I walk through the front door and peer into the front room. Hands behind his back, lil pop belly sticking out fixated with team umi zumi on the telly . I shout hello and his head turns. His eyes light up he cries out Dad-eeeeee, sucks his bottom lip in and charges my way. He grips my leg and gives me a squeeze passing on a token of his love and warmth. He’s there all of twenty seconds before he runs back to the TV resuming his Umi fest.

2 years young it’s so crazy how fast this is all flying by. Everything is quicker with him. Faster walking, faster talking, constantly trying to catch up to us and his big sister following in her footsteps (literally). I thought I would be able to really soak up more of his early years experiences then I did with Maya. Given how aware I am that in a second he won’t be that drooling baby struggling to make sounds and instead a little boy stringing 3 word sentences together telling me what he does and doesn’t want, oh wait we are already there! But I still couldn’t tell you when he said his first word or took his first step exactly.

That being said, I do get and make a lot of time with him. I see his daily progression unfold before my eyes. Yes there are frustrations. He is going through a throwing saga at the moment i.e. crayons, cars and cups. They all go flying. There was an evening where he clearly was not impressed with his dinner proceeded to pick up his bowl and drop it on the floor, smashing it to pieces while I was sat next to him. RUDE (the way I was vex though!) You’ll try to tell him off ?  he’ll look in another direction and not acknowledge you at all but you know he can hear you… cheeky lil man.

But the highs far outweigh the lows, from watching him demolish an ice cream, to the little waddle run he does, to the way he pulls his hair (or yours) when he is tired there’s just so much joy in being his father.

Rafa you are becoming a wonderful little boy happy birthday thank you for 2 amazing years here is to very many more.