Two!
He’s still great and we still love him, even if the guarantee ran out and we’ve no hope of returning him now.
Now he’s a man, or at least on his way to becoming a man. He already cusses like a man, sometimes he spits on the floor, and he mightn’t scratch his balls in public yet, but he farts without shame.
I think it’s fair to say he can talk now. He’s certainly never shy about voicing his opinion in any language. He speaks several, some known only to himself, but German, English, Irish and Spanish are among them – I regret to say in order of proficiency.
I guess it’s no surprise German is gaining the upper hand seeing as he’s bombarded with it every day. These Germans are taking no chances are doing their best to mould him in their way. They’re merciless, offering his brain no respite as if trying to ease their own suffering by shifting it on to someone else.
He can count, to sieben or something like that, and I think they’ve been teaching him colours too. They’ve also been force-feeding him songs, more songs than a singer can sing.
But it’s a cruel world, and rather than let them win, I have to teach him things too. I’m proud to say (genuinely) that he can count to three, usually by omitting two, but this makes me prouder still, as he achieves the same result in the quickest possible way.
Thankfully the Germans haven’t managed to teach him any manners yet, and he actually seems to like singing, despite not knowing any words or having any natural talent. I guess it didn’t stop Bono…
“He knows a shitload of songs,” Jenny said when I asked her for a contribution to this birthday tribute. “He knows about 40 and all the words too.”
“He’s cheeky,” Jenny added firmly (and not for the first time).
True, he’s no angel. He’s already come to the unfortunate realisation that “verboten” means more fun can be had.
He takes good care of Moley and Hedgehog, his best friends, and ensures the rest of his animals and dependents are well fed and watered. When not caring for his toys he likes bashing the shit out of them. Noise is a source of great amusement, unless you’re not one of our unfortunate neighbours.
Yeah, he’s a messer alright. I don’t know where he gets that from. Lately he’s been laughing so hard at things he falls over. Fantastic sense of humour. He thinks peas are hilarious because they have the same name as pee.
He’s a scamp, there’s no other way to describe him, a scamp with an infectious joie de vivre which will always have us grateful for the day he was born two years ago.
Happy birthday little fella, you’re the best.
Pictures above are all recent, except the one horizontal picture, taken when he was just over a year old. I include it for comparison purposes, because only after going through a year’s worth of photos do I realise he’s changed so much – indeed, that he’s changing at a frightening pace. Honestly, every day I’ve seen him for the last two years he has looked perfectly normal, so now I realize I must be the strange one…
Anyway, above pics are mostly recent, below are previously unseen pics from the last year.
Happy Birthday to the Nipper!
ReplyDeleteBon anniversaire Fionn!!
ReplyDeleteThanks Uncle Adam, merci Auntie Sonia! The celebrations have been long and wild and they ain't over yet!
ReplyDeleteAhh good. Another soul being dragged over to our side. *cue evil German laughter*
ReplyDeleteHappy birthday to the young fella.
Dan
Cheers Dan! You never know, he might even grow to like German music! I'll make sure to give him a copy of your list so he knows where to start.
DeleteGod no, let him make his own mistakes.
Delete