Peter's party time.

Well, Tuesday of last week was Peter's little birthday party. I've never had a birthday party for younger than age 3 (minimum), but Peter doesn't get the chance to play with other children his age very often and I thought it would be fun for him, and nice for us to see a few people as well. Plus with Daddy not being around all week it was a nice thing to do. When I told Sarah who was coming she was shocked at how many people (how many people too little for her to play with I think was the thought!) There were six adults each with one or two children, plus me and my five children. It was a blessing that it was good weather as we fitted just fine out in the garden, but would have been sitting on top of each other or spread around the house probably pulling it to pieces if we'd had to be inside. We have had a lot of rain, so it really was a blessing to have a warm, sunny, DRY day.

We had no party games at all - they're all too little to make that fun. I even forgot to get out the bubbles I had ready, which I think they would have all enjoyed. Just some lunch and space and some toys to play with outside. Plus each other of course. It was enough. Peter was asleep when half the people came, which was a bit of a shame as I think he would have loved to see people arrive and would likely get all excited. He desperately needed the sleep though after not sleeping much the day before being out with Gramps. So he was a bit quiet and surprised when he woke up and there were already children running about the garden. He took in the balloons and streamers (that were hung along the washing line down the length of the garden) while we sat and ate though, and seemed quite excited by them. He kept pointing them out to me. He was excited by his presents as well - he got very good last week at tearing both wrapping paper and envelopes to pieces. No opening an envelope - you have to pull it apart! He was especially taken by a little car transporter and four little cars that Morgan and Mikey gave to him. His "lorry", or rather "wowwy" gets played with every day.





The balls were definitely a big hit, and don't they make the garden look pretty?!




Peter was very sad when people had to go. Especially when "Big Rachael" and Elijah had to go and get Edan from school. He is always very sad to say goodbye to Elijah, and really wanted to go with him. He asked for me to get his pushchair out too, so he could join Elijah in wherever he was going. We were all pretty tired too.



It had been a very warm day, and we wouldn't usually be out that long in the sun on such a warm day. I certainly felt it the next day on Peter's actual 2nd birthday. I just was exhausted all day, and found it hard to celebrate really, but Peter enjoyed playing in the bath in the morning. That was after he enjoyed a lovely time sitting on my lap reading stories while I gave him a badly needed haircut - Hannah the expert distractor through play and reading stories in a fun way was my helper again! She made it such a lovely time for Peter while he sat on my lap and I cut his hair from behind, that he literally didn't know it had happened! When he saw the hair afterwards he was adamant it was Hannah's hair, as she'd had hers cut the previous week and had saved some for her journal. :o)

After that he enjoyed a day of playing, eating some of his favourite foods, opening some presents from us and family and enjoyed a proper nap too.





Then he was very happy that Gramps came to eat tea with him. The girls put on a short acrobatic show for him on the climbing frame a little while after he got there, and were also very happy to have Gramps here again. Gramps enjoyed the balls a little too - he turned his walking stick upside down and it made a perfect golf club!






Peter did enjoy celebrating his birthday, and loved joining in singing with us as he always does. He sang to himself just as happily. He loved having candles to blow out too and did a great job of that. He had a fruit car for his party "cake" and just a mountain of his favourite fruits on his birthday.



He acts a little bigger every day in some ways. Michael certainly thought so when he came back. He had been enjoying hearing Peter chattering away and playing, and confidently talking in little phrases on the phone, and being here on Sunday I think he enjoyed him just as much in person, and seemed constantly amazed at how much he seemed to have grown and matured in just a week.

That ends birthday season for us. So life is back to normal I suppose, whatever normal may be!