Miriam's 8th Birthday

 Similarly, Miriam's birthday also needed some outdoor fun, but in her case she just wanted to play Minecraft on the tablet with her friend. So, a little bit easier. Spot the theme with the case too!

Pre-school presents. Miriam is really there somewhere!

Her camera was a popular present

Lydia's 6th Birthday

 ...was a bit different this year! Not being able to do an inside party, we were able to do an outside one. Lots of blankets and a gazebo, and we have an outdoor home cinema where our best friends could come too! A lot of fun indeed.

Presents before school

Naomi's cards are getting ever more impressive.

Precious Lydia

First an apology, many years ago I started this tradition of writing a letter on your birthday and I have to confess the last few years I haven't quite managed. I should have and I am really sorry. Life got a bit overwhelming and it never quite made it to "paper". This is nothing to with you, mummy should have planned a bit better.

But here you are, having just turned 6! And I want to re-instigate the letter writing tradition.

Lydia, you are a beautiful girl and you know what you love.

• You love purple (I think I have conditioned you given your namesake sold purple cloth).
• You love your sisters.
• You love Elise and Erin.
• You love making mischief.
• You love an adventure.
• You love a bit of dressing up (come as you please day at school and you were adament you would be a unicorn!) 
  
  
  

You love a good role play game, like Mummies and babies, or cats and dogs, or pincesses and unicorns. You and Esther can while away many an hour lost in a wee imaginary world.

Last year you started school and after lockdown meant that you had an unconventional first year, you are loving school again this year. You love learning, mainly just now you are learning about words and how to read them and write them. You are getting so good. You have an awesome smile when you get something write. Your happiness is infectious. You make other people happy too.

You are kind (when you want to be) would always make sure that everything is fair. You look after people. I am proud of you for this.

You are desperate to be seen as a big girl. I have to remind myself that just because you are one of the "little two" doesn't mean you're little (I am sorry for when I get that wrong). You are turning into a beautiful big girl. Full of adventure and a desire to push yourself. You are currently working incredibly hard to learn to do a hand stand. I know you will manage.

You love to throw yourself wholeheartedly into something, as this muddy trip to the park can attest. Yours are the middle legs and you were absolutely the first to go in...

You find joy in the smallest things, I pray this will never leave you

You also find joy in the biggest things

Mummy loves you. I love you so much.

My prayer for this year in many ways is a prayer for me. I pray we can help you come to know God more, Jesus better and the Holy Spirit as a real friend.

Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it. Proverbs 22:6

Naomi is Nine

Despite us having a similar event every year, it's still hard to believe that Naomi is 9!

Straight after Christmas was over we had the extensive buildup of excitement, but in the end we had a thoroughly enjoyable - if tiring - day. This year her birthday fell on a Friday, and started with a home lunch on the Thursday (Friday itself not working for that). Then on to an early morning start on the birthday itself, with presents from the family, and an excited day at school.

Over night we then had an ironically-named sleepover, hosting Naomi's two best friends. Last child was asleep about 20 minutes after midnight! Saturday morning, the party continued with a trip to the cinema to see Frozen 2.

All in all a good time was had, but my little girl isn't so little any more...

We'll be running out of fingers for this soon

Lego remains popular...

Olaf Lego built before school!

The sleepover also featured beauty masks, something I do not understand. 

Emergency coffee after the night before. (this was for the adults)

CINEMA!

How was your birthday Naomi?

Miriam is 7!

...and as quickly as that, Miriam is seven. Miriam's birthday this year was on a Saturday, but it still got spread out over multiple days as her best friend was away that day. She came for a sleepover the following weekend. On the day itself, Miriam got to choose the family activity for the morning, and she chose to go swimming; we also built in a trip to the cafe at the leisure centre (much asked for but rarely are we able to do it). Another fun day!

Naomi's card for Miriam!

Miriam is excited to have arrived at the swimming pool

CAFE TREAT

Miriam and Naomi stayed up late to enjoy some Mummy-and-Daddy time playing junior Monopoly.

Lydia is 5!

Okay, a little more catching up to do... It's already over a month since Lydia turned five! She had an exciting day, packed around school. Presents in the morning, home lunch, and a party with her two best friends in the evening. She also had her Godfather Rick come for a visit all the way from America.

It's hard to believe our Lydia is already so grown up...

Presents lines up the night before

Obligatory 5 photo

Naomi has gone to town on making birthday cards for her sisters this year. Here's Lydia's one.

HOME LUNCH!

Very excited little sister!

Lydia got some new rainbow themed covers for her bed. She likes them a lot!

She also got a "kitchen lab" set so we could do some interesting experiments.

Here she is sticking some string to ice with some salt.

Esther's 2nd birthday

A few photos of Esther's birthday, including her brilliant giant bubbles!