We have had a busy few weeks. I think I'll start with the party as that was first.
The garden was alll glorious and pretty in the sun - the ribbons were from our neighbour at the street party. She had them hanging in her hedge and offered them to me, husband stood next to me mouthing 'nooooooo not more random crafting stuff', but he did admit that they looked nice and magical decorating the apple tree. We did learn from last year's party though - the swings were taken down.
The plan was for a sports day themed party. It sort of half went to plan - most of the children didn't want to wear the team colours and the concept of the relay race was way too complicated, but we ran about like lunatics for a while and I forgot to hand out any of the medals. I also forgot to do the pass the parcel after lunch which was somewhat more annoying considering how long it too to wrap the ridiculous thing. (I took it to nursery the next day so it didn't entirely go to waste). The dinosaur stomp race was a moment of genius though, as it enabled me to get this photo! Identity of all children protected!!
The cake was probably not the finest creation to be seen at a four year old's birthday party this summer. I was going to make a podium cake, and then Sally announced that she was having a Peter Rabbit cake three days before her party. I hotfooted it to Etsy and ordered decorations. It was still going to be the intention to make it a pretty rainbow cake, except I forgot about the colour until the cake was mixed and in the tins. Ooops. I tried swirling the food dye in - it looked super pretty pre-baking and though it didn't make it the whole way through the cake it actually made a really pretty pattern. One which I entirely failed to get a photo of - in fact almost all of my photos are from one of my lovely friends who took loads and then messaged me them all afterwards which was great!
She also took this photo which helpfully shows the back and not the front of all the children's heads so I can use it too, hurrah! Three tiers of Peter Rabbit cake, made and iced by yours truly on Saturday morning before I had to don my hood and gown and go to church for our annual leaver's ceremony, which this year they decided to do at the weekend. This was not something I had factored in when planning to have the party. Saturday was also the day of the end of term ball, I very deliberately declined the proffered lifts, drinking was so not going to be an option with 15 four year olds and their parents due to arrive at my house at 11am the next morning!
So my little darling Sally is four. She had a great time, her parents were only run semi ragged by the whole palaver - next year I shall seriously consider hiring a place and making them do all the preparation - but for this year it was actually lovely to have so many people enjoying themselves in the garden. It was super hot though, which made the end time fairly straightforward - the children just keeled over, some more gently than others, and their parents took them all home.
I didn't really get any photos of Sally at the party, but here are a couple from her birthday opening her presents. Her dad was away for her actual birthday, but we had a nice day, presents in the morning, then we went to Ikea to get some party supplies and any cafe is a lovely treat for lunch as far as Sally is concerned! Her best friend came round for tea and they spent the last bit of the afternoon running around in the garden with the hose. I love the present photos - Pip was very well behaved and didn't try and grab too much, but how funny is the one with him playing with the hoover attachment? He does love that thing - and the squeals of outrage if you try and take it or the kitchen broom away from him are quite piercing!
We finally got round to writing andf decorating her thank you cards this evening. She is a happy little muffin when playing with stickers and stamps. But she was very lucky with all her friends coming and all the exciting new things she was given that we now have to keep away from Pip. Sadly I do not have a photo of what happened when he got his fingers on one of her new felt tips and tried to eat it. He was moderately successful in his endeavours and was as a result very very blue.