Birthdays As a Family of Two

Last week was Bryce's birthday. Obviously we couldn't go out to dinner (titanium knee), so it was a low key celebration. 

I actually started it the night before, because he'd had a rough day and so had I, a lot of it from the general state of things and feeling like perhaps we are living in a speculative fiction novel.I was like, "that's IT, we're doing a Birthday Eve present!" I had two cards, one sweet and a bit mushy for the actual day, and another one that was ridiculous and funny. So, I gave him one card and one present as an appetizer of sorts. 

Amazing Etsy find at LittleMapleShop cracked us both up! 

Another Etsy find (TheArtOfManyThings), THE BEST. 

It was a lovely way to kick things off and have a little joy in the midst of what sure feels like End Times. 

The next day, actual birthday, we had a tasty Hello Fresh meal, and then surprise cake (I enlisted a friend to pick up and drop off a slice of carrot cake for Bryce and a slice of GF golden cake with buttercream frosting). Then, my favorite part --  the giving of the prizes! 

I pretty much furnish Bryce's wardrobe collection of Dungeons & Dragons t-shirts. He is a Dungeon Master for a group of guys, which is a terrific social and creative outlet. So if course, I had to get him another one (Etsy, this one from DragonbornDesign). 

What a handsome DM!

My favorite thing that was so silly was this: a Spookula umbrella. Is it not the absolute best? 

Yes yes, open umbrella in the house, had luck, blah blah. 

Finally, the best candles ever -- Nubble Light Candles from Maine. For Bryce, they smell like home. 

Two Mornings at the Lake, which smells like coffee and camp, a Lost in the Pines, which is Maine forest all the way, and Beach Bonfire, which is exactly as it sounds. 

It is so wonderful to be able to have a low key birthday celebration just the two of us. We don't need much, and everything is practical yet quirky. A lot of couples I know with kids have rushed birthdays, and prioritize their kids' celebrations so their own are minimized. 

We don't have kids, so we make our own rituals and celebrate each other pretty thoroughly. We are a family of two (plus cats), and we do everything we can to squeeze as much love and joy out of our time as possible. We have fun and, in a way, treat ourselves as our own kids. 

We are definitely reaching a point where the sadness of not getting to parent is pretty well balanced with a hearty appreciation of and gratitude for the life we get to live, just the way it is right now.