Michael's birthday week

Michael's birthday was last week. His Mum came to stay for a couple of days over that time, and the children were SO excited to see her again. The first day Michael and I spent going away, and they were all so absorbed in doing things with Nanny that they didn't care less about us leaving! We went to see my cousin Helen and some of her friends and acquaintances sing/play in a concert/recital in a church in London. It took us about 2 hours to get there by car and tube, and we stayed over in Clapham that night to save traveling home really late. We were so glad we had decided to do that. It was a lovely evening with wonderful music, including Irish harp music which I was so excited about! Helen's playing was so lovely to hear, along with her companion who sang soprano. We hadn't seen her in six years either, so just seeing her, and meeting her boyfriend (who also sang brilliantly) was great. A really nice evening.

That was the evening before Michael's birthday. We had a slow morning, and didn't get back home until Michael was due at Uni in the afternoon, so the children didn't see him until tea time. We had planned to do something as a family on Saturday anyway though to celebrate his birthday. So we had a nice birthday tea, and the young women activity that evening was canceled because nobody could come, so I got to stay home too.







Saturday didn't really go according to plan as Michael went off to pick something up for a friend just after we got to where we were going and didn't come back for 2 hours when the sun was starting to go down! We were all very hungry by that point as he had the food with him, but the children had enjoyed playing in a park we found while he was gone. We managed to get a late game of miniature golf down by the sea, which was lots of fun until it got to tea time and some in the family were fading fast. It was a new experience for all the children though, and although we were trying to beat the sunset a bit, we were the only ones playing at the time, so could take as many hits as we needed to get the ball in. Peter wandered around with his own ball and club, not really playing but having a go. He liked it a lot though and did not want to part with them for anything when it was time to go. He especially liked popping his ball in a choice of holes on the last hole and watching it come out on the green below. He had a little while to do that as it was a bit of a frustrating hole unless you had luck on your side. Something we'll definately do again when we get the chance to, especially as it's not so expensive per person. There was a nice sunset behind Rachel in the picture below, but I guess the flash blocked it out...





We went swimming together for the first time in too many months on the Monday and had fish and chips in town for tea as it got so late. We ate in a restaurant rather than getting a take-away. That must have been the first time in about 3 years that we have eaten out somewhere other than something like KFC. It was a lovely thing to do, despite the cost which Michael decided had better come from his birthday money.

Well as we got back so late on the Saturday and the Monday, we didn't give Michael the present we had saved for him until yesterday. So he had his birthday last across nearly a week in all. Probably more fun that way though! It wasn't all for his birthday really, but the only time we've properly had together since moving here so it felt like a birthday kind of treat because of that. Peter was sad he didn't have a present to open too, but happily helped Daddy open his. (Although he did ask me later why he couldn't have a present too! I said he would on his birthday - unfortunately he's last in the year of all of us!)



I wondered if Michael would think we were silly, but he was truly excited. :o) You can see him trying his present out in one of the videos below. Peter really wanted one too though ("Where's mine?") so we got the little one out of the shed. It's too big for him really, but not if you have a Daddy around to help you out!