Calum turns 2!

Doing a far better job with his cake this year (although I still didn't trust him enough to leave him fully clothed!)....

On April 24th Calum turned 2. This year his birthday happened to fall on Easter so we started the morning with his favourite breakfast (bacon and berries-the boy loves bacon!) followed by an Easter egg hunt and opening of some presents AND his Easter basket. Was lovely to have my Mom here to celebrate, especially for the Easter bit as here in the UK they don't do Easter egg hunts or baskets so it was perfect that she had come prepared.

Opening presents (which he definitely remembered having mastered the art at Xmas)
Reading a new book with Dad that morning
Finding his first Easter egg

We took Calum to the local farm since he's animal obsessed at the moment and he absolutely loved it, particularly seeing the horses which are his favourite (and pronounced in a very English accent as 'orse'). Afterwards we went to dinner at a local pub (much more civilised then in sounds) and sat out in the garden there as the weather was so lovely. Mark's family came over in the evening and we sang Happy Birthday (which was Calum's highlight as he knows some of the words and loves to sing) and he opened his favourite present, a big red Steve McQueen car which he currently loves driving around the house and even sits in to watch tv!

Looking like a true farmer (and yes, we did manage to get a new hat that fit his head in time for our CA vacation)
"Petting" the 3 week old bunnies on the farm (just before he poked it in the eye and pulled out a handful of fur)
Attempt at a family photo with me sitting out of arm's length from the bunny abuser
Singing Happy Birthday-look at that smile!

Still feeling a teeny bit guilty for not having a big party but as it was a 4 day weekend here most of Calum's friends and ours were out of town so next year I will definitely do something big for him when he can appreciate it a bit more.

I have to say, this year's birthday wasn't as bittersweet as lasts. I find that I love Calum more everyday and rather then wishing for him to be a baby, I look forward to seeing him grow and learn and become the little person (rather then baby) that he is. He's become a real companion, as Mark says we're like the 3 amigos and my life really and truly began the day he came into it. Happy 2nd birthday, Calum Xavier Verghese-we love you!