I usually make a post on my blog on my birthday but this year I spent almost the whole day flying back from the team meetup in Hawaii. Not a bad way to finish your year, right?
Our meetup in Hawaii was quite interesting – we stayed in Honolulu which made it easy to walk to the beach but also to other places like restaurants and shops. I really like walkable and safe locations so that you are not tied to the hotel. It was fun to see the team in person and I also really enjoyed the free day that we had in Hawaii. Although I feel like I got two free days because on our travel day my plane was at 10pm which gave me another almost full day.
On my official free day, I went for a run first and then jumped straight into the ocean after. It was blissful – I just love the feeling of refreshment that the water gives you after cardio exercises. I used to do it all the time when we went to Slovenia with Nicolas and my parents for a week in 2019 and it was my favorite way to start the day. This time, I indulged myself in the same activity – additionally, there were almost no people at all at the beach which made it even more relaxing.
When I was returning to the hotel from the run, I bumped into three of my teammates who were heading for the Honolulu Trolley ride – you ride around the city to different interesting locations and can go out and get back onto the next trolley and your ticket is valid for the whole day. We stopped at the Diamond Head State Monument and walked around as well as got out at the Sandy Beach (we could not really swim there as it is a short stop just to take pictures – I enjoyed it nevertheless).
One disadvantage from running in the morning heat without the cap is that you can get a heat stroke. This is exactly what happened to me – when I got back from the trolley ride, I felt really overheated and dizzy. I managed to still join the tram for the luau show that we were doing as a team activity though!
The next day – travel day for the team – I had almost another full day so I wandered around, read on the beach, swam in the ocean, and then worked on a few things before the plane. When I landed on my birthday and got home, Nicolas has got a black forest cake for me and champagne and that was my birthday. He also got me a beautiful hibiscus plant as a birthday gift for my office:
As for my birthday wish, I am only wanting peace for Ukraine – I have everything else that one can wish for.
***
Two days after my birthday, Sofia turned one! It was a work day for me but I still wanted to make her a birthday cake. I knew I could buy it but I loved the idea of baking it. I could also check what exactly goes into it! I baked the base with apple sauce and wholewheat flour and made the frosting with raspberries and coconut whipped cream. The coconut cream did not work out as well as I would have liked – it was the first time I used it (we don’t really eat dairy so I did not have any real cream). I managed to work it out at the end She really liked the cake but I also feel like she would have liked any cake.
The first year with the baby has been really challenging. I remember in the first few weeks after she was born, I Googled “when does this end” out of sleep deprivation. I feel like in a year, we have grown so much – both Sofia transforming into a little human with her own character and us as a family. She is now walking and making the babbling sounds as well as calling everyone whom she knows ‘papa’. I love how focused she is on a task e.g. when she takes out all of my clothes from the wardrobe every single morning (haha), and how she is curious and that curiosity always takes over the fear. I hope she keeps these qualities for life.
Happy Birthday Baby Burrito, love you!
Kat's Thoughts 