"Being a gentleman is a worthy goal."

There's not a day goes by that I'm not completely smitten by those two amazing boys of ours. They are by far the best friends that I could ever ask for and spending time with them is so much fun. What I really love about them both is their confidence and on those rare occasions where we are at an event full of adults, I feel that they really stand out from the crowd. We've always talked to and treated the boys like adults and in these situations that really stands out. Not only did they both look very grown up but they confidently chatted away at a recent family wedding to everyone that stopped for a chat. I couldn't have been more proud, they have become proper gentlemen.

Opeie, I need you to be the Ant-Man.

Sometimes i feel so sorry for the boys. If like us, as a parent you are completely smitten by your children there is a good chance you are continuously shoving a camera in front of their faces. Add in to the equation that i am a dad blogger and you can imagine how much the camera comes out. I am terrible for all the 'go and stand over there' and 'pull this face', especially when i am writing our LEGO posts and more creative reviews.

I should know better, I would hate having a camera pushed in front of me but most of the time the boys just go with the flow. Sadly though, sometimes they are not in the mood and one of them cracks. A few days ago was one of those times. The day Opeie started to shrink!.... and wasn't very happy about it.

"You can not look at a sleeping cat and feel tense."

I am extremely content with my life and can honestly say that this is the best that things have ever been for me. No matter how good things are though i can guarantee that at some point EVERY single day Polly points out that hers is better....

...The end!

"You change your life by changing your heart."

Mine and Mrs M's relationship has come a long way since the day we met. I like to think that we have evolved to become the perfect partner for each other. I am more than happy (like this evening) to sit and paint her nails, pluck her eyebrows and give her a massage. I like to see her looking relaxed, especially after a stressful day at work. As we all sat together a few nights back i realised just how much she had changed for me and the boys.

As we sat there watching Spider-man it was great to look across and actually see Mrs M getting in to some Lego building and the boys were loving her bright pink house. Shes never really been a fan, not of Lego itself but more the sitting for long periods of time sorting through bricks. Mrs M doesn't like to sit still for to long but he she was fully embracing building with her boys. Lego and Spider-man, what more could i possibly want. Who'd have thought it could be possible to become more perfect as the years go by.

I really am the luckiest and most smitten guy i could possibly be.

My ever loving gaze. Smitten since day one.

 If people could see me at home I'm sure they would think i was a bit of a mental case. Earlier this evening Mrs M said she was going in the bath and after the hectic day she has had with yet another night of minimal sleep kicking it off (thanks to that little cherub of ours... Or mine according to Mrs M when he's been a tinker), It was clear that she would be wanting to relax in the tub without said cherub using the bath for this weeks superhero scuba class. So i grabbed the duvet so that we could snuggle on the sofa and give mommy some peace and quiet. Opeie requested 'Cat in the Hat' as he's going through a Dr Seuss phase at the moment (which I'm loving).

Opeie was engrossed in the cat's escapades and as usual i found myself engrossed in Opeie. I spent the entire 30 minutes of the cartoon staring at him and smiling, do any of you other parents find yourself doing this? is this normal behaviour? I find him fascinating! Becoming a dad is by far the greatest thing i have ever done and will ever do in my life and the boys give me never ending entertainment. I spend most of my day with Opeie with a huge smile on my face and i have shed many a happy tear just because he is around. The day we brought him home Myself and Mrs M curled up on the sofa and had a good cry. Being a dad is so overwhelming and something i would never take for granted, i have been through a lot in life to get me to this point. A few weeks after he arrived i took him out in the car to get him to sleep and as he drifted off i was watching him in the mirror and i burst in to tears, i had to pull over to let it all out. I was quite the teary mess over those first few weeks.

I was smitten by Opeie within seconds of Mrs M waving the pregnancy test at me and i knew from that moment i would do anything in my power to make sure he was always happy. He's a very smiley and excited boy so i know we're doing a great job, i really hope he's always like that. We wont be having any more children due to issues with the pregnancy so i knew i wanted to be at home with Opeie, i didn't want to miss anything. Spending as much time with your children in the first few years is really important, i wanted to have a really strong bond with him early on.

Opeie is going to be two in a few weeks and i cant believe how quickly he is growing up. The last two years have gone by with the blink of an eye but we have had such an amazing time together so far and our family is so strong. I really couldn't ask for more amazing people in my life. His speech is coming on beautifully and so many of the things that come out of his mouth make my heart melt. I'm sure when he wakes up in the morning and we are back on the sofa cuddling again i will go back to my Opeie induced catatonic state, but having a child as beautiful as him how could i not.