Snotty Noses Happy Parents Raising Healthy Kids by Dr Orlena Kerek, Paediatrician

The door creaks open, slowly, slowly, slowly. I know that it’s Sebastian who has a habit of reappearing straight after he’s been put to bed. Another wee. Another poo. Another cup of water. When I see him, I can’t help but laugh; this time, he’s dragging an entire castle and a teddy. Compulsory equipment for sitting on the potty if you plan to stay there a while.

Tomorrow my “babies” turn 3. I know, they haven’t been babies for a while, but they’re the last ones I’m going to have. So the name sticks.

I do love them at this age. They are so cheeky and vivacious and I love how they start to talk. And make no sense at all. Then they get upset and start shouting. In fact, they do a lot of shouting, even when we understand them perfectly well.

It must be tough being two. It’s certainly tough being a parent of two two year olds. There are many things that I’m not going to miss, namely the shouting, the screaming, the yelling, the tantrums. The grumpy days.

So here, my babies, are the things I’m going to miss about you being two.

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• Your constant, constant, constant cuddles.
• The fact that you can spend 10 minutes howling, then suddenly stop, tilt your head to one side and say with a wicked grin “me go play on my bike now!”
• That you can spend 20 minutes screaming about how you don’t want breakfast, lunch and dinner and just as we are finishing, you decide you’ll sit on my lap and eat your meal. Very slowly. Every day.
• That you think it is perfectly acceptable to throw your knife, fork, spoon, plate and food across the room.
• That when you are angry, you frequently hit, thump, bite, head butt and gouge me. When I touch you with wet hands you say “ow, you 'urting me”.

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• The way you say “pleathe” and “no thank you”, things that your older brothers aren’t capable of.
• The way you carry your poo mouse EVERYWHERE. Except that time you left her outside and she got run over and played with by a dog.
• That despite having two of everything, you can still fight over identical pedal bikes.
• That you are such an independent “big boy” now, you take yourself to the toilet by yourself and half an hour later even attempt to clear up after yourself. Something we’re still working on with your older brother.
• That when I check on you at night time, you’re busy suck, suck, sucking that little thumb. Just like Maggie Simpson.

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• The way that when you’re tired, daddy can just about carry you both home.
• That I can pick you up and you both look like oversized dolls.
• The way you cup my face in your dinky hands and stroke my cheeks.
• The way you both put your hand in the air, look up with those big imploring eyes and say “fly me!”
• The way that you go round and round the house in a circle, pushing your trolley, or your buggy or anything else with wheels, piled high with your favourite teddy, a random book and a piece of duplo.
• The way you sit by the cooker and tell me how to cook. Then you run off to your kitchen to fetch a piece of equipment that you know I’ll need.

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• Your slobbery, snotty kisses.
• The fact that magic kisses make everything better but only if they are in EXACTLY the right place.
• The way you follow me around when you're having a tantrum, just in case I hadn't noticed.
• The way that you call me so that you can tell me to "leave you alone!"
• The way you take FOREVER to do anything and everything.

Most of all I love that you are both here, bringing tears of happiness and frustration to our little family.

I know that the terrible twos are hard work but I will miss them.

Goodbye my beautiful two year olds. Hello my amazing three year olds. I hope we’ll have as much fun now that you’re three.

Perhaps with a little less shouting.

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