't follow all his rules a tantrum will ensue.  He very much likes things to be exactly how he expects, and will enforce all rules. We often joke about 'protocol breaches' when something doesn't conform to Søren's expectations!  When he is not practicing for a future career in law enforcement he is perfecting his favourite hobby of safe cracking.  No window, door, filing cabinet, or safe in the house is in fact safe from Søren. He will find the key and spend hours trying to get into it. Maybe the future career will be as a criminal?

Søren is still part fish. Always a fan of the swimming and the bath he loves nothing but perfecting his underwater swimming.  When forced onto dry land he is a fan of 'build, build, build' - loving building with blocks and duplo and anything he can stack, including pantry items.  A new obsession (one shared by his big sister) is playing trains, building kugelbahns and flying the remote controlled helicopter with his Dad.  If given the chance he will be outside digging in the backyard or the sandpit and picking all the flowers.

Søren is an awesome helper. He loves to help us out with pretty much any task.  Loves to cook and be in the kitchen, help with the grocery shopping or any outing with Dad (especially Bunnings and the markets).  He knows where everything in the house belongs and will unpack groceries and clothes baskets into the right spots without assistance and admonish us if something has inadvertently been put in the wrong spot!  He loves helping me walk the alpacas and we spend many hours walking around with him in the ergo spotting every bird, dog, bin and bus in the neighbourhood. Soren loves his babycinos, any egg based food (seriously he will turn into an egg soon) and going out for morning and afternoon teas!

Søren adores his sister and is always trying to kiss and cuddle her. Usually to placate her for having stolen her toys and books two minutes earlier.  They spend as much time fighting as playing nicely but when they are cooperating they do adore each other, and he is always excited to pick her up from preschool and has been looking after Astrid while she has been sick.

Cheeky doesn't even begin to describe Søren.  He knows how to flash his trademark grin and con everyone.  He is very cuddly and will cover his favourite people with kisses and cuddles.  It's lucky he is so cute at times because the tantrums are epic and frequent and we might just trade him in if he didn't remind us just how cute and lovely he can be. His favourite person right now is Dad, although 'A' as he calls Astrid and Mum are not far behind.  Grandparents definitely trump Mum and Dad though when they are around.

Søren is obsessed with the cats and Mulder gets cuddled very extensively many times a day (much to Mulder's annoyance).  Søren has his stuffed cat and dinosaur in his cot which make an adequate substitute for Mulder when sleeping. The alpacas are wrapped around his little finger, since he is fond of feeding them mints, carrots and all the fruit scraps.

Here is a look at just how much Master Søren has grown over the last 12 months.  He is most definitely one cheeky and independent little toddler. Too cute for his own good.

Happy 2nd birthday Søren Augustus, your third year is sure to be full of adventure.........

..... and then she was 4!

In the blink of an eye, four years have gone by.  This time four years ago, we had just become parents and had just met the delightful Miss Astrid Élodie.  So much has happened in that time, even in the last year.  All traces of our toddler are now gone.  She is well and truly a big girl now.  Our very independent, very bossy and very clever preschooler!

Some days if feels like just a few weeks since she was born, other days it's like she has been here for a lifetime. Of course, Miss Astrid is wise beyond her years and spends most of her time telling us what to do.  It's amazing we survived so many years without her helpful hints!  Her brother is much the same.  We should have known that two people who are bossy, independent, know everything and are never wrong, would breed children with the same traits.  It's a feisty household at times........

The last year has been busy. Lots of travel, lots of play, lots of learning.  Astrid loves her swimming and gymnastics.  She would spend half her life in the pool, the sandpit or out playing in mud.  The other half would be spend cooking and reading.  She loves bike rides, both on Dad's bike, and on her own bike.  She is going great guns with her scooter and balance bike.  In the last six months she has learnt to read and is now reading us bed time stories.  As good as reading is, maths is her new love.  We count past 100, we add, we subtract, we multiple and divide, we play with fractions and the whole world is a maths problem to her.  God help her teachers come Kindergarten!

It's been a big year for making friends.  We have some lovely neighbourhood friends and friends she has known for years, and she loves a good play date. This year has also seen Astrid start preschool. She has taken to it like a duck to water.  It has been her first time away from us (or a grandparent) but it hasn't phased her one bit.  She has made lovely friends and is bursting with excitement for every preschool day. She has settled in so well, and we are proud of how grown up and independent she has become.  Hopefully her love of school lasts the next 13 or so years, but so far, so good!

Astrid still adores her pets and her little brother. He is more of a challenge these days, now that he runs and steals toys.  She still (mostly) adores and dotes on him. Even if he doesn't always do what she wants!

Here is a look back at how Miss Astrid has changed in the past year, from three and still at toddler to our big four year old........

Astrid, you are so very clever, so very amusing and so very challenging!  You know everything about everything. You are always right (even when you are wrong). You love an argument and will argue with us about how you aren't arguing.  If you finally figure out sarcasm, the world is in big trouble.  If you put half as much energy into getting dressed and making your bed as you do telling us what to do, then life would be much easier (and there would be less yelling and tantrums).  Life is never dull with you. Your questions are endless but thought provoking. I can see having to resort to google more and more often.  I don't think you ever stop talking (you even talk in your sleep).......

It's hard to remember life without you.  I remember a time when it was quieter and I didn't argue as much, life is certainly more interesting now! You are loving, kind, thoughtful and cheeky.  You are also damn cute....  Here you are at 4!

Happy 4th birthday Astrid Élodie, we are looking forward to an exciting (if exhausting) year ahead with you.  What an adventure your fifth year on earth is going to be.........

Love Mum, Dad and Soren

Look at how she grew - Astrid's 2014!

Yesterday I posted Søren's 2014 timeline. You always notice how much they grow in their first year!  Last year when I posted Astrid's 2013 timeline I was amazed at how she had changed throughout the year.

The change hasn't been as dramatic this year. Astrid was just 2.5 at the start of the year, and turned 3.5 just before Christmas.  At some point during the year, however, we noticed she had gone from a toddler to a little girl. I'm not entirely sure exactly when that happened, but she is SUCH a little lady now. Not a lot of toddler left in her (except perhaps the tantrums!).

In a few short weeks Astrid starts preschool. No longer a baby and growing up too fast....... Here is a look at one photo a month from 2014. Look at how she grew!