12 months old

To My Little Bear

Happy first birthday Little Bear!! I can't believe you're a whole year old now. There isn't a day that goes by that I'm not thankful that you chose me to be your mummy. I have never loved someone the way that I love you. I love you with all my heart and will love you forever.

When you woke up we said happy birthday to you and gave you a couple of your birthday presents before Daddy had to go to work. You opened up your barn with all the animals and farmer, two play tents that are joined by a tunnel and I think the other one you opened was the elephant that pops the balls out of his trunk. Daddy worked with Opa until late morning and then came home for lunch. While Daddy was at work we played with your new presents. You played with your little farm animals and loved crawling through the tunnel from one play tent to the other. We didn't realise that we hadn't got the batteries that the elephant needed so we had to wait until Daddy got home to play with that one. While Daddy was at work in the morning we played with your new toys, you had breakfast and a morning nap; then Uncle Steve and Aunty Ayla came to visit you to give you your birthday present before the left for their trip to Canada. They gave you a pair of Nike shoes and a musical instrument (similar to a shaker or maraca) from Rarotonga.

When Daddy got home I was starting to make pancakes for your birthday lunch for us to all have together. I drizzled chocolate sauce on your pancakes and we let you have chocolate fish, as well as chopped bananas and strawberries on top. At exactly 1.17 pm (the time you were born) I got Daddy to take a photo of us with your yummy birthday pancakes. You loved eating your pancakes for lunch and got your cute little face all covered in chocolate. You had an afternoon nap after lunch and then all of your family came around for your birthday dinner. We had nibbles and drinks, followed by homemade burgers for dinner. I'd made you an ice cream cake for your birthday so after dinner we lit the candle and sang happy birthday to you. You loved all the attention that everyone gave you and helping to open your presents before dinner too. We let you have a late night because it was your birthday and you were coping well with staying up a little bit later. Then everyone kissed you goodnight and we tucked you up in your cot. I'm so happy that we could all share your special day with you Little Bear. You had such a good day and were so happy.

On Sunday it was your birthday party. I made you a birthday cake with layers of sponge cake, cream and fruit. On top of the cake was more fresh fruit, cream, icing sugar sprinkled on top, a cute birthday banner and a musical candle. Daddy blew up the helium balloons on the tank and helped to put up decorations while I organised the picnic food. We invited all of your little friends and family for a special teddy bear picnic. All the children were asked to bring their favourite bear to your party too.

We were rushing to get everything organised and so took you down to Oma's to play while we did the house work and set up. You were a little bit late to your party because you went down for your morning nap later and didn't sleep as long as you normally do so were a bit upset when we arrived. You just wanted to be cuddled and didn't want to play much. Eventually you thawed out and then had lots of fun playing with the other children and your new toys. You loved the balloons too! We all sang you happy birthday again and Daddy helped you to cut your birthday cake. Everyone had tiny teddies in a box with 'bear hugs from Lukey Bear', a helium balloon and bubbles to take home as part of their party bag.

In the school holidays we took you to Butterfly Creek. You love animals so I thought it would be the perfect place to take you for your first big trip to Auckland. We had lunch at the cafe first before we started exploring. We got to feed and pat the animals at the Buttermilk Farm Park (Daddy even put you on the sheep to have a little ride), watch the butterflies (you kept wanting to touch them, but we didn't let you because we were scared you would crush them), we saw alligators and took you through the new part where the life sized dinosaurs are. I took you to the shop while Daddy went back to the car. We bought you a new dinosaur place mat, a light up rubber ducky (you love your rubber duckies) and a fish shaped foil balloon.

This month you got your third tooth (after you turned one though). You also had an allergic reaction to your antibiotics. You'd been sick so many times over winter and had had a chesty cough for a couple of weeks so the doctors decided to give you some antibiotics to try to clear it up. I wish I'd never given them to you because a week after you'd had the medicine you had an allergic reaction and came out covered in a rash all over your little body. At first I thought it was just heat rash and so I sent you off to day care, which I felt soooo bad about once I realised what it really was - it started spreading and got a lot worse. You were so brave though and luckily didn't have a temperature. We got some Pinetarsol to put in the bath in the hope that it would stop you from being so itchy. You definitely won't be having amoxicillin again. I'm sorry you had to go through that little bear.

We've started going to Mainly Music with Jessica and Ryan on Wednesday morning (your friends from SPACE). You love music! Some other things you love at the moment are animals - you love talking to our chickens, grabbing (patting) the cat and as soon as you have an opportunity to get past the hall doors you're off to see Ollie. You love being outside, water play, bubble baths and our ice cream dates. Most weeks we go out and get ice cream together - normally at the Fudge Farm at the Town Basin. It's our special Mummy and Little Bear date. I love you so much Little Bear and hope you've enjoyed your birthday celebrations and holiday activities. I can't believe you're one now - I love you to the moon and back x

Love from Mummy x