Mary-Jane's Second Birthday

Mary-Jane's Second Birthday was nothing like how I'd expected it to be.  We have had my uncle staying, Mary-Jane has taken a shine to him.  We have also had my cousin and her little boy, 3 year old Xander, stopping for a couple of days. First impressions between Xander and Mary-Jane were promising.  Then something happened, I'm not sure what, but Mary-Jane's little world was tipped upside down and she became frightened witless of her cousin, even to hearing his name being mentioned bought her to tears.  It was beyond heartbreaking to see her this distraught, I have never felt like this before.  I felt for Xander and Fiona, they had done nothing wrong at all, but to Mary-Jane were he source of her fear.  The two children were kept as seperated as we could in the house.  Even so, when MJ heard Xander, that would be enough to set her off.  However progress was made when we all went for a walk to see the cows.  MJ actually called Xander a 'lovely boy' and made to offer him a flower she had picked, albeit by this point Xander and Fiona were several yards ahead of us and didn't hear.

After Xander and Fiona left, MJ went back to her normal self.  Until she heard a baby crying in a shop today and the same fear was with her.  She was saying that 'the boy was back'.  I never want to see her so frightened ever again, she was shaking at times.  She tried her best to calm herself by repeating 'it's good to see you again Mommy' and to count 1-10, and 'wipe and clean my face'.  Soul destroying.

I couldn't get to make her a cake, as things were rather busy.  I did buy her a caterpillar cake.  I shall make her a belated one.  We didn't sing her Happy Birthday as  I was wary that the noise of everyone singing might set her off again, she doesn't like a lot of noise, especially when feeling fragile.

One of the big good things that happened on her birthday, was the hedge cutter arriving on his new tractor!  As you know Mary-Jane is nuts and crackers about tractors.  The hedge cutter arriving was just one of those fluke things, it could've happened any day.  He was good enough to let Mary-Jane have a look at his tractor.  Mary-Jane was stunned to see a tractor at the end of the drive!  She was thrilled and I was thrilled.

I do rather like this image of her

Tractor wheel nuts need inspection!

When wheels are this big, they need to be sat in and looked at closer



There is a small bit (techincal term!) on the front, that I could just sit Mary-Jane on, I think her face says it all

There is even a photo opportunity for Mr Snuggles.


I was so thankful for these moments, and for it to happen on Mary-Jane's birthday.  I think someone up there must have been watching over her for this to happen.