Letter to Ethan, at 23 months

Hello my not so little man.

We measured you the other day and you've grown 5cm in the past six months (you're now 84cm tall) but you just keep growing in your skills, language and understanding in leaps and bounds.

You know so many words, I can't even count them now, and will repeat most things you hear almost instantly and almost always correct too. You like to point things out that you know and you're quite happy to give us and other people instructions too to get what you want.

You are so much fun to be around. I love your nattering and how you exclaim at things that have caught your eye or if you recognise something. You like to play games, like putting your brick bucket over your head, saying 'Bye Mummy!' before lifting it off again and saying 'Hello!'.

We are starting to get an idea of what your little voice will be like and you've even started to pick up an accent too, when you say things like 'bye bye'. It sounds so funny coming out of your mouth but I'm quite pleased with how you pronounce some words - like 'car-stle' - just the same way I say them!

As well as choo choo and Pooh, you have two new favourite friends in the form of Paddin (Paddington) and Boody (Woody from Toy Story). You've really latched onto them both and it's been two weeks since you've asked to watch Frozen, so that's really saying something!

I have a feeling that you're starting your testing two's. Everyone jokes about how the two's are terrible but I hope that every child is different and that things don't really have to be terrible. But we have noticed that you're testing things and us now as you learn and understand more. You're working out what you can and can't do and the boundaries you can push and you seem to know you can push me further. Sometimes, you're not really bothered with Mummy at all but apparently most children do this at times, being a little more testing with one parent than the other, the one they tend to feel takes a lead. It can be hard for me but then other times, you're all about 'mummy, sit!', 'mummy, cuggle!' and we're best buds again. 

I'll say it again - you're so much fun to be around. Even though you woke me this morning at 6.30am and even though we're watching Toy Story again, I'm having a lovely morning with you. You keep pointing at my face and saying 'Mama glasses... gone!' and you're right, I've left then upstairs. You told me you waned breakfast, demolished two wheat bisks, handed me the bowl and said 'dinished Mummy!' before asking 'Bidits!!!.... No cake Mummy, please cake!'. Oh you are a funny little thing!

I'm just trying to remember everything we've done or all the new things you've learnt since I last wrote. Time does go so fast and every day you pick up new thins. We've been to the park where you liked the slide in particular (just as well, as we have bought you one for your birthday, shhh!), we've been to West Midlands Safari Park to meet their new living dinosaurs, we've been to the Sea Life Centre to see their Sea Stars and we've also been to Thomas Land to discover their new expansion. Phew, you have been busy!

You've spent time with Nanny and Grandad, visit Gramps for his birthday and Nanna on Mother's Day and you've seen Erin, Rob and Simon too. You recognise their cars (or what looks like their cars) and their houses and every time we walk past the computer, you point at it and say Bet - thinking it's your other aunties, including Bex, waiting to talk to you (as we Skype them regularly).

You've had your third hair cut too and you're wearing two to three year clothing now. You still sleep well but have had a few nights recently where it's been hard to settle you. You like a bedtime book - usually The Gruffalo or Paddigton - and you love bath time too, both of which seem to help you get ready for bed.

It's less than four weeks until your second birthday. I've been thinking about it for a long time so to me, it feels like you're already two. We're having Sunday lunch at a place called The Hedgehog theSunday before your birthday and plan on having your playhouse, slide and Thomas ride-on set up for when you wake on your birthday morning. But again, I didn't tell you that!

You're my walking, talking and cuggling little boy and I am just so proud of you. We regularly receive comments about how sweet you are, how good natured or well mannered, and it's all true. But it's so much more than that. You have a strong mind and a gentle heart and I'm just so lucky to call you mine.

All my love Bubs.

Mama x