Turning Seven


This week, in our family's birthday-filled lead up to Christmas, my six-year-old turned seven.
Seems like a milestone birthday to me. Six is so young, full of starts and beginnings and 'being too little' to do stuff the older kids can do...

But SEVEN seems to denote arrival. You're one of the big kids now. Expected to pull your weight, to know more things, to set an example for the younger ones.

Sigh. Oh to be six again...


If there are in fact any drawbacks to turning seven, Mim seemed oblivious to them. Excitement levels at her impending birthday and party had been rising by the day/week/hour. A jumping bean with an unhealthy dose of the "it's all about me" behaviour was starting to get a bit much. Parental threats to call off everything to do with birthdays/parties and presents had initially been taken to heart and caused some dampening of the high spirits. But by late last week, nothing could detract from the rapidly approaching celebrations.
The day was going to happen, rain or shine.

Which incidentally it did. Rain and shine that is.

I realise meteorologists can't be right ALL of the time... but surely in the interests of job satisfaction occasionally giving a forecast that proves to be accurate, could be achievable? Wouldn't you say?

In the end I suppose all the differing forecasts came true. Blue sky, black clouds, thunder, humidity, torrential downpours, cold snaps and sparkly shafts of light. We had it all, often all at once!


So in the lead up, between stressing about what the weather would and wouldn't do, I had a few other things to worry about. Like integrating the joint themes of Princess / Fairy / Mermaid (PFM). A challenge, I admit. But I felt like all bases were being covered with the planned activities:
  • Dressing as Princesses (P)
  • Painting a fairy house (F)
  • Swimming (M)
But trifles such as multiple themes and what to do if the weather was bad, faded as more pressing issues arose.

Like what time the party was supposed to start?!

At 9.30am I was feeling good, all my preparations were going smoothly.
"We're on track with an hour to go", I proudly announced to Eleanore, as I finished off decorating the last of the cupcakes.
"An hour?" Ellie looked sceptical. "The party starts at ten."
"Ten?" I scoffed, trying to believe my nine-year-old who pretty much is always right, might this time be stupidly wrong.
"Quick!" I said, "There's a spare invitation in the TV room. Go and see what it says." Ellie dashed off and was soon back, waving the invitation in the air. "The party starts at ten Mum. That's what you've written here!"

Oh. My. Goodness.

Suddenly any feelings of well-organised smugness evaporated into a cloud of dust I felt like choking on. I looked around the bomb-site kitchen and wondered what to do next.
And then...
"Someone's here already!" came screaming kids from outside (Kid. Excited Mim who'd been waiting at the letