My sweet boy turned 2!

I realize that I'm going backwards in time.  Its just easier to sort through my pictures and catch up this way! :)


Weston turned 2 at the end of December!  Two is such a bittersweet birthday for me.  It is such a wonderful age because they're learning and exploring and developing their little characters but its sad because they are leaving behind their baby-ness!  Thankfully, W still has those sweet, baby cherub cheeks.


We try to keep birthday celebrations very simple. We used to do the big party thing and it ended with over stimulated kids, an exhausted mama and a huge mess to clean up!  I see nothing wrong with parties (and I'm sure as the kids get older, we will do small ones for them at their request) but for now, I much prefer a small, family affair. The whole day (and bedtime the night before) is about the child and celebrating them!


The night before their birthday, we switch our story reading time from our room to the birthday child's. After we've finished our bedtime ryhthm, we recite a birthday poem.


When I've said my bedtime prayer
my clothes are folded on the chair
mom and dad turn out the light
I'll still be 1 year old tonight


But from the very break of day
Before the children rise and play
Before the darkness turns to gold
Tomorrow I'll be 2 years old!


2 kisses when I wake
2 candles on my cake


I'm not sure where this poem originates from.  If someone happens to know, I'd love to find out!


After the poem was finished, everyone gave Weston one kiss and off we went to bed!


While he was sleeping, Ryan and I set up the birthday stuff.  We put out his felt birthday crown that I finished exactly one day before his birthday (oops...), his cape (aka play silk) and gifts under his birthday banner along with his birthday "ring" (we were short on the budget...so hopefully we'll get a real ring in time for the next birthday) and a photo of him as a newborn.








I put out a trail of stars for him to follow from his bedroom.  I think B was much more excited than he was about this! 



When he woke up, he got dressed up in his birthday gear.  Everyone lined up to give him 2 kisses because now he was 2!  Then we followed the star trail to his gifts! 





He got to eat his special birthday breakfast and choose the activities for the day!  This is a little bit harder in the dead of winter on a weekday while daddy is gone but we made out okay!

 

He chose painting as his morning activity then promptly left to do something else.  Eleanor the cat was only too happy to take his place!

In the evening, we invite our family over for a birthday dinner and cake!  W's birthday is doubly special because my younger brother shares it with him!  They are exactly 20 years apart and oh so similar in looks and personality!  Next year I hope to have a birthday crown for Uncle Nathan as well (doesn't every 21 year old man want one?!) but I was just too far behind this year!  


 

Kung Fu enthuisiast Uncle Nathan was trying to teach Weston how to "punch" the flame out.

Weston tried it out for himself!

Eventually they gave up and resorted to the more traditional method.

Ryan made the cake this year and he did a wonderful job!  We're making a conscious effort to reduce (and hopefully eliminate) refined sugars from the kids' diet, hoping it will help their tummy issues and so we were a little nervous about this sugar-free cake!  It was delicious though!  The recipe can be found here.

And that is that!  It was a wonderful, simple and intimate birthday and I think W had a wonderful day being loved and cherished!  I know I enjoyed it!