ALICE IS 2!

OK, nearly 2 weeks late and now I'm having trouble with Alice's Happy Cake (her name for anything Birthday is 'Happy'!) (the photo is landscape on preview but portrait when uploaded?) Anyway the Happy Cake was Mummy's homemade fudge chocolate cake.

We did our usual things on the morning of her birthday - dashing out of the door in time to go to T*ick T*ock 20 minutes away, we were late enough that she didn't even notice the strange rug covered monstrosities in the playroom! They sang the Happy Song to her at TT and she even managed to stand at the front (with Mummy) through most of it before taking herself back to our place to sit down (the only time she sat there during the whole class!)

When we got home she unveiled her pressies - an easel from Mummy and a play kitchen (initially a 'chicken') from Grandad - she knew exactly what they both were and played appropriately with them from first sight (I thought that that was pretty incredible - especially the easel, how on earth did she know what it was?)

While she snoozed after lunch I got ready a Happy Tea ready. She wore her spotty outfit for the afternoon and discovered the tea table almost immediately after her nap and proceeded to graze for most of the rest of the day. By mid afternoon her little friends started to arrive (though all 3 of the other mums were working that day), the children played and then ate, Alice unwrapped some of her presents and the grown ups chatted, drank tea and ate too!

It was a lovely day and it's amazing to think back 12 months and reflect on how much she's changed in the past year - I miss the baby stage but I love the walking, talking, playing and independence that is Alice aged 2 (I hope that I don't live to regret that statement!!)