Henry’s Second Birthday

in Henry

henry birthday

Today is Henry’s second birthday. I simultaneously cannot comprehend and can totally believe that two years have passed since Henry entered our lives.  It’s been such a wild, fun ride.  Henry is an absolute joy to be around, and I thank my lucky stars every single night that I get to be his mother. 

 

I wanted to share what we’ll be giving Henry for his birthday – I’m so excited for him to open his gifts!

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I really wanted to get him a bicycle or tricycle of some sort.  After polling friends, it appeared that the Strider Balance Bike was the way to go (as opposed to a tricycle).  Instead of learning pedaling first, the kids learn how to shuffle and then eventually sit on the bike seat as it glides (so they learn balance first).  This makes real bicycling easier and many Strider kids skip training wheels entirely.  Honestly, I just thought it looked like a lot more fun than a tricycle (and yes, we bought him a helmet, too).  Isn’t it cool?!

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Kristien says the photo on the box looks like a toddler bicycle gang.  Haha!  Anyway, I cannot WAIT for him to try out the Strider.  I’ll definitely give an update on his progress in a few weeks.

 

We also bought him this name stool by Damhorst Toys:

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This was both a practical and sentimental gift, as I had a similar CAITLIN stool when I was a kid; it’s how I learned to spell my name!  But I also really needed a stool for Henry’s bathroom so he can reach the sink. I don’t think he’ll be as excited for the stool gift, but I hope he’ll cherish it down the road (as I cherished my name stool!).

 

Here’s a little Henry update on what he’s like as a two year old:

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Personality: Talkative, brave, physical, and friendly.

Height/Weight:  He’s little – in the 25% for height and 16% for weight.  He’s still in 18 – 24 month clothes and will be for a long time, I bet.

Eyes/Hair:  He has blue eyes and blonde, very curly and thick hair.  I don’t know where he got that awesome hair!

Likes:  Watermelons, lollipops, snack time, going to gym childcare, Thomas the Train, reading library books with Mom, playing soccer with Dad, petting the cat, taking bubble baths, going on walks in the woods, playing in the dirt, going to the playground, digger trucks, fire trucks, watching Mom cook, talking, thunderstorms, and cuddle time.

Dislikes:  Not being held when he wants to be held, occasional diaper changes, sudden transitions, Men’s Warehouse (he hates that store!), restaurants that take too long to serve the food, being tickled when he doesn’t want to be touched, and time outs.

Talking:  I have no idea how many words he knows – close to a thousand for sure.  He speaks all day long and always in sentences.   We have worked really hard on manners and he usually uses “please” and “thank you” appropriately and without being prompted now.  He can count to 11 but has almost no idea what numbers or counting actually means.  He recognizes a few letters, like E, O, and X.  He knows the words to a few songs, including God Save the Queen (guess who taught him that?!), The Itsy Bitsy Spider, Rock-A-Bye Baby, and a few Miami Hurricane chants.  The funniest thing he said recently was when I asked him, “Are you hungry?” and he said, “No, I’m Henry.”

Sleeping:  He’s a really good sleeper!  I put him down between 7:30 – 8 PM and he usually falls asleep between 8 PM – 9 PM.  He sleeps until 7:00 AM and goes down for one nap at 1:30 or 2 PM.  He sleeps for 2 – 3 hours.  He skips his nap about two or three days a week, but he will hang out in his crib for a hour or so regardless.  PLEASE CONTINUE TO BE SUCH A GOOD SLEEPER <—I literally just prayed out loud. 

Looking Forward To…:  This year will be a BIG YEAR for Henry!  We are going on a beach vacation in July, which will be our family trip of the year.  And he will start preschool in September.  He’ll go for three half-days a week.  I wanted to start him in September so he had time to adjust to his new routine before his sibling is born in November or December! 

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I love being a mom.  I love being “Mom.”  It’s a lot of work – don’t get me wrong.  Some nights, I am so exhausted and frazzled and out of patience that I want to cry – and sometimes, I do.  But it’s so worth it, in so many different ways. 

