About 25 months ago we left our boat moored in Georgetown, Bahamas to fly back to Canada to prep for the birth of our second skipper. At that point I was 9 months pregnant, and pushing the airlines limits of letting me fly with how far along I was. I was to the point of needing a helping hand to climb up the side of the boat and the help of two strong individuals to hoist me into the dinghy from the water, like some sort of wounded whale. It was time.
We went back to the wintery cold and stayed with our amazing friends, Luc and Amanda, as we counted down the days to our due date. On our exact expected date contractions began and our friends graciously left us their house, and took Arias with them, so that we could give birth to our second child in the comfort of a home. Of all the enormous rooms we could have chosen from to give birth, Ellia made her presence into the world “quick as a bullet” on their half-bathroom floor.
Fastforward a few months, after we had done some work to plump up the bank account a little, we returned to our boat and continued on with our liveaboard life now with two skippers in tow. Ellia spent the first year of her life attached to mama. If I wasn’t carrying her, either on my hip or in her baby sling, she was not happy. She was not your typical baby cooing and laughing at every adult that made funny faces at her, but quite the opposite, she would stare them down and make them feel like real asses for trying. But once she warmed up to someone she was a flirt and very much a comedic character. This headstrong little individual has taught me a lot about myself, and in particular my hot buttons. She can be a challenge but makes up for it by being an awesome cuddler with the cutest little toosh around.
Today we celebrate her second birthday with friends joining us for a pool and pizza party. So far it is not the birthday party that she is most excited about, or the presents or the cake, but the fact that Papa shaved his face for her! She loves soft kisses from her papa. She has also been making sure, all morning, that Arias will not eat “all my cake”. And she has been telling everyone that she is now 3 years old, and thinking that that is the funniest joke in the world. She gets her sense of humour from me (where you think you’re jokes are the funniest and can’t help but laugh at yourself).
Once again it was wonderful finding ourselves surrounded by our friends, eating, swimming, laughing, and enjoying another day in the DR. Today was a special day, we celebrated one amazing little human being.
ice cream from Annalise and Arnim
her very own My Little Pony
thank yous
Joaquin, Marie, Eva, and Hadrien got a gift for Arias too
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