One of the spectacular things about months 12 to 24, I think, is that you learn so much about the little person in front of you in that time. Of course, we learn much in the first year as well, but it seems to me that a huge amount of their personality blossoms in the second year of life.

So, as it’s Aidan’s second birthday today (I know, where did those two years go?), I thought I’d tell you about who he is.

Our Aidan, AJ, Aidy, Aidybobs is a chuckling, chunky, affectionate, adorable, lovely little lad.

He loves dancing in a circle when he’s happy, and lying on his stomach, cheek to the floor, rolling a car back and forth when he’s chilling out.

Many a happy hour is spent trying to work out how things work.

He is in awe of his sister, O-bee-ya. He looks for her when he’s in his car seat and he asks for her first thing in a morning. He’ll sit on her, cuddle her, and try and wash her hair if she sits sill long enough. But he’s not afraid of telling her off if she goes too far or tries to take something off him. He’s not even above biting her (we are working on that one!).

Aidan loves his monkeys, his Daddy who picks him up and says ‘oo-oo’ like a real life gorilla, and Sophia’s Amber who he likes to talk to him. His favourite cuddles are still milky ones, and it’s his way to reconnect when we’ve been apart.

Our boy loves to be outside, often going up to a door and attempting to open it, or finding his shoes and giving them to any adult in the hope that he will get to go on an adventure. Because of his wonderful nursery, he is confident with animals and has been known to feed a carrot to a sheep at the farm!

For Aidan, the best part of any day out is the car park! He loves nothing better than wandering through rows of cars, looking at all the colours and the logos. He thoroughly enjoys standing at the bottom of the drive, watching what comes past and waving in the hopes that someone will wave back (which they always do).

His favourite foods are chips, orange pasta and sausages. He loves to do the actions to The Wheels on the Bus and Miss Polly had a Dolly. He sings the tune to Waffle Doggy and he loves Bluey, especially when we are all wearing our Bluey T-shirts.

When it comes to stories, any will do! Aidan will pick up a book, find a grownup and put it in their hands. We ask ‘would you like to read the story?’ and he replies with an ever so enthusiastic ‘yeah!’. And then he will sit down wherever we are and want to read right then and there.

Aidan likes to do things in his own time, when he is ready. Sometimes, he won’t do something until it is his idea to do it. He likes the people he knows and loves to be near by. Ideally, Aidan wants us all to be near home or at home, all together, I think he’s a bit of a hobbit.

Speaking of which, (and I promise I am almost done), my lad is a feeder. He likes to share his snacks, making sure that everybody has a taste, and shoving food into your mouth whether you’re keen or not! The best meals, though, are either eaten around our kitchen table, or in an eatery with a view of a road, where cars, buses and lorries pass frequently.

It has been a wonderful 12 months watching Aidan blossom through nursery, Tappy Toes, Toddlers, Church and family life. Whatever two throws at us, we’re ready and excited to see all that this year