Happy 2nd Birthday Baby Boy! Oh god another rollercoaster of a year. I loved writing this update last year so I’m going to make it a yearly thing. It’ll be something we can look back on in years to come. I really can’t get over how much you’ve grown and progressed during lockdown (Oh yeah by the way, this was the year Coronavirus struck and we spent 3 months solidly at home). You really have come on leaps and bounds and you amaze me every single day.

So here’s a look back at our last year together and all the wonderful and not so wonderful things that happened:

12 Months

We celebrated your first birthday down at Nanny and Bampi’s caravan. So many people turned up to celebrate with us and we had a lovely day having a barbecue and playing outdoors. On the 11th July you took your very first unaided steps at Nana an Gramps house. Aunty Vicky came home and we went on lots of yummy food dates. She even came for moral support for your 1 year injections.

13 Months

The kitchen was fitted in the extension and you made the most of the extra space. You would zoom around the units on your quad bike that Uncle Rhysy and Uncle Adam got you for your birthday. On the 6th August you started your first day at nursery, only one morning a week but you loved it. I was really nervous leaving you the first time but you never cried, you couldn’t wait to get your hands on all the amazing toys they had.

We went to visit the sunflowers in Rhosilli with Aunty Vicky and had a cheeky lunch at the Wildflower Cafe, one of our favourite places. We visited Uncle Rhysy and Uncle Adam in Cardiff and went for a family meal. You were prone to rashes but you had your first allergic reaction, your eye was swollen so badly you couldn’t open it and of course I panicked and rushed you straight to the doctors. There was nothing major to worry about though, thank god. We also had your 2nd bank holiday weekend down the caravan and you won 1st place in the fancy dress competition (I mean you were the only child in your age category so there was no competition but you are always a winner in my eyes). It really was the perfect weekend and I so hope we get to spend the bank holiday there this year too.

14 Months

You really were starting to master this walking lark. Although you still walked with your hands raised to balance yourself, it did look funny. You found your love for unpacking the shopping, it’s one of your favourite jobs to do and it’s amazing how many heavy objects you can lift. We made our first visit to the inflatable park with your buddies Cai and Romey and you loved it. You kept throwing yourself in the ball pit and I kept having to drag you back out. You had your first proper go on a drum kit and well that was game over for us then. We went to nurseries fun day which was circus themed and you had a brilliant time playing with all your friends.

15 Months

At the end of September you tried on your first suit jacket and you looked very smart indeed. Mammy and Daddy buggered off for the weekend and you spent the time with Nana & Gramps and Nanny and Bampi so you were most definitely spoilt that weekend. You watched lots of rugby with Daddy but you really weren’t that interested. We went pumpkin picking with Aunty Gina to Penyfodau Farm and spent an obscene amount of money on pumpkins. You loved helping pick the pumpkins and putting them in the wheelbarrow.

16 Months

For Halloween we surprised Nana & Gramps, Uncle Kyran and Aunty Jodie and Nanny and Bampi with a surprise trick or treater. Everyone loved the surprise visit and seeing you in your pumpkin costume. We finally went for our first visit to The Bridge for a Sunday dinner and it did not disappoint. Then I dragged Daddy along to experience the hell hole that is soft play. We went for a day trip to a little tots village and you and your bestie Romey had a fab time pretending to be shop keepers and builders. November also saw your 2nd Cadno Music concert, you were so well behaved and everyone made a massive fuss over you. You went to see your first rugby game and watched your Uncle Kyran playing. We went to see the Christmas light switch on in Gorseinon and you loved the balloon that Nanny and Bampi bought you. It only got thrown in the bin in May because the song it played was driving me mad!

17 Months

In December we went for a family meal to Bistrot Pierre to celebrate Uncle Kyran’s birthday. We went and picked our first real Christmas tree from Gower Fresh Farm, you loved helping put it up. We went on our first family weekend away to Center Parcs to celebrate my 30th birthday. We even met Santa whilst we were there. Unfortunately you became quite unwell whilst we were there but we still had an amazing time. We will have to go back again so you can experience it without a raging temperature. Me and you were quite ill for a lot of December baby boy. It wasn’t nice at all. We were back and for to the doctors numerous times but nobody knew what was wrong with either of us. I’m sorry I can’t tell you much about Christmas Day as it was a bit of a blur, I was still extremely unwell but I still managed to get some phots of you opening your presents. You loved having all the family around and all the fuss you got from them.

