Three

The day after we arrived home was Simon's 3rd birthday. Lucky for us we got to experience the Bryden family tradition of cake for breakfast on your birthday!

Lucky for this Mama Simon does not know exactly what a birthday is or what to expect. So with the exception of the cake and a gift from the Bryden's, the day passed like any other. We decided to wait until Pappa got back and we had time to get to the store to buy him a gift to really celebrate.

Helping to bake his own cake!

Fast forward one week and there was more cake and more presents! (I made this cake from scratch and it was my first real domestic duty in months!) Simon had been asking for a blue scooter for months. Despite the fact that he does not know what a birthday is, he had seemed quite content the whole trip when I told him he could have a scooter for his birthday. Simon blue scooter, for birthday! He said this nearly every day, and now the day had finally come!

Turns out he is not interested in opening presents, so Ella happily helped. He got his blue scooter and we were able to go out and give it a test ride that afternoon. Hopefully this will help us move around our new home in Amsterdam a bit better.

Simon turning 3 feels monumental somehow, just like every birthday feels for a Mama, I guess. But still, it surprises me every time how much I love his birthday. Not the presents or celebrations so much, just thinking about the day that this special guy showed up.

His birthday marks so much for me. We moved to Germany shortly after he was born and I haven't worked since. Those were both big changes and 2 (3 if we count Simon) of the best decisions I have ever made. I do miss working and often wish I had a little more balance, but staying home has been a gift I probably would not have given myself had we stayed in the states, and I have loved every (ok - most) minutes of it. And Europe? As I sit here on my first afternoon is my new city of Amsterdam, I am not sure I am ever leaving!

 

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