Friday 4 March 2011

Biirthday Musings


It is Friday once more and although the warmth of yesterday has gone, the sunshine hiding a little behind the thickening cloud, the day still has that special feel. I do so love Friday and the promise of the weekend ahead.




I have to admit that this weekend may well not be the relaxing one I would hope for as Lucy is having a birthday sleepover. The Big Day itself is not until the eighth (next Tuesday) when she will enter the world of the teenager, but this weekend will be one of giggles and pizza and chocolate brownies; a weekend of make up and making lotions, of cinema and popcorn; a weekend where I must hold on to my annoyance when trying to sleep to the tune of squealing girls...hmm, pass the wine already.




It does seem that birthdays go on for ever now - she said in the voice of an old and eeyorish maid - with weekends being the appointed time for sleepovers and the actual birthday involving a tea with guests in the form of grannies and friends too er... well, old really, for the weekend do. I would add that in my book to be not a teenager and therefore 'too old' is in this case considered a Good Thing!




Of course, we could make life a little easier for ourselves. We never did the party bag thing when the older children were tiny and the notion first came in partly because I always felt that the whole point of the party was to celebrate the birthday child not to seemingly reward children for turning up, but mostly because there was never any money to spare for the extras this would entail. I know things can be made for very little, but this has always entailed time and time is always precious when you have a spread of ages from baby upwards as was the case.





A slice of homemade cake and a balloon would be packed off with each child, me dreading the inevitable cry of 'but where's my party bag' from the little one on the verge of tears as its mother hustled it out the door. And of course, this meant more awkwardness when my own children would receive a bag at the parties they attended in return. What of my notions of celebrating the birthday child then?






I have never sorted this one out and actually quite like the idea as the years roll on, but feel what was done for one - albeit XXX years ago - must in turn be done for the rest, and so it is still a piece of cake, still homemade, still a balloon on a piece of string that they leave with.






And now Lucy is older? Well, the pizza and brownies, chocolate muffins and birthday cake are always made by us, but it is what the children request. They love my very thin, messily floppy tomato-topping-down-your-shirt style of garlicky pizza it seems. They love making beauty potions with Davey (who makes THE most gorgeous lotions and bath things, by the by) and eating his oozingly gorgeous chocolate birthday cake.






It would be so nice to just open some packets for once and throw it all in the oven. Ahh, but I can dream....






as I make up yet another batch of brownies and slug back another glass of the red stuff.






(P.S. I love it really!) x

17 comments:

  1. Stunning photos Pipany! I never liked the idea of party bags either but at the same time felt that I was looked on as slightly odd and mean for not doing them - life is certainly complicated. Good luck with the sleepover and hope you have some earplugs handy to go with the wine?!

    Jane

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  2. aahh sleepovers, bedrooms are small in our house, so we have teenagers all over our sittingroom all night! I love having a houseful, but bumping into 16 yr old boys on sunday morning when you are trying to get a coffee takes a bit of getting used to I find!

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  3. I would be more than happy with a slice of homemade birthday cake and a balloon. I wouldn't mind taking Mr Davey home too! (just to show me how to make home made lotions and potions you understand)!!! x

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  4. Hi Pipany,

    Enjoy the party this weekend!

    The blue skies and blossoms look really pretty. I am a little bit jeaulous of your beautiful weather in Cornwall ;-)!

    Happy weekend!

    Lieve groet, Madelief xox

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  5. Sounds like a fantastic, if slightly loud, weekend!! Good on you re the party bags - I've often pondered that very issue as to why party bags evolved so that the guests were leaving with sacks of loot! When I attended parties three million years ago you were happy with your bit of cake wrapped up in a square of kitchen roll when you left!! The lotions and potions sound intriguing! Hope you'll share what they were! Have a lovely weekend xx

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  6. Sounds like you will definitely need those earplugs and a lot of wine to get you through ;) hehe, sure it will be a giggle though, enjoy it! Hope you're not too rushed off your feet with catalogue orders tho as it sounds like you've got your hands full this weekend! xxx

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  7. oh yes, kiddies parties, I love them when they are over - I love looking back at the them but find the run up quite stressful, not sure why. hhmm party bags, never have worked it out either and try and steer away from them as much as possible.

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  8. I'm right with you on sleepovers and party bags. Why the Americanisation of our lovely British way of life?

    We've managed to fend off sleepovers so far, saying (in Eeyorish fashion) that seven and nine is still too young. I fear the day is soon to come though.

    Could I please ask nicely (and beg) for a few tips/recipes for Mr Davey's lotions and potions?

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  9. Not sure I agree, as Presli Mags says, that sleepovers are the result of the "Americanization" of your "lovely British way of life". I'm American, living in London, and we sure didn't have any sleepovers as children. Nor did we have fancy party bags. Things just change. But I do find them (sleepovers) exhausting. I've just said goodbye to a houseful of lovely but noisy teenagers celebrating my daughter's 14th. Hope you enjoy your celebrations!

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  10. I'm with you on the party bag thing. Children's parties seem to be getting ever more competitive (from what I've heard from friends and family with children).

    Stay as you are dear Pip. Good company, fun and hospitality, and then going home with happy memories, a slice of home-made cake and a balloon is just about perfect!

    Happy birthday to Lucy! Enjoy!

    Jeanne
    x

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  11. I absolutely agree with you...it's the celebration not the gifts that the visitors take back home...if only mothers could step back and see what they are doing to their children...Take care
    x

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  12. A lovely birthday blog Pipany. We do homemade too, and it has all been so worth it when I see the excitement of my youngest in the days leading up to her birthday, designing her cake on paper, and then baking and decorating it herself. Although time consuming the preparations of the party always become more fun and family filled than simply opening packets for the oven. I also love the tradition of the cake and a balloon, and I think the children actually love that too, things can get so over the top these days and away from what is special and to be treasured.

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  13. The photos in this post are just a joy! The first, with sunlight is really lovely. x

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  14. I'm afraid that I always "conformed" with the party bag thing. Yes, I am weak and feeble, but just seemed easier to go with the flow, rather than single myself out for being a "miser". Devx

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  15. Absolutely stunning flower pictures. I agree whole heartedly about the party bag thing. I wish I had been brave enough to do what you do but I gave in to peer presssure

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  16. I can't believe I haven't popped by in such a long time. Pip you've been so busy, I love the new look blog with your super huge (and beautiful by the way) photos. I hope the sleepover went well for Lucy, I always dread them personally, my 10 year old boy's are fine but the 7 year old girl's are a nightmare. Many a time I've had to ask them to quieten down as they're preventing me from getting any sleep!!!

    I love the quilt you made for Matzen, talk about a family heirloom!!

    Kate x

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