18 Months

In January we went on a lovely walk around Burry Port harbour. You took a little tumble but after a quick cry you were back up on your feet and rushing off again. We had a day out in Swansea and you had your first Five Guys, safe to say you were very impressed with the food. We did lots of eating out in January and started our mammy and baby lunch dates. We went to the Swansea Waterfront Museum to see Nanny’s work on display and you loved running around and pushing all the buttons for the interactive displays.

19 Months

We had a Mama and Nolan day out in Swansea to check out the sales and you picked a lot of your own clothes in Boots. Everyone was laughing because you were choosing things yourself and holding your bag of shopping. Nanny bought you a hippo costume and it was absolutely devastating apparently. We treated Nana to some lunch at the Sandpiper and she was on duty to run around after you in the soft play area. We went to the superhero day in Llanelli but the weather was a bit miserable so we met Aunty Gina for a Nando’s instead. In February we discovered the Smoking Griddle and went there one evening with our friends and your buddy Romey. You absolutely loved it and did not stop eating. You had a very exciting photoshoot with Abigail Lewis Photography and Nana even jumped in for a few shots too. I had an event in Cardiff to go to and I thought it would be rude to not stop off in the Disney Store and get you something. This is when your love for Woody truly started to blossom.

20 Months

Your 20th Month started off amazingly. We had the best weekend ever. We took you to get your haircut, you visited Gramps in the shop to play the drums and we took a trip to the Ship Agroud for some yummy food. The next day you went swimming with Daddy and then we all went out for Nando’s. And on the Sunday we went for a walk to Neath waterfalls for Nanny’s birthday and went for an amazing Sunday dinner where we were told the most amazing news. Aunty Jodie and Uncle Kyran were expecting a baby and you were going to be a big cousin! It really was the most amazing weekend. In March you went for your first taster session of Tots Rugby which you absolutely loved. Unfortunately you didn’t get to go back the following week as you had an accident that ended up with all of us in A&E waiting for you to get stitches on your eyebrow. My poor little prince! Getting a phone call to say you had an accident was the most horrific thing but I’m so glad it wasn’t anything worse. And then lockdown happened. The start of our 3 months at home.

21 Months

As both Me and Daddy were furloughed we spent a lot of time doing things around the house. You spent loads of time with Daddy in the garden and you helped do the gardening and digging. The weather was really nice the first few weeks and we got the paddling pool out and had lots of barbecues. We also spent A LOT of time watching Disney+ as it had just launched, what perfect timing! We discovered your love of Toy Story, Bugs Life and Monsters Inc. For Easter Aunty Kelly kindly gave us an Easter basket and eggs so we could do an indoor egg hunt. You absolutely loved it and we did it numerous times throughout the day. You loved being Daddy’s assistant and laying the flooring in the hallway one day.

22 Months

The second month of lockdown consisted of pretty much the same thing, walks, playing in the garden and lots of Disney+. We spent a full day in the garden one day and Daddy made you a slip and slide which you absolutely loved. Even when your teeth were chattering and your lips were blue you didn’t want to come inside. We celebrated Daddy’s birthday with yummy food and loaded cookies from Get Stuffed By Jen. You loved playing with all the balloons I put up. We spent lots of time colouring and you loved sitting at the dining table and listening to nursery rhymes. Nanny and Bampi made you your very own garden so you could dig to your hearts content without ripping up mammy’s flowers.

23 Months

At the end of May you made our big screen debut. We were on the news handsome boy. All our friends and families tuned in to see your gorgeous face on the telly. It was a very proud moment! Mammy finally bought the paddling pool I’d been lusting after for over year and it arrived just in time for one of the hottest days. So of course you and Daddy spent ages in it. I just watched from the side lines. Lots more garden work and digging happened. We went in the car to Swansea for the first time in months to pick up food from Six Swansea and we had an impromptu photoshoot outside while we waited. Once lockdown eased again we visited Pontardulais Garden Centre with Nanny to buy some plants and feed the ducks which you absolutely loved. We celebrated Father’s Day with a socially distanced visited to Bampi and Gramps.

Now you are Two!

Honestly I can’t believe you are two already! This last year has blown by. The last 3 months at home with you have been amazing but god I can’t wait to get you socialising again. I know you’ve missed playing with other children. Here’s hoping the next year is just as amazing as this one has been, hopefully we can squish in some mini breaks to make up for the lost holidays this year.

Love you to the moon and back Nono x