celebrate {new birthday tradition}

as i mentioned earlier today, i really wanted to do something special for coleman this morning that he would actually get. after he went to bed last night, i had a lightbulb moment. coleman loves balloons (or anything that sort of resembles a ball, right???). so, i blew up 12 blue balloons (one for each month of his second year of life).

and on each one i wrote something that i love about him. then i packed them into two trash bags and placed them outside his bedroom door.

this morning when he rose (way too early) i entered his room singing happy birthday to you and showered my birthday boy with twelve balloons in his crib. his response? a whole-hearted joey lawrence "woooooh" and lots of smiles.

he then had fun hitting each balloon out of his crib into his bedroom floor. and then i showed him how to hit them over the banister to get them downstairs. and so they went.

and he's continued to enjoy playing with his twelve birthday balloons. not only was this perfect for our two-year-old, i think it's perfect in general. i want to make this a birthday tradition - always having balloons with special things written on them. but next year, with it not being such a last minute thing, matt & spencer can also participate in the balloon messages.

wanna know what twelves things are "balloon quality" about coleman....

1) when you start all of your sentences with "mommy"
2) our bedtime routine
3) how you fold your hands and say "amen" during prayers
4) your infectious smile
5) your deep belly laugh
6) how you adore your big bubba
7) your love of mickey mouse clubhouse
8) your mad iphone skillz
9) your complete obsession with balls
10) how rough & tumble you are
11) your independent nature
12) how proud you make your daddy

note: this is the last birthday post today...promise :)