March Madness: birthday edition

The first half of March is already in the rear view, and I am sad to see it go. It's been 'good busy'. There was a trip to Vancouver Island that always boosts our end of winter spirits, and a great many birthdays to be celebrated.

Swinging in Uncle Jon's back yard - Beacon Hill Park

This is one of Jake's most favorite things: Grandpa's under ducks.

March is birthday month for us. It seems like all of Jake's little friends are March babies, along with cousins, aunties, and of course our favorite: daddy.

We ate cake, collected party favors, played games, and opened presents.  We celebrated the people we loved, and were grateful for them.

But the month ain't over yet, and a few more birthdays need to be checked off the list, including my boy's. 

This weekend my baby turns two.  It shocks me that two years have passed and yet it feels like I have been living this life forever. Sometimes I can barely recall my life before him. It's been good, it's been hard, I feel fulfilled.

 

With a multitude of birthday parties come bad eating habits, and my sensibilities were starting to be offended by how few vegetables my son has consumed over the past weeks.  So my husband came up with the brilliant solution of offering Jake smoothies to drink. I know this is not a new parenting idea, but it was a breakthrough for us.

And we should have started long ago because I don't think Jake has ingested more spinach in his life. Did you know that you can barely taste spinach in a smoothie if you add plenty of blueberries, raspberries and a banana?

You can't even see the green stuff.

And we aren't shy with the spinach either, I dump a lot in there.

See, that's like half the bag.

 And this is my nearly two year old drinking a cup of frozen spinach and loving it.  Am I cruel?

I think not...  I figure it balances out all that icing he's had over the last several weekends.

Yes, there's a hunk of it stuck in between his teeth.

Alright, I am off to craft up some birthday decorations for my boy!
....wish me luck.

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Happy Birthday  to all those March babies (young and old) who have brought such happiness to our lives. We love you.

Driving back home from Victoria, this was the view that greeted us.  It said: Welcome Home.