Wednesday 2 July 2008

Birthday Musings: Part 3. Happy Birthday


Surprise.....No Peeking.
Happy Birthday!

Hooray...it's birthday time! Four whole years since this bundle of joy was delivered into my arms and I got the surprise of my life...a very long 9lb 11 oz baby with a massive shock of black hair, which made him look like my late Auntie Ronnie from Wales.

One thing I love about birthdays is creating little traditions that when they grow up my children will say things like... "Do you remember mum's breakfast muffins...they weren't great, but we'd still eat them till we felt sick".

or

"Do you remember the way Dad used to make us a card rather than buy one - ha ha, that was Mum's doing as well, poor old Dad"

Mum & Dad eh? At the moment we're still Mummy and Daddy and I know it won't be long until we all grow up together. I will treasure these moments forever.

Anyway, it's 7.00 in the morning and I've just made some muffins for the occasion, a yummy birthday breakfast for the special birthday boy.


Yes, I know the plate doesn't look full...I've already delved into a couple, as they are delicious...made from fresh blueberries and some of my home-made yoghurt. That might make me sound like a domestic goddess, but trust me I'm not.

For example, I haven't dared make the birthday cake because he wanted a fancy one in the shape of a car. I can try my hands at most things but mechanical cake engineering isn't one of them. Oh yes, I really know when I'm beaten.

Instead, I have relied on Mr Sainsbury and Mr Tesco to go head-to-head with a pair of racing car cakes, one for little T's nursery and one for the party.

Despite my flurry of neurosis on Monday, I am now rather calm about the party, mainly because it's going to be in a kids' painting cafe in town.

However, I think I'm still in denial about the inevitable party bags and and my overworked brain is just wondering whether I can get away with it. So far, the kids will have the ceramic thingamajig that they'll paint at the cafe as well as a piece of cake and a little camper van.

Surely that's enough isn't it?

Will they be disappointed?

Will the parents think I'm tight or will they be grateful?

Ohhh...What if we had no party bag at all!

Could I break with tradition and risk all those kids in tears as they leave with just a piece of cake?

Apparently in "my day" we used to take some chocolate as a birthday gift and come home with just a piece of cake... and there were very few complaints.

But I don't think I'm that mean or so brave.

So it looks like I'll be bunging in some chocolate too.

Ah...at least there will be no unrecyclable packaging.

Anyway, what am I doing still hanging about on the blog...I've got the Junior Saboteur's birthday to celebrate with some muffins, a few presents and a sing song.

Just close your ears when we sing Happy Birthday as we're not a very tuneful family. Cats wailing and jackdaws crowing is the sound that comes to mind.

In the meantime, if you're missing the regular talk of bins or trashcans...don't fret...look what I've discovered on You Tube.



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4 comments:

Cybèle said...

Happy birthday to youngest 'un!
As for the party bags: I just don't do them anymore. They're full of plastic rubbish that they play with once and never look at again, they're full of sugary sweets which I rather they didn't eat. I'm sure most parents feel exactly the same way. So this year I took two friends of my 6 year old to Banham Zoo, where we have a season ticket, and bought them an icecream and let them choose something small in the shop. Worked much better.
My nine year old once asked for donations to a charity rather than presents (I think it was her 7th birthday) - she chose Redwings, and we had lots of positive comments.

just Gai said...

Many happy returns to the birthday boy!

Your comment on traditions reminded me of one of ours. At Christmas, in an attempt to create a link with the past, and to sneak something healthy into their diet, I always add a satsuma to my children's stockings. Every year they remind me not to forget the traditional satsuma, and every year they tell me that it is just as traditional for them not to eat it!

Anonymous said...

Thanks for the post and videos on diet

Almost Mrs Average said...

Hi Cybèle - I know what you mean. Most parties I go to have the same thing. Mr A is very good at squirreling them away afterwards and distracting the kids with something else. How great that your little girl wanted to do the charity thing...that's fantastic ;-D

Hi Gareth Rae - Thank you. LOL - what a wonderful sense of humour your children have. We do the satsumas too and there are always the gold coins too...oh, I wonder if I'll be able to let them through the net (excuse pun) this year. ;-D

Thanks Jimmy - glad you like it.

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