Celebrating Simon’s birthday

Although today is Simon’s birthday (and thank you for all the birthday wishes!), we celebrated it with the family last Saturday. And since Simon’s story yesterday was perhaps one of my wordiest stories ever, I’ll let the pictures do most of the talking for this one.

In the morning, we went for a walk to Hog’s Back Falls. It was the perfect day for a winter walk – clear and mild and still. This is my favourite time of year to visit Hog’s Back, because the snow is white and clean but the spring melt is beginning and you can hear the water rushing nearby.

First, I took a turn pulling Simon in the sled…

…and then Tristan took a turn.

Then Simon realized he could get into a lot more trouble under his own power. Here he is walking with Beloved.

We brought some bird seed and peanuts, but to our great disappointment, we discovered that chipmunks are hibernating creatures. Or, at least we didn’t see any. But there were chickadees and nuthatches who were quite willing to sit on our fingers and have a snack.

(See, Andrea? Emma and Tristan would at least have this in common!)

All that walking made for a great afternoon nap for Simon, but alas, not for mummy. While Beloved and Tristan went off to the library, I decorated the kitchen and living room. The balloons and streamers were intentionally put up high and out of reach, but the box of Wiggles cards (Valentine’s Day cards, in fact, but don’t tell Simon) got taped up at toddler eye-level throughout the main floor.

Granny and Papa Lou came over for dinner, and we made sure to have Simon’s favourite food, which you really should hear him pronounce because it’s so damn adorable: gu-a-co-MOOOOOO-leeee. (Other special birthday guests could not make it, sadly, because their beautiful baby girl developed croup that day, which Simon has somehow managed to catch via my phone conversation with her mother. Go figure. “What did you get for your birthday, Simon?” “Croup.”)

And of course, what birthday would be complete without prezzies? Tristan was very helpful in extricating the presents from their packages with Simon.

For years, I have contemplated getting a cash register toy for the boys – since Tristan’s 2nd birthday, I think. Beloved has always seen it as a bit of a lame gift. I perservered (yes, I’m laying it on thick, hoping Beloved is reading today) and was – can you believe it? – right! They loved it!

And a special bravo and thank you to our bloggy friends who suggested an AquaDoodle as a great gift for a two-year-old. (Nancy, you get props for being the first to suggest it – I remember when you first got one for the Troops and how much they liked it.) Granny read all your suggestions, and in the end chose the fancy Thomas the Tank Engine AquaDoodle. Even mummy and daddy get a kick out of playing with this one, and watching the Thomas train follow the tracks we’ve drawn. The boys like it so much, they even (gasp!) SHARE it!!

And of course, no Wiggles birthday would be complete without a Wiggles cake…

… and a birthday boy to enjoy it.

Happy Birthday, Simon! You are more wonderful (two-derful?) with every passing day. I love you!

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Author: DaniGirl

Canadian. storyteller, photographer, mom to 3. Professional dilettante.

28 thoughts on “Celebrating Simon’s birthday”

  5. OK Dani,,,Make me cry! I remeber when we were over to see him for the first time. Can he already be two? Not fair!
    the pic’s are beautiful looks like a great day.
    HappY Birthday Simon. Your one special little boy. HUGS
    Aunty Sharon and Nathan!

  6. OK Dani,,,Make me cry! I remeber when we were over to see him for the first time. Can he already be two? Not fair!
    the pic’s are beautiful looks like a great day.
    HappY Birthday Simon. Your one special little boy. HUGS
    Aunty Sharon and Nathan!

  7. Wow, you’re fast. I just sent you an email requsting birthday pictures and details, and, well….here they are!
    Great synopsis of such a special day. While I still refuse to believe Simon is two, your video evidence is rather compelling :~)
    Happy Birthday Simon!!!

  8. Wow, you’re fast. I just sent you an email requsting birthday pictures and details, and, well….here they are!
    Great synopsis of such a special day. While I still refuse to believe Simon is two, your video evidence is rather compelling :~)
    Happy Birthday Simon!!!

  9. Looks like a nice day. The snow is so pretty; something I don’t get to see often.
    Can I have Simon’s cheeks? I want to put some butter on them and eat them for dinner. thanks.

  10. Looks like a nice day. The snow is so pretty; something I don’t get to see often.
    Can I have Simon’s cheeks? I want to put some butter on them and eat them for dinner. thanks.

  11. What a spectacular birthday celebration. Like Sharon, also made me all teary-eyed. I guess he is officially no longer ‘little’ Simon. Looks SO grown up eating his cake. Don’t recall him using utensils in last year’s pic.
    HAPPY BIRTHDAY sweet (not so little) SIMON!
    xoxo

  12. What a spectacular birthday celebration. Like Sharon, also made me all teary-eyed. I guess he is officially no longer ‘little’ Simon. Looks SO grown up eating his cake. Don’t recall him using utensils in last year’s pic.
    HAPPY BIRTHDAY sweet (not so little) SIMON!
    xoxo

  13. what fun!!! and saturday was the best day to be outdoors for that snowy winter walk. your boys are adorable (not that you need me to tell you that!)

  14. what fun!!! and saturday was the best day to be outdoors for that snowy winter walk. your boys are adorable (not that you need me to tell you that!)

  15. Happy Birthday Simon! And congratulations Dani and your Beloved on this new milestone. Nice pictures. We love the Wiggles at our house too!

  16. Happy Birthday Simon! And congratulations Dani and your Beloved on this new milestone. Nice pictures. We love the Wiggles at our house too!

  19. What a great birthday you had Simon! Got me all teary-eyed too and the pics were perfect.
    We LOVE Hogs Back Park, many fond memories there.
    And feeding chickadees is so fun, favorite pasttime here too.
    And a cash register, for sure you gotta have one of those, been a favorite toy in this house for the last decade!
    Yah that you got that Thomas Aquadoodle. Saw it for the first time at Toys R Us two days ago and thought instantly of Simon and how he would love it. Ours still gets packed for travelling…went to Europe last year 😉
    Just one request, can you please hug that sweet boy of yours and give him a kiss on teh cheek from me? thanks

  20. What a great birthday you had Simon! Got me all teary-eyed too and the pics were perfect.
    We LOVE Hogs Back Park, many fond memories there.
    And feeding chickadees is so fun, favorite pasttime here too.
    And a cash register, for sure you gotta have one of those, been a favorite toy in this house for the last decade!
    Yah that you got that Thomas Aquadoodle. Saw it for the first time at Toys R Us two days ago and thought instantly of Simon and how he would love it. Ours still gets packed for travelling…went to Europe last year 😉
    Just one request, can you please hug that sweet boy of yours and give him a kiss on teh cheek from me? thanks

  23. Simon! You are no longer a baby!!! Looks like you had a great birthday celebration. The Aquadoodle looks pretty cool, may have to pick one up here too.
    Thanks for sharing,
    Anna

  24. Simon! You are no longer a baby!!! Looks like you had a great birthday celebration. The Aquadoodle looks pretty cool, may have to pick one up here too.
    Thanks for sharing,
    Anna

  25. (blushing, beaming)
    Thank you, friends. I shared all your kisses with Simon last night, all over those juicy cheeks, and he loved every single one!
    xo Dani

  26. (blushing, beaming)
    Thank you, friends. I shared all your kisses with Simon last night, all over those juicy cheeks, and he loved every single one!
    xo Dani

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