Spring is here and nature started to wake up a few weeks ago, trees are blossoming, first flowers are appearing and birds are singing. And for the second time in this wonderful time of the year, we celebrated the most beautiful day in our lives. For me, the beginning of April is very sentimental when I reflect on that evening and night Adeline decided to enter this world – in the most beautiful time of the year! I try to remember how it all went, from the pregnancy with no clue about real-life parenting to the strong and joyful moment when I first saw her, all places, people who were part of it that day, and I even don’t know their names and will probably never see them again, and then the cocktail of emotions… I feel so grateful for the fact she chose us to be her parents and can’t believe how fast the time flies!
(If you want to read about my experience with giving birth in Belgium, read it here.)
So, there she is, our 2-year old! 24 months of endless love, happiness, smiles, and gratefulness (and all that comes with it – it’s been a ride, I tell you!). We planned something special for her big day (although she had probably still no clue what a birthday is). As the covid wanted it, most of the places of our interest were closed to the public – but one! The Wild Park in Gangelt. You will find it at the border of Germany with the Netherlands, close to Kerkrade.
Wild Park Gangelt is a kind of forest park where animals live in quite large spaces and visitors can get to them pretty close – sometimes just a wire fence. There are owls, falcons, wild pigs, deers, chamois, wolves, storks, otters, and others. Kids can feed the animals – there are vending machines with food (in the afternoon everything was already sold out though, but Adeline enjoyed feeding them with leafs :D). There is also a large playground for kids of all ages and a kid’s zoo where children can play freely with chickens, little goats etc.). Find more info about Wild Park Gangelt here.
At home, we had a proper celebration with cake and presents. We used decoration from her 1st birthday that comes mainly from Sostrene Groene and hang it in our living room that was still not fully livable last year. We printed some pictures from the past year and hang them on the cord on the wall. And like last year, I made a card for her where we wrote some kind words and her achievements through the year – she can read them later on, I think these are always nice handmade memories. I quickly made her a healthier almond banana carrot cake with mascarpone and strawberries from which she only ate the strawberries. 😀 I really look forward to the next year making just one cake for everybody, probably a nice chocolate one! That will rock I think 😀
I hope you can take some inspiration whether for the trip or the kids’ party – here are some pictures from that day! Now tell me in the below comments, what do you usually like to do with your children for their birthday?
