I posted a while ago amid the 365 photos that we had a small family funeral that we attended.  My step-father-in-law’s father died.  We were happy to participate in sending him off, though it was quite sad.

Since it was such a small, private affair, I ended up stepping back with Cyprus away from the crowd so that I would not disturb anyone.  I got the opportunity to take this photo, which I think conveys the spirit quite well.  I post it here as a general memory and a stepping stone in my life.  I wish Richard goodbye.

It is a bad thing that this weekend I learned how to make amazing chocolate mousse in under 5 minutes. Oh MAN is it tasty.

I made it back on the treadmill today after my break for various reasons. I started with a mile and half, and it actually felt good! I worked off about the amount of energy I’m holding in my hand in this photo!

Now that Cyprus is starting to explore, Daphne is interested in EVERYTHING he is doing. If he has a toy, she has to take it from him. If he is standing up, she has to move him. If he is crawling, she has to get in his way. I think it is just her way of expressing her love her for him, but it often upsets or hurts him. I am at my wits end trying to solve her being willing to let him live in his own space with his own body.

Today, while he was sleeping on me, I told her to sit down and I handed him to her. I hoped that he would stay asleep so that she could just love and enjoy him. My plan backfired because he woke up–grumpy. She tried to comfort him so that I could at least get a photo.

I just keep having to remind myself that they will get along one day the way that my sister and I get along now. One day.

I am soon going to have to admit to myself that Cyprus wants to play and explore on his own. I so enjoyed putting him in the sling and enjoying going about my day when he was little, but other parts of the world are much more exciting than me sometimes.

He likes to explore pretty much anything that you put in front of him. As long as his teeth aren’t bothering him, he will sit for a while and explore what you put in front of him.

This is another small, humorous little attempt I’ve made at doing something a little more creative from time to time.

Watch out for the little people in the world, we have rights too!

You can see the black eye starting to form here from Cyprus’ bonk with reality. He doesn’t seem to notice or even care.

I had just gotten him out of the bath, so he still had water dripping down his face. I love having someone who looks at me like this. What a sweet little boy I have!

I didn’t fight a photo out of Daphne this day. Rather, I caught this sweet photo after she slipped off into her toddler dreams.

No wonder cherubs are angels. Just look at that sweet baby face she had when she sleeps.

Daphne’s birthday was a no gift affair, so a few people brought flowers to help brighten things up. It feels like spring is really starting to come, and the flowers put a smile on my face.

Unfortunately, Daphne’s birthday also reminds me of the c-section I went through to get her into this world. It was quite traumatic for me because it was an emergency c-section after a 48 hour active labor. The beginning of March for me is a time that reminds me of this. I think that the labor and surgery were a very important turning point in my life. Though the experience itself was difficult to endure, it signified the start of a life where I no longer could come first. I am excited to see what I am reminded of as the year rolls around to Cyprus’ birthday when I get to remember the day that I defeated all the odds and had a VBAC.

Nonetheless, Happy Birthday to Daphne and Happy Birth Day to me.

TRF: The Daffodils are an appropriate flower for Daphne’s birthday because her friends have nicknamed her Daffodil, and it is name I have grown fond of calling her occasionally as well.

Daphne got quite the party for her 3rd birthday. This is the first year that the birthday has mattered to her. The other two years we just had a nice, small brunch with friends. She has been so interested in birthdays lately that we decided to have a big party for her.

I invited everyone we know with kids over. We had some kid friendly food to eat (mac and cheese, chili, etc.) After dinner, we made popcorn and watched the short movie from Wall-E. The movie was a hit (as was the popcorn).

Lastly, we sang her a hearty Happy Birthday and ate Beet Chocolate Cupcakes with chocolate mousse topping.

The party was so laid back, and it really was a blast. All of my good friends attended as did all of Daphne’s good friends.

I couldn’t have asked for a better time for Daphne’s birthday.

This is the first of many to come in the future, I am sure!

I was doing some things around the house, and I got a mama instinct to go pick up the baby who was crawling around on the floor. He had found a stool to pull up on and he was giddily leaning on it and bouncing.

When I got to within 2 feet of him, the stool tipped over on top of him. It was a big crash, and he was really upset. Immediately, I saw blood coming out of his eye, and I was really worried that he had punctured his eye.

It turns out that he just injured the area UNDER the eye. He now had a big bruised, black eye, but it is not so bad.

I consider this his initiation to many, many more bumps and bruises as he learns to walk and get around.

Daphne has a scar from her big bonk with my snap press when she was about the same age, it just is unavoidable sometimes!