Molly is now one year old and the celebrations have lasted all week, hence the need for 3 cakes! We had a party on her actual birthday for NCT pals and their siblings, the nursery held a party for her one lunchtime and we had a bigger family party at the weekend (I am still tidying up from the various events!)
I love to make and decorate my own cakes, but the thought of making three, in a kitchen that is currently undergoing some work, in the little time I have, meant that I had to give in and buy two of them. Ben helped me make the other one – he loved colouring the icing and rolling it out, we had icing sugar everywhere! I have attached a picture of our efforts!
As well as having three cakes, Molly has been spoilt rotten with cards and presents. As she mainly plays with Ben’s toys a lot of people opted to buy her clothes – after all they’re so much more fun to buy than boys’ clothes! Her wardrobe is now better than mine. Having a daughter I have now discovered that there is a whole world of hair accessories that I just didn’t know existed! I’m not sure Molly realised what all the fuss was about but she seemed to enjoy opening presents and having happy birthday sung to her.
We had a great pool party on the Saturday (despite a bit of rain!) with our friends and family, and it ended up with curry and drinks back at ours. After all these first birthday parties are really for the adults – aren’t they?!
It did give me time to reflect on her birth a year ago and the few days and weeks following it. I remember Ben holding her when she was only a few hours old and seeing the two of them together. I now look at the two of them playing and interacting and it amazes me how much they have both changed in the last 12 months, and how much pleasure they get from each other. Long may the sibling friendship last!

The birthday girl opening a present:

All dressed up for the party:

Playing pass the parcel:

Molly and cousin Harry hit the pool:

 The kids having fun in the pool:

 Our masterpiece:

It has been a hectic few weeks so I‘m afraid blog writing has had to take a back seat!
Most evenings I don’t even get to sit down until 10pm, and even then it’s with a pile of clean socks that need sorting into pairs, or with a pen and paper in hand to write yet another to do list.

So what’s been happening?

Work has been busy so we continue to juggle the childcare and running the home. I was away with work and missed Ben’s first sports day – I had hoped for rain and a postponement! I dealt with the guilt by telling myself that he will have many more sports days that I can go to and cheer him on… Ben did however have Dad’s support and his video expertise. The kids all seemed to have a great day and every child came home covered in winning stickers.

With sports day comes the end of term. This has meant his first school report, going to meet his teacher for next year and having the end of term party. Where did that first year at school go? We are now into six weeks of logistical planning to keep Ben amused, entertained and looked after whilst we try to continue to work through the summer holidays in a seamless fashion! We have called upon the support of friends and family. I will let you know how it goes! (I have attached some web addresses of summer clubs)

Little Molly has now mastered the art of the fast crawl and cruising. Her favourite trick is to climb up a flight of stairs when your back is turned. She will now only feed herself with a spoon or fork – and refuses to be fed by anyone else. This shows great independence - but the food ends up everywhere. She needs 2 baths a day at the moment. Weetabix in the hair does a great job as firm holding mousse!

She has also added a few words, namely ‘cat’ and ‘hi’, to her repertoire. I’m surprised she doesn’t say ‘no’ yet, as that seems to be all I say to her some days!

She is one-year-old next week – party plans are in full flow – I can’t wait!

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Molly in a mess after feeding herself

Sports day action

Last Saturday we had tickets to ‘Taste’ - a food festival in Regents Park. I’ve been to the event through work before and thought it would make a good day out for the kids and the in laws (we do like our food and drink in this family!).

Benjamin thought the whole day was a great adventure, particularly the train and tube journey. He is now old enough for his own train ticket, so could operate the ticket exits himself. In his mind he thought he was Harry Potter trying to find platform 9 and ¾!

Once at the festival we were soon sampling foods – everything from pan-fried salmon and scallops, to pork and mash and award-winning chocolates. Molly enjoyed the day out; happy to crawl around when given the opportunity, be carried by Grandad or to fall asleep in her push chair when the excitement got too much!

At the end of the day we enjoyed a leisurely walk back to the train station through Regents Park in the sunshine. Benjamin loved climbing the trees and watching the herons on the river. It was a lovely way to spend a summer’s day all together.

Everyone enjoying the festival

Molly on the move

Molly and Grandad

Ben and Dad running off lunch

Ben up a tree

Strolling through the park

A ball rolls past me and I want to chase it
As I try and reach it from where I sit
I end up in a pile on the floor

I want to move and it’s making me cross
I try to crawl but for now I am at a loss
I end up in a pile on the floor

My right leg, you see, keeps getting stuck
And then, as is normally my luck
I end up in a pile on the floor

I can stand alone if I have something to hold
This makes me feel quite big and bold
I don’t want to end up on the floor!

I can walk a few yards if someone holds my hands
With rapturous applause from all of my fans
I don’t want to end up on the floor!

My Gran told me “at 10 months your Dad was walking”
Why the big rush and all of the talking?
Do they want me to end up on the floor?

It won’t be long and soon I will be on my feet
Watch out all, the house may not stay neat!
Pick everything up off the floor!

Molly walking with her pushchair

I am writing this after an exhausting, but great, weekend celebrating Benjamin’s birthday!

My son is finally five years old! Since he has started school it seems that everyone has turned 5 before him, but this Saturday was time for his party.

Benjamin wanted to take his best mates to Willows Farm near St Albans (www.willowsfarmvillage.com). So we decided to make a day of it and invite their families along for the day too.

It turned out to be a great venue as it has a fabulous indoor play area, providing somewhere to go if it rained. And being May – in England – it did!

I’m not sure who had more fun on the indoor slides – the Dads or the kids?!

We took a picnic and birthday cake, which we had in the barn, and when the weather cleared up the kids had a tractor ride, bet on the ‘Sheepstakes’ (sheep racing!), bounced on the outdoor bouncy castles and ended up at the farm disco!

Benjamin had been up since 5am in the morning with birthday excitement, so was shattered at the end of the day. He was spoilt rotten with gifts from friends and family and now has a new range of ‘boy’s toys’ to play with; everything from a Dalek costume to a DS Lite (we may regret that gift – more on that later I am sure).

One thing I learned this weekend was to make sure that all party bags are the same! I choose to buy the boys a Power Ranger figure each and picked 4 different colours. Needless to say the yellow one did not go down well – I did not realise this was a ‘girl’ ranger! I am now on a promise to replace it by Monday!

Ben’s new Dalek costume 

The best friends – what a good-looking bunch! 

Watching the sheep race

Molly testing out Ben’s new paddling pool

With his friends waiting to go into the farm

Time for cake…