Happy 2nd birthday, Jude!

Happy birthday, baby Jude!!  You are 2 years old today!  Although, when asked, you would put up a fight and insist that you were one.  I think you were just trying to get our goat!  Thankfully, by the end of the day, you were chanting, "Jude...two!  Jude...two!"  I think you are happy to accept it now.  :)

Today was a fun day!  The day started out with a TWO treasure hunt.  Nana and Liam made a whole bunch of "2s" and set them out in a trail.  You woke up and followed the trail down the stairs to your chair at the kitchen table.  Breakfast, made by Poppa, including gummies (your favourite thing ever), and a toonie were waiting for you.  You ate up your food and were ready to play!  We played outside in the morning until it got too unbearably hot.  You love playing in the water table and squirting anyone who was in the way.  Both Nana and Mommy got doused by you and you loved it. We also had a picnic for snacktime with our picnic set and lots of yummy goldfish, craisins, pretzel chips, applesauce and fruit strips and juice to drink--all of your favourite snacks!

After playing some more, we had a yummy lunch and a good long nap.  After nap, we went to the pool for swim lessons with Kika.  Daddy arrived just before your lesson and gave you a big birthday hug!  When we got home, Poppa had dinner ready and we had a yummy feast.  You were super silly and excited--I think you knew that it was your special day!  You ate up your dinner and we had super yummy cupcakes that Liam and Nana had made and decorated for you.  They were delicious!  After opening up your presents, it was bathtime and off to bed.  I think we can determine that your birthday was a success!

Jude, you warm my heart so much.  You have an amazing ability to charm everyone around you with your sunshiney smile and your smooth, deep voice.  You have a wonderful understanding of the English language and amaze me daily with things you say and what you can comprehend.  You can pick out one tiny piece of the conversation between two people and ask a question or just 'run with it'.  For example, Nana was telling Liam that he could play with his toy fire extinguisher out in the water table if he wanted.  Liam wanted to play with it inside, so he put up a fuss.  While he was 'fussing', you took the toy and went outside to the water table and started playing with it happily, and Liam didn't even know it was gone.  You are also a little parrot.  You repeat things you hear, immediately and after a while.  Your favourite sayings are, "Oh, maaaaan." or "Oh my goodness."  You are very blunt, too--"sing song," "rock," "snack."  You know what you want and aren't afraid to demand it.  You also know where everything is--Nana would ask you where something is and you would take her hand and show her.

You rarely walk...you are constantly skipping, jumping, stomping, dancing or running.  You always seem to have a song in your heart that you need to move to and that's how you get around.  With that, you almost always have a smile on your face and a twinkle in your eye.

You are very agreeable.  I will tell you "No," for some reason and you will say, "Oh-tay," and not put up a fuss.  And, oh, how I appreciate that!!  ;)  You are quite the mimic and will copy anything Liam says or does.  Even the bad choices.  Liam is beginning to understand that when he doesn't share, you won't share either, so Liam is starting to make better choices around you.  You're normally good at sharing, so hopefully this will make your playtimes easier. 

Other than Liam, your snuggle puppies and Paulie are your best friends.  You snuggle up with them when you are tired, sad, happy, or just feel goofy and want to roll around on them.  Your other "need-to-have" item is your snack cup or some type of snack food.  You love to eat goldfish and craisins and dump them all over the carpet and crunch the fish, then run away laughing as I chase you with the dust buster.  I try to make you pick them up and you "mime" the actions without actually picking up and putting anything away, all the while humming and bopping your head.  I try not to laugh but you're just so goofy.

Our Playgroup Family

The Playgroup Kids

You are just so loved--you warm my heart, sweet Jude.  I enjoy every minute of learning and laughing with you and look forward to seeing you grow and blossom into a handsome, charismatic young man.
Happy birthday, sweet boy.
Love,
Mommy