Birthday bash

It's Hermione's birthday today and we have spent a wonderful day at home, chilling, chatting, toffee sauce making, pancake scoffing and much more.

In contrast to the day she was born (which saw some of the worst blizzards I have ever known) the sun shone brightly this morning. We pottered around the kitchen making toffee sauce. Naughty but nice.

We weren't the only ones pottering around. Not only was this pesky hen spotted in the kitchen she was later spotted making her way upstairs too. Sheesh!!!

She couldn't decide which she liked best, the wooden hen or the balloons.

Much time was spent writing letters and stories on the new electric typewriter. Both Hermione and Miles were fascinated by it. Strange to think how unfamiliar they are with things that I take so for granted - makes me feel ever so old!

Opening beautiful cards.

Enjoying a pancake party with friends.

I am delighted that Hermione chose to spend her birthday in this way. She doesn't differentiate between people of different ages, races or abilities. A friend is a friend - regardless of factors such as these. She's also just as happy with a china tea party as a lively disco. I'm thankful that she has these qualities. So many people ask me as a home edding mum if I worry about my children growing up and possibly not being able to read or write or such like. Sure, were that a possibility I would be worried sick - but equally I would worry myself sick if I thought either of my children were possibly to grow up with prejudices or an inability to be open to different opportunities and experiences.

Reading poetry written by a friend especially for the occasion.

It wasn't a sarnie

That tempted Hermione

To celebrate her birthday today

And it wasn't a jelly

To fill up her belly

That brought her friends round to play

It wasn't the rabbit or the chickens

Or a story by Charles Dickens

That made everyone want to stay

But a fantastic platter

Made from a batter

To guarantee a great pancake day.

She received lots of fabulous presents and declared late in the day that she never wanted the day to end. One of her presents is a dvd of photographs of all of us (including the animals) complete with music and captions. I'm off to put my feet up now with a glass of wine to watch it again with Craig. No doubt when that's finished I'll bring it up again about how exceptionally angry I was when half an hour before Hermione was born Craig listened to a midwife rather than me, tried to convince me I was not in labour and urged me to go back to the car and drive down to the coast (about half an hour away) for some fish and chips! Thank heavens Hermione wasn't born on the pier in a blizzard - although we could always have wrapped her in salty newspaper from the chips!