I can’t believe our birthday has come and gone already without it even really feeling like it was even here. With so much going on with the move and everything, birthdays kind of got put on the back burner.
Granted the reason that it didn’t really feel like it even happened is probably because we didn’t have a proper party (yet) to celebrate Knox turning 1 and to commiserate me turning 27, but we did celebrate in our own way by going away for a night together as a family.
Part of my birthday present from my wonderful inlaws was that they booked us in to our own room at our regular hangout spot – Houw Hoek Inn, while they booked their own room there too. The benefit of this is that we spent the afternoon chilling out with the kids and then we could pass them over and have our own time to go and wander around Hermanus for drinks and supper – oh and let’s not forget having a whole night full of uninterrupted sleep (without any little bodies taking up the bed).
So we spent the afternoon watching the ducks, playing in the park and playing “ring-a-ring a rosie”.
What does this look like to you? I spot Africa!
Ga was even feeling adventurous and had a jump on the trampoline!
The only little baby duck left. Not sure what happened to the others.
I suppose my present could have been this interesting form of playground pole dancing?
Then Seth and I were off to Hermanus. It was totally packed with the last scragglers that attended the whale festival. We saw one whales tail and that was enough for us (I really don’t get why people go there and watch them forever?). We got some vino and dessert at one of the outside restaurants but then decided that it would be better to head back to Houw Hoek to enjoy supper (so that we didn’t have to drive in the dark and we could both drink without it being a problem).
Obviously I chose to have a selfish meltdown half way through the time that we were supposed to be carefree and wild, but the stress of the move, getting older and not really celebrating it really got to me. I really like to make birthdays a big thing (I can’t help it) and it just seemed like for the last couple of years, things were always a bit too crazy around this time and so birthdays took last place. Last year made up for it with being blessed with the happiest little boy in the world and this year we moved into an awesome house, so in fact I was just being a loser.
But the good news is that I eventually got over myself and really enjoyed the rest of the evening alone with my man. The next morning, Seth left at dawns crack to go to work and once I had woken up and had a unaccompanied shower, I wandered over to kiss and cuddle my gorgeous birthday boy! Kyla very shyly greeted me with a “Happy Birthday” before running off without any more fuss and then Riya wanted absolutely nothing to do with me – to add insult to my only just mending injuries. But oh my sweet lovely Knox was at least happy to see me and I was probably even more happy to see him. For a whole year he has blessed us with his presence and I am so glad that we have him in our lives.
After a hearty breakfast and one last goodbye to the ducks we were on our way.
I also realised that you are never actually to old to learn something new. And in case you’re wondering why I’m not actually present in any of these photos, I learned that taking a “selfie” with a very hyper 1 year old is next to impossible. I’ll try again next year though.
I’m really so blessed to have been around for 27 years and even more blessed to be able to spend it with my Knoxy-Noo (and the rest of the family too – obviously). Here’s to many more happy years together!