Tryfan turns 2!

Today is Tryfan's birthday but we celebrated it mostly yesterday.
I say mostly because the barnehage celebrated it today by hanging a flag outside the building, making him a paper crown to wear, and conducting the traditional "bursdagsamling" which involves a wooden birthday train with the appropriate number of candles on it,treats provided by the child's parents, imaginary fireworks (birthday child gets to pick which colors the fireworks get to be, and the number of fireworks that are let off depend on how many years old the child is), and everyone in the class singing the Norwegian birthday song. This song is not the 'normal' Happy Birthday song with Norwegian lyrics set to it. It is a completely different, more thoughtful and celebratory song. Here is Rhiannon singing most of it (I think she left out a couple of lines in the middle):


As for the main party yesterday, we had a birthday brunch from 10am-12:30 on Sunday morning. We were 6 families altogether, with a total of 8 kids...very manageable and only a little chaotic. It was a bit of a potluck brunch: Anne-Stine brought fresh apple juice made from the apples on her trees, Elisabeth made a quiche, and I made cinnamon rolls from this recipe. Here are the troops preparing the apple juice glasses.
We just ate, chatted, and played for the morning and it was wonderful.
Rhiannon was such an adoring and excited big sister. She helped Tryfan open the presents (because he hasn't figured out how fun it is to do that yet) but she always asked first if he wanted help from her (because sometimes, you know, one doesn't want help from their elder sister).
Tryfan's favorite presents were a fire truck that makes siren noises and a firefighter's hat. He is totally obsessed with fire-everything.
And so our little guy turns two.
Aside from being obsessed with firetrucks, firefighters (especially "Fireman Sam" - the Welsh cartoon series), and all things fire-related, Tryfan:

• loves sweets, especially M&M's and Smarties
  
• appreciates soft fabrics like fleece, satin and wool, and always comments when something soft is next to his skin (usually he says "ooh that's NICE" and closes his eyes with pleasure)
• is very strong, fast and agile
• is very good at hugging, kissing and cuddling
• is VERY ticklish
• continues to just have his own jokes going on -- he talks and giggles to himself all the time
  
• sometimes uses a strange voice to talk in and does the 'chicken walk' during some of those same times
• has very mischievious eyes
• is shy and bashful with people he doesn't or barely knows
• loves kitty-cats and the color pink
• adores Rhiannon and wants to be with her a lot of the time - their favorite activity of late is going down the slide as a train (Rhiannon in front and Tryfan behind)
  

We are so grateful to have Tryfan in our lives!