Not that we would have done much different, but they are all starting to blend together a bit. Overall it was actually really nice. As we were all sitting down at the table and eating dinner together, I had a moment when I looked around and felt such contentment. I was truly enjoying myself and my family. It wasn’t stressful, I wasn’t jumping up to get something every few minutes or correcting any behavior. It was just a really nice family meal.
Of course what made it even better is that a neighbor made that dinner for us. I cannot explain how soul filling and needed it can be a year into a pandemic to have a neighbor drop off a lasagna plus sides and dessert for your family. Although we’re doing just fine, we are exhausted and run down. Add in a pregnancy and two little kids, it is incredibly appreciated to have a bit of the village step in and offer some help.
It also meant that I had a bit more energy to help E & G bake a cake for Tom, and decorate it with dinosaur sprinkles - at E’s insistence. Luckily I don’t think Tom minded, he even wore the crown that E demanded we have for him. We’ve definitely noticed that E loves birthdays, and although he’s been counting down to his since March, he’s excited for ANY birthday.
Overall it wasn’t bad for a birthday. We were together, we ate some good food, and Tom even got a few hours alone out of the house (hey, in a pandemic we’ll take what we can get!) We’ve still got quite a few more birthdays to celebrate in the next month and a half, so bring on the cake!
It’s been a big year. E has almost finished Kindergarten and has grown so much over the past year. He has learned many new skills. We’ve seen him crush math worksheets, utilize new art skills which landed him a spot in the town wide art show, and enter the beginning stages of learning how to read. He comes home daily with new knowledge about things we’ve never discussed - it’s equally thrilling and scary to no longer be the only source of information in his life.
He regularly does 200-500 piece puzzles and non stop Lego kits that he takes apart and uses to build something else. He’s less into coloring, but loves making cards for people. He still loves crafts but dislikes painting. He loves running until his hair is wet and sweaty, but also loves to sit and cuddle with me - often waking up an hour before anyone else to find me in the house and get alone time with me.