This little lady turned nine yesterday! Pretty girl.
This year her birthday had been a bit of an afterthought, what with all the wedding prep. She didn't really mention what she wanted, but we always try and go out somewhere or plan something. This year stuff went wrong.
Number 1: Going to school on your birthday sucks! Even us adults would rather not work on our birthdays, but she seemed okay with it.
Number 2: It rained - A LOT!! We woke up to grey cloudy skies, and it rained heavily all day and all night, we literally got drenched on the walk home from school. Bad weather always changes your mood. Guess what - blue skies and sunshine today!
Number 3: A joint surprise present (she still doesn't know what it is) from Nanny and Grania (great-nanny) did not arrive, it has had to be re-ordered. Meaning the only presents she opened were a few small ones from us and cards (some with money in).
Number 4: Uncle Paul had kindly arranged a birthday meal in a really cool American diner called Cadillacs, we were all planning to dress 1950s style for it. The table was booked for 7pm giving everyone enough time to get home from work. Poor Uncle Paul's car broke down, in the rain, and he was stranded for a couple of hours. We made the decision to cancel the reservation and go some other time instead.
Things happen, and NO ONE is to blame, but I could not help but feel completely awful, she cried upstairs in her room, and in all fairness I don't blame her. This is the first year I hadn't arranged anything, not even a cake! Last year we stayed in on her actual birthday, but we had party food and cake, and she had an entire birthday weekend full of treats including going to an icecream parlour then a funfair and a trip to the Harry Potter studio.
I considered taking her somewhere, grabbing a takeaway - but then realised that our dining area looks like a diner anyway, and we have neon pink lights. Lee popped out to the shops to get milkshakes, burgers and a cake, and we created our own diner. I know she was disappointed, she's nine, it's allowed. But Kiki - we will make it up to you this weekend, I promise!
As parents we all want to make sure our children enjoy their birthdays, be it with presents, parties or days out. Birthdays are expensive, especially as they start growing up, and out-growing toys and wanting ipads and cameras. Mine have never asked for anything expensive, and I've found the best thing you can give them on their birthday is a lot of fuss. Decorate the room, hang balloons up, make cupcakes, play music and blow bubbles.
Yesterday did not go to plan - but we made the most of what we had.