Little Mr. Terrific is Two.

Opening Presents on his 2nd Birthday
Portland, Maine

My Little Mr. Terrific is Two Today.

How can I adequately express the excitement, pride, and disbelief I feel now that Roman is two?  I simply refuse to believe it was almost 3 years ago that Matt and I were riding around Greece on a moped singing Abba songs, carefree and clueless.  And I can't believe that exactly two years ago I was in London, meeting someone I feel I've known forever for the first time.  I can't believe one year ago he couldn't walk, talk, or feed himself.  And I really can't believe that in his short two years he's already lived in 3 different countries and visited / vacationed in 10!  I don't think I could claim to both of those things until I was in my 20s, and Matt had never even left the Eastern time zone until he was 19!  What a lucky, blessed little creation we have made and what a beautiful, happy life he has created for us.

At the Jolly Gardener Pub in Putney, London
July 2010

I have always wished I was able to remember more about myself when I was a toddler.  What I do know and what pictures I have seen are fascinating to me, both because I lived in a different country and because life as a toddler is a strange blend of dream and reality in certain ways.  You can't remember everything that happens, you don't take notice of the most obvious things (like leaving one country for another) and then you dwell on the strangest (like why you can't wear your sandals everyday anymore because it's too cold in Maine compared to Abu Dhabi).  You're left, at least in my case, with strangely colorful, poignant images that come and go, flash back and forth, and often details are blurry, and what you hope or wish was the case takes over what really ever happened. 

Al Ain Zoo
March 2011

For better or for worse, this is one part of being a child.  And yet, I can't help thinking Roman will one day enjoy to know some silly, funny little details about his habits, his interests and his many, special little peculiarities. 

Here are a couple of lists dedicated to my very favorite little person in the world: the most terrific two-year-old I know, my Romanorum Master Forum.  Happy Birthday, Mink. :)

* * *

Top 5 Songs Roman Can Sing

in half-garbled sentences and random-hummings

Friedrich Von Trapp
Halloween 2010, Abu Dhabi

1. Life is a Highway by Tom Cochrane: Lightening McQueen's road trip is equally exciting every time.

2. Some Guys Have All the Luck by Rod Stewart: This is pretty much just how Roman rolls.

3. Mamma Mia by Abba (I have to say that this is proof that in utero listening does work)

4. Say Hey (I Love You) by Michael Franti: He loves to serenade me with this song - especially the "I love, I love you, I love you" part.

5. Just the Way You Are by Bruno Mars: Which he changes to "Just the Way I Am." :)

Honorable Mention: Jingle Bells: He sings it every time he sees a snowman, Christmas tree, or Santa Claus in a picture, book, or display.  Or if I say the words Christmas or Connecticut.  And sometimes just randomly.

* * *

 

Top 5 Things Roman Likes to Say
or tries to say

The Beach, Muscat, Oman
April 2011

1. "I love you.": This started a couple of months ago (along with the incessant need to hug and kiss me) and I never, ever get sick of it. 

2. "Hey look a _______!": Fill in the blank with any noun; he says this literally every time he shows you anything interesting that might be around at any given time.

3. "Oh no! Oh no!": His genuine concern when he says this is disarming and hilarious.

4. "Mommy wait!": He has taken to wandering off and yet he still becomes completely panicked every single time I tell him I'm leaving without him (even though I never do).

5. "Oh thank you Mommy, thank you!": I love that he says this with such uninhibited enthusiasm, and sometimes even without me telling him to.

* * *

Top 5 Things Roman Loves

unabashedly

Roman and his truck
January 2011

1. Planes, Trains & Automobiles: He will literally play with cars all day if you let him; and never gets tired of finding new ones he likes or lining them up.

2. Strawberries: I think this is thanks to his British birth but Roman will eat an entire box of strawberries by himself if I let him.

3. Cake & its "derivatives": You know, chocolate, muffins, sweeties, more cake, etc.

4. Swimming: he can now propel himself by kicking and pulling with his floaties on, much like a seahorse. 

5. Running everywhere in his boots: he loves his boots, and he loves running, that's for sure.

* * *

Top 5 Memorable Roman-Momentsin the past year

Christmas 2011

1. 14 Months: Roman learns to walk on the 4th of July, in Texas.

2. 15- 16 Months: We move to Abu Dhabi, UAE and Roman goes to his first water park and has his first day of school at Little Smarties Nursery.

3. 18 Months: Roman goes to Rome.

4. 19 Months: Roman learns to sing Jingle Bells, and finally grasps the concept of Christmas presents and Santa.

5. 21 -22 Months: Roman starts to really speak, a lot, and in sentences.  Then suddenly we just can't get him to stop - speaking, singing, screaming, humming, and even whispering.

* * *

Swinging his boots at the Harbor Fish Market
Portland, Maine

Roman has no friends in Portland, Maine.  So today we'll be celebrating by maniacally opening presents, eating cake and muffins for breakfast, going on a ferry ride in the Portland harbor, then treating Roman to a giant ice cream sundae with a candle on top.  And if he's lucky and not half-dead from the sugar-high / exhaustion, we'll go catch a kids' movie at the theater. :)