Anyway, as anyone reading this will be aware, we've had a lot of birthdays recently: Grandpa's was the 8th of April, Stuart's the 13th and Liv's the 18th, closely followed by Penny's 1st birthday on the 1st of May and my 30th(!!) on the 20th. We've had a fab time throughout all of these and have celebrated in various different ways, ending with a surprise 30th party for me after a surprise shopping trip and tapas lunch for some friends and me, all organised by the harp who is in the running for husband of the year, er actually, month (perhaps best he doesn't relax too much...).
Penny's coming on in leaps and bounds; she now climbs stairs and says 'all gone' or, more accurately 'or gn' - close enough! She stands independently and even I now believe it can't be long before she starts walking, although having said that, I'm sure she'll keep us waiting a while yet. She chants 'dadada' incessantly and, occasionally 'mama', despite my best efforts at influencing her to favour my 'name'. I think I deserve a bit of favouritism after 8 months solid of broken sleep and frequently since; Penny, it seems, thinks differently.
Livi is on half term this week but has been kept very busy by Daddy being at home on Monday, Grandpa visiting on Wednesday and various visits to her friend's houses and to the (all new and improved!) park at other times.
On Pen's birthday Grandpa visited and we went to the local cafe for lunch, including birthday cake, which Pen enjoyed!
Pen eating cake...
Pen post cake!
Our dear friend Kelletta also had a birthday and to celebrate we went to Stowe Landscape Gardens for an hours and hours long picnic. Luckily, it was on one of the 3 days of summer we've had this year, so we had lovely sunshine in a really beautiful setting.
Livi and Pen had a great time, a picnic being the height of dining pleasure to a 3 year old, and the opportunity to play with friends is always happily taken advantage of by Liv. We adults put ourselves out for the good of our children by lounging around eating and drinking and watching the children playing.
Alice, Tilly, Liv and Katy watching their ball float in the lake (later heroically saved by Mark)
Olivia
Baby P getting in the party spirit
Girls playing in the distance
Penny and her friend Elsie
I don't have any photos of my 30th bar this one taken at the tapas restaurant (no link as no website as yet, although there soon will be designed by Stuart):
Kelly, me, Jenny, Emma, Liz, Sam and the remains of chocolate cake... !
So, we've been very busy; perhaps busy enought to account for my lack of updating... All that's left to do now is hope for some more sunshine to make use of the 300 summer dresses and pairs of shorts I panic bought on the first day of sun, thinking: SUMMER IS HERE! THE GIRLS ARE GOING TO BOIL! RUN TO THE SHOP, BUY! BUY! BUY! only for the purchases to be shoved, 80% with tags still on, into their already overflowing drawers a week later. A cautionary tale of arm waving I feel.
