Alexander Turns 3

I literally can’t believe my baby boy, Xander turned 3 on Sunday, my charming, loveable, second born son is simply growing up too quickly and I’d like it to stop, STOP I tell you- I want him to remain my baby always, and I suppose he always will be just that, my littlest, youngest love.

Inevitably now with two kids more independent than newborns (Oliver turns 6 in January) I’m missing those often, painfully tiring baby days, that all round-neediness and love of tiny people.

I know.

What is wrong with we women?

We reach new milestones and start to regain our freedom again just for the broodiness to set in once again. Madness!

This seems like yesterday!

There definitely won’t be any more babies any time soon that’s for sure (and breathe darling husband Peter who might well be reading this)-but it’s inevitable that as your family grows, you mourn a part of you that’s gone too.

In many ways Xander loves being the ‘baby’ of the house, although he won’t be the youngest in the family soon, as my brother Solos and his fiancée Lucy are expecting a baby in December.

When Alexander was *actually a baby!

For now though, Xander seems to enjoy pretending to be a baby, ‘I can’t reach my book Mummy because I’m a baby’- equally he’s mature for his age, has a vast vocabulary for a 3 year old, can write his name ‘Alexander’ in full too- and one strong little boy (thanks to Oliver’s indirect boot camp style training via all the toy-related tussles they have on daily basis).

And other days they play together, the best of friends-

(Below taken on the morning of his birthday at his favourite park)

Striped Tee bought from my great friend Nomita’s Ebabee Shop.

…Alexander is certainly one fearless, creative, football star in the making (he could dribble at 10 months old and not just from his mouth).

A foodie whose favourite snacks include avos and coconut (we’ve nicknamed him Gwynnie), he a dino-mad, biscuit baking, gardening lover, 3 year old mummy’s boy that makes my world go around.

He’s a comedy genius too. Not bad for a 3 year old.

Last night, he asked me to breastfeed his plastic dinosaurs because they were hungry. There’s a sentence I never thought I’d write! Feeding time at Jurassic Park. The joys of motherhood huh.

Moody, stubborn, free-spirited too, he’s a boy who loves the camera (cough, not sure who he gets that from)-and makes this family immeasurably and unspeakably happy every single day.

Here are some recent snaps from a day in Ilkley, my home town, both boys free as birds, playing, eating and splashing in the river. Perfect childhood days-

I love the little glint in his eye, that cheeky smile, that honey blossom smell both my sons possess. It’s intoxicating being a Mum, it really is.

So to celebrate his special day, Sunday saw us having a little family party at one of my family’s restaurants The Olive Tree for divine Greek food (Alexander scoffed prawns with chilli-told you he’s a foodie) and both boys delighted in their huge party bags c/o of Grandma and Grandad, with more presents of board games, paints, dinosaur toys and books (so lucky), with Xander basking in the attention and great love of those who mean the most to him.

Smile-

We. Are. Family.

Here with Solos, my brother, his fiancée Lucy and Oliver and Xander.

Food!

My other Mummy’s boy!

And a lollipop treat for the birthday boy!

..I did contemplate a party with his friends from nursery but decided a smaller gathering would be best this year, he was rather overwhelmed at a recent friend’s birthday party, so it seemed wise.

Oliver, my first born always had fairly big parties from the age of 1, but we’ve kept Xander’s low key thus far (Ibiza next year though right X?)

With a gifted local cake maker Andrea baking up this Minion masterpiece, Alexander was so captivated by it, he forbid us to cut it.

It’s now sat in our kitchen patiently waiting to be eaten.

It might be waiting a while. Christmas minion cake anyone?

…As we sang Happy Birthday, Xander shouted over us, that it wasn’t his birthday after all and he’s staying 2, not 3. ‘I’m 2, I’m 2’ he whines.

Which suits this Mummy just fine.

As Gru in Despicable 2 sweetly says to Agnes, kissing her goodnight, ‘Never get older’, I feel the same way about my own ‘baby’.

Never get older Xander, my love, my sunshine, my darling son x