Happy Birthday to Me! And Me!

Happy Birthday Little Brother. He was unaware of the fuss that awaited him, squawking for his weetbix and milk, chowing it down as fast as I could deliver it. I told Big Brother that it was LB's birthday, and predictably he said "Me too!'.

Oh, dear. I tried to explain that he had a birthday last, and now it was LB's turn. He's starting to get the concept of turns, but it's heavily weighted in his favor - three for me and then one short one for brother. Big tears - 'MY birthday'.
So I said - Remember? - you had a cake with Thomas (the tank engine) on it. Shall we look at the pictures on the computer?'. Not that many people ate that delicious chocolate mud cake concoction - they all saw how much spit landed on it as the 2 year old tried to blow out the candles!
But there is no reasoning with samesaid 2 year old - just more tears and despair, wailing and sulking - 'I don't wanna birthday. I wanna my birthday'.

LB was still unaware of his rite of passage, though he grinned as though he realised something was up when both sets of grandparents rang and sang him a catchy little tune over the phone. And then there was a big parcel. 'For ME!' yelled BB.

I kind of gave in at that point and let him take over the unwrapping, while LB was distracted by the open/close mechanics of the card. The pressie emerged - a set of soccer goals - mini pop up ones, that can be thrown in the shed when rugby is cooler and I have given up trying to talk them out of heavy contact sport. With a goal set up at each end of the lounge, they had a great time, kicking throwing and wrestling the Mitre 10 mega beach ball in for the points. A big tick for a present to encourage them to play together - outside - (while Mum talks on the phone and drinks tea).

The day faded into the normal routine - big morning sleep, then Dad cooked scrambled eggs for lunch. We had a low key party at the park planned (Mum made 5 dozen mini cup cakes, yet to be iced in blue and green, and topped with the piece de resistance - a pastel coloured marshmallow). But it was wet on and off all afternoon, so Mum did the unthinkable - and postponed the party! The day was saved by a couple of lovely friends dropping by - and LB happily played with his new drum and Thomas puzzle - when BB would let him. Fish and chips for dinner. 'I love sauce' chimes in BB, blissfully.

So, despite thinking - Who's birthday was it anyway? LB is now happily in bed, hopefully dreaming of soccer trophies. Tomorrow I will get up early and ice the slightly hard cupcakes (it's not like the small fry will eat the cake anyway) and dig out one sweet solitary candle. I will put off weaning him a bit longer, and will keep referring to him as 'my baby'. Maybe next year we'll have a cake with Thomas on it, and he might be allowed to open his own present. But to be honest, we don't want him growing up any faster.

HOORAY FOR Trademe and the Soccer shop. Great present for the boyos.

SAVING THE PLANET one meal eaten off recycled newspaper at a time (this broad sweeping statement not taking into account the quagmire of the inefficiencies and waste in paper processing, let alone the state of the planet's oceans.) But I say "Take the night off, dishwasher!' and am referring to both machine, and human. I am having a wine for getting a child to a year old sans major incident.