 

It’s incredible to watch him grow up and develop a personality; it’s exciting to watch him try new things and learn from experiences.  And seriously – parenting is so  much fun.  I feel like a kid again – playing with all these cool toys, jumping in ball pits, and going down slides!  Hah.  Toddlerhood is challenging, but I think I am actually much better suited to being a toddler mom than a newborn mom (the first six months were so brutal).  But the meltdowns and tears and timeouts and diaper explosions all pale in comparison to the giggles and hugs and cuddles.  Having Henry really motivated me to appreciate the small things in life and let the silly annoying stuff go, and for that, I am eternally grateful!

 

So – here’s to Henry, on his second birthday.  My first children, my beautiful son.  <3  HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

{ 64 comments }

 

  • Nadya June 12, 2014, 7:42 am

    Happy Birthday, Henry! Way to go Mom! Enjoy this day.
    My baby girl is exactly three weeks old today and I love the newborn cuddling and getting to know her but it is very challenging to be a first time Mom. Reading posts like this remind me that she will on be a tiny baby for a short time before growing and changing. I endeavor to savor these newborn moments!

  • Tricia June 12, 2014, 8:18 am

    I bought that same bike for my daughter who turned two on May 19. You will be amazed how quickly the learn that bike. And the adorableness is almost too much! We also have that stool! Great minds!

  • Amanda June 12, 2014, 8:24 am

    Happy Birthday Henry!
    So right now, I’m proctoring finals for my 6th grade students. Today is my birthday too! My mom just sent me my birth story, which I had never read before, and I’m sitting here all choked up. I clicked over to your page for a distraction… then started getting teary eyed all over again, as I remembered I share a birthday with your dear Henry!
    I hope you have a wonderful day together. While I do not have children yet, my mom’s story was a wonderful reminder of the forever bond that a mother and child share. I know that you have the same love for Henry that my mom has for me. 🙂

    • Caitlin June 12, 2014, 8:48 am

      Happy birthday!!!!!!!

  • Beks June 12, 2014, 8:26 am

    Happy Birthday, Henry!

    Incidentally, I started reading your blog on the day you announced Henry’s birth. 🙂

  • erin June 12, 2014, 8:34 am

    happy birthday henry!

    i will warn you that my sister got the balance bike for her daughter (for her 3 year old birthday). yeah worst present EVER. she hated it. she was like no, i don’t want to ride it. It didn’t make sense to her. and truthfully it didn’t make sense to us either! so this year, she got a bike with training wheels = much happier kid!

    • Grace June 12, 2014, 11:37 am

      Yeah, I hate to say it, but we got our daughter a Strider for her second birthday as well (and thank goodness we got it super cheap off of Craigslist!) and she doesn’t care for it at all. She may like it when she’s older (she’s 2.5 now), but still doesn’t get the balance bike and never asks to ride it. She loves loves LOVES her scooter, tricycle and big wheels and can ride all three really well (she can even mange her 4 year old friend’s bike with training wheels) but not the balance bike. It was such a bummer because like you I’d heard such good things, and since my daughter seemed really physically advanced I thought it would be a good fit, but no luck. I hope Henry likes it, though!

      And a big happy birthday to Henry! He is such a cutie!

    • Amanda June 12, 2014, 12:18 pm

      Happy Birthday Henry (and mama too because Lord knows work goes into creating a birth day)! My son just turned 2 on May 30 and we also got him a balance bike, but scored it on a mega sale for about $60. This one: http://www.amazon.com/Smart-Gear-SG311C33-Classic-Balance/dp/B001AIONOU/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1402589566&sr=8-5&keywords=balance+bike%27. I’d say it’s for the “taller” 2 year old though. I think the key is to let the children see other children using the balance bike. Then it “clicks.” My son has one, and he gets a little frustrated with it, but that’s good for him. He fusses a bit at new and hard things that he’s trying to figure out. For example, Tegu Magnetic Blocks. He loves them but starts to get frustrated when he can’t figure out the magnetic component, sometimes they repel. Again, it’s all in watching other children do these things that helps kiddos to keep interest in some types of toys. Other times, yeah. They don’t want to “figure” things out and just have fun, like a big wheel!

  • Emily @ Fit as a Mother... June 12, 2014, 8:37 am

    It’s amazing how quickly the time goes by when you have kids, huh? I can totally relate to the feel of disbelief and complete belief at the same time!

  • Kate @KateMovingForward June 12, 2014, 8:41 am

    Happy Birthday Henry!!

