Another year older

Birthday celebrations for Helena and myself were boisterous and lazy, respectively. As it should be.


Helena on her second birthday. 


Isabella on her second birthday. 

Sadly, the weekend was sandwiched by some unpleasantness.

Friday, I went into an unreasonable panic about the price of more presents J-F brought home for Helena. This little girl has had an awful lot of money spent on her in the last month or so — coats, shoes, a couple outfits, some new toys when she was sick, some new toys for travelling, and then birthday presents. For the first time, the "everyday" costs of having a child hit me, and hard.

Add to this the guilt I feel for recently spending a small fortune on children's books, which I intend to bestow on her at a rate of one every 1 or 2 months or so over the coming year.

In addition, as if on cue, Friday night Helena was actively defiant regarding bedtime for the first time. This was not a matter of crying out as I left her room; she flatly refused to be caught and put in her crib. Maternal angst and the feeling of gross incompetence set in for a good couple hours.

But we thoroughly enjoyed spoiling her on her day.

My birthday was barely over when the retching began. I suspect the tiramisu I had at bedtime was slightly off. Tired as I am, it's only remaining upright and concentrated that helps quell the nausea.