Mattias is 2!

[Whoops, sorry to Mattias, I forgot to post these photos since I hadn't been on the computer for a while! That's what happens when you have a smartphone and start doing more from there.]

Mattias turned 2 years old, wow! On Friday, Oct 28th. After our regular breakfast we let him open all his presents. (As you can tell by the darkness outside, this was just before daylights savings so it was still dark even until 7:30 AM.) He then spent most of the morning hauling his new suitcase from Nonna around the house, finding cars and stuffed animals and blankets to put in and out. Perfect.

At two years old, Mattias...

• loves pushing a stroller or pulling a wagon on our walks
• loves trains, either the small trains at the library table or our Lego trains
• loves other cars and trucks and will happily concentrate playing with 1 or 2 for a long time
• favorite times of day: "porridge!" and cereal and banana for breakfast at 7 AM; wrestle time with Daddy after supper. He is pretty tough and a good snuggler, and has just figured out to jump with two feet at the same time
• has recently starting initiating hugs and kisses, or wrapping his arm around Timo's neck for a hug.
• is still quiet and reserved in groups or with new people, but once he warms up, he gets chatty and has the cutest grin, especially when he's trying to get someone to play peek a boo with him.
• has definite ideas about how he likes things, whether what snack bowl he wants or which shoes or which spoon, etc.
• can swing a bat and hit balls off the Tee. Quite impressive.

Friday was also the day of Western's Homecoming Weekend Parade, which goes four blocks down Main St in Sylva. A festive birthday evening celebration for him, with trucks and floats and the marching band and lots of candy being tossed to the kids.

We saw Steve and Ling (Jim's boss), and sat with them for the parade.

Listening intently to his Happy Birthday song (that's a chocolate peanut butter rice crispy treat).