  • Amber @ Busy, Bold, Blessed June 12, 2014, 8:57 am

    Happy Birthday Henry! I agree, can’t believe he’s 2 already. His hair is the cutest 🙂

  • Anna June 12, 2014, 9:00 am

    Happy Birthday Henry! He is just too cute!
    I love the Strider bike! I was a nanny for two years and the kids I watched got Strider bikes for Christmas. They are the coolest bikes ever! The bikes teach kids how to balance themselves on the bike. The boy I watched got a hang of it quick and when he got a bigger bike with pedals a few years after, it wasn’t hard to teach how to ride that.
    When I have kids, I am definitely getting them Strider bikes.

  • Heather June 12, 2014, 9:02 am

    K looooves his Strider. It’s amazing how fast they can catch on to how to ride it. It’ll be fun to see him transition to a regular bike down the road. Happy birthday to H! 🙂

  • Heidi June 12, 2014, 9:04 am

    Happy Birthday Henry! So glad to share my birthday with such a handsome little fellow!! 🙂

  • Elizabeth {Positively Healthy} June 12, 2014, 9:12 am

    Happy birthday!! Henry and my husband are birthday twins!! I can’t believe it has been 2 year!! So crazy!

  • Katie @ Talk Less, Say More June 12, 2014, 9:43 am

    I can’t believe he’s already 2! Happy Birthday Henry!!

  • Melanie June 12, 2014, 9:58 am

    Happy Birthday Henry!!! He is so cute! Love his hair! I agree about toddler versus the baby stage. My son just turned 18 months and I am enjoying this time much more than when he was a baby. Congrats Caitlin!

  • Andrea Muzzatti June 12, 2014, 10:22 am

    Hahaha men’s warehouse? That’s random and hilarious. He’s such a cutie!

  • Reenie June 12, 2014, 10:40 am

    Happy Birthday Henry!!

    …” looks like a toddler bicycle gang.” HA!!!

  • Liza June 12, 2014, 10:43 am

    Do you have to potty train Henry before he starts pre-school? All of the pre-schools I looked at the kids have to be potty trained (and by looked at I mean to work at. I don’t have children, I’m a speech pathologist).

    • Caitlin June 12, 2014, 11:38 am

      No thank goodness. I don’t think he’s anywhere close to being ready.

  • Rebecca June 12, 2014, 10:46 am

    Happy birthday Henry! Have fun opening presents and celebrating! 🙂
    And enjoy today, Mom and Dad! You’re pretty great parents! =D

  • Adrienne June 12, 2014, 11:01 am

    Happy Birthday, Henry!! My how time has flown.

  • Natalie @ The Ravenous Mommy June 12, 2014, 11:09 am

    Happy Birthday Henry!

  • Breanne June 12, 2014, 11:25 am

    Awww, beautiful post! Happy 2nd Birthday Henry!!! Have an awesome day!

    (And can I request a video of God Save the Queen because just the idea of has already made my morning! :))

  • Kim L. June 12, 2014, 11:25 am

    Happy Birthday Henry!!!! I can’t believe he is 2 already! I love hearing what he is up to and seeing pictures of his cute little face. And I love hearing you talk about being his mom. I hope he has a wonderful day : )

  • Chelsea@TableForOne June 12, 2014, 11:33 am

    Happy Birthday Henry! That curly mop of hair is just too cute. Enjoy this special day with him.

  • Mandy Barrington June 12, 2014, 11:37 am

    It’s been so much fun to watch him grow! Your sleep training posts were so helpful to me (as I already shared!) and I’m looking forward to reading your potty-training post one day. I’m already nervous about that and my little man is only 5 months old!

  • Sara @ LovingOnTheRun June 12, 2014, 12:07 pm

    HAPPY BIRTHDAY HENRY!! I hope it is a wonderful day for your family!

  • Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine June 12, 2014, 12:20 pm

    Aw, Happy Birthday Henry! He is such a sweet boy and I have loved watching him grow through your blog Caitlin! 🙂

  • Kayla June 12, 2014, 12:38 pm

    The strider bike is awesome. My nephew got a “hand-me-down” one before his 2nd birthday. He turned 3 this past March and is already on a pedaling bike. People stare at him because he is small for his age too, so they think it’s odd for such a young child to be riding bike so well. He loves it!

  • Nan June 12, 2014, 1:07 pm

    Happy 2nd Birthday, Henry!!! He is adorable! My little Henry has that same stool also! So funny that Henry randomly hates The Mens Warehouse…. whats that about!?!? Enjoy this special day… as a mommy, I feel something so different and so special in celebrating my son’s birthday (as opposed to my own… it just feels like such an achievement for all of us!). Hope your day is a great one!

  • Julie June 12, 2014, 1:12 pm

    When I saw the title for this post, I thought, “No way!” Can’t believe he’s 2 ALREADY! Happy b-day to Henry! Hope you guys have a great day!

  • Carolina John June 12, 2014, 1:18 pm

    Happy birthday Henry! Mine are 23 months apart, so Henry and his little brother will have a perfect age difference. and it will be really nice that you wont’ have to stage birthday parties only a couple of weeks apart like we do.

  • Kendall June 12, 2014, 1:31 pm

    Happy birthday Henry!! Great post 🙂 He’s adorable!

  • Jasmine June 12, 2014, 1:47 pm

    Happy Birthday Henry! And congrats to Mom & Dad for raising a rambunctious 2 year old. 🙂

  • julie (etsy stalkers) June 12, 2014, 2:00 pm

    This is so sweet. Thanks for letting us watch him grow!

  • Trisha June 12, 2014, 2:04 pm

    Happy birthday to your adorable Henry! My Jack turns 1 today and I cannot believe how fast that year went!!

  • Ali June 12, 2014, 2:44 pm

    Happy Birthday Henry! I can’t fathom that he’s two either. I’ve been reading your blog way before he was born. I can’t believe I have a 15 month old either for that matter. I have heard great things about that bike. Definitely give us an update!

  • Lia June 12, 2014, 2:54 pm

    HAPPY BIRTHDAY HENRY!!!!! He puts a big smile on my face everytime I see him, he is such a sweet little boy! Have a great day!!

  • Heather June 12, 2014, 3:39 pm

    Happy Birthday little Henry! He is just so sweet and adorable. I can’t believe he will be starting school in the fall! And it’s totally understandable why he doesn’t like restaurants that take too long to serve the food.

    I know you said Henry is little. I’m wondering if he can sit on the bike and reach the ground. I’m asking because my guy is a tiny nugget (even smaller % wise than Henry) and we have a really hard time finding him riding toys that he can actually fit on!

    • Caitlin June 12, 2014, 8:01 pm

      Yes he can! The seat is adjustable and actually the minimum age is 1 1/2.

  • Priyanka June 12, 2014, 4:49 pm

    Happy Birthday, Henry! My toddler turned two last friday. Its amazing how fast time has flown by. Do you have any tips for preschool hunting?

    • Caitlin June 12, 2014, 8:00 pm

      No tips – we didn’t do much hunting because we went with one close to our house that we loved. Many some other readers have advice?

  • Amber K June 12, 2014, 5:23 pm

    Aw, happy birthday to Henry! What an adorable little guy he’s growing up to be.

  • Katie June 12, 2014, 5:30 pm

    Happy birthday, Henry!

    My in-laws bought Striders for all of the grand kids, and my boys have looooooved theirs, dearly. We get daily use out of them on walks and rides to the park/in the backyard. Such a cool bike, great gift! You’re going to love watching him on it!

  • Kristen June 12, 2014, 6:22 pm

    HAPPY BIRTHDAY, HENRY!! This is going to be such a fun year for your family! It is wonderful to read about how much you are enjoying motherhood, and I wanted to say that IT JUST KEEPS GETTING BETTER! My son is 9 years old, and I just had to share the sweetest thing…today in school they invited the parents into class and the kids all read thank you notes aloud that they wrote for their parents. There was not a dry eye in the room! My son’s letter to me was incredibly sweet – one of the most amazing lines is, “Mom, behind all my stories is alwasy your story because your’s is where mine began. I am born into my family and my family is born into me.” HE IS NINE YEARS OLD!! Is that inspiring or what?! I just love that kid!!

    • Caitlin June 12, 2014, 8:00 pm

      WAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH that would’ve made me cry too!!!

  • Aishah June 12, 2014, 7:14 pm

    Happy happy birthday to the sweetest big brother-to-be!! I “LOL’d” at “are you hungry?” “No, I’m Henry.” LOL tooooooo cute!!!! He is such a big and special part of HTP, hope he has a wonderful birthday 🙂 xoxo

  • Rebecca June 12, 2014, 7:43 pm

    Happy Birthday, Henry! It seems like just yesterday I saw your tweet that Baby Boyle was here! 😀

  • Angela @ Eat Spin Run Repeat June 12, 2014, 7:56 pm

    Happy Birthday, Henry!! I also can’t believe that he’s 2 already. Caitlin, you are a wonderful woman, amazing mother, and a role model for many, including myself. I’m so excited to read along as your new family member arrives, and I know Henry will be an exceptional big brother. Have a great day of celebrating!

  • Barca Mama June 13, 2014, 3:34 am

    Happy Birthday! I love that name puzzle… Looking into ordering 2 for my kids now:)

  • Lindsay June 13, 2014, 9:38 am

    I don’t comment a ton, but I have to say that Henry is just the CUTEST! His little voice and personality in the videos you post are so adorable. I am surprised to learn he is little because he always seems so mature through the blog – in that he walked early, seems to talk like crazy, etc. He is just such a cutie and I am sure he is going to be an amazing big brother 🙂

  • Carlee June 13, 2014, 10:55 am

    Happy Bday Henry!!!

    You totally just inspired me. I’ve been racking my brain what to get Gregory for his 2nd bday. A balance bike is perfect! Thanks for the inspiration; hope you all had a great day!

  • Katy @ HaveYouHurd June 13, 2014, 1:18 pm

    HAPPY BIRTHDAY HENRY! He’s super cute and I hope his birthday party is awesome!

    My Henry’s birthday is today and he is 1! I smiled wide when I saw the stool you got your Henry because we got the exact same one for our Henry’s baby shower!

  • Stephanie @ Whole Health Dork June 13, 2014, 1:25 pm

    Happy birthday, Henry! It’s been so fun to be on this journey with you through pregnancy and now into Henry’s third year! He is such a cute kid and he’s lucky to have great parents like you two. That picture of him with your Stitch Fix clothes is adorable!

  • janelle June 13, 2014, 8:17 pm

    My son (almost 2) has been riding his Strider since his first birthday. He absolutely loves it. I’m sure that it’s taught him the balance he’ll need for the real ‘big boy bike’. I’m positive Henry will enjoy it, too. Happy Birthday, Henry! And Congrats on your bun, Caitlin 🙂

  • Daphne June 14, 2014, 2:47 am

    Happy Birthday Henry! 🙂

    And congratulations on your precious son, Caitlin and Kristien!
    I’m only twenty years old and I’ve been reading your blog for years now. I just can’t believe how quickly time passes and it’s amazing to see you “grow up”.
    You’re kind of my role model and I hope that someday I’ll be just a little like you.

    All the best to you and your family from Germany! Enjoy this special day 🙂

    • Caitlin June 14, 2014, 4:28 pm

      You are too sweet. Thanks for being a loyal reader. It means a lot to me 🙂

  • Emily June 15, 2014, 10:16 am

    happy birthday, Henry! Glad we could celebrate with you!!

  • LKH June 16, 2014, 11:10 am

    Happy Birthday Henry!!

    I love the name stool, I actually had one when I was growing up too and I still have it! It’s at the bottom of my closet and I use it to get things off the top shelf!

  • Tracey June 20, 2014, 1:34 pm

    Hi! I don’t know if you’ll see this comment so many days after Henry’s birthday (HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY HENRY!!!!!!!) but my little one is two in a few weeks and I’m planning on the Strider bike as well. He’s requesting a “purple bike” so far, so I’m going to give it another week before I order it in case he changes his mind. But that being said, would you mind sharing what helmet to buy? I’m having a hard time figuring out what helmet works for a toddler. I guess my next option is to take him directly to a bike shop, but thought I’d ask you as well! THANKS!!!

    • Caitlin June 22, 2014, 5:13 pm

      Hey Tracey – I went into the bike shop. I didn’t feel comfortable buying one off Amazon because I wanted to make sure it fit. Also it was really fun for him to go into the store! I would totally reccomend the hat for you but I threw away the box 🙁

      • Tracey June 23, 2014, 11:10 am

        Thanks! That’s what I thought. I am not comfortable ordering off Amazon either because even if the size is listed, the reviews always mention that the sizing isn’t correct. Thanks for the reply! Hope Henry is enjoying his bike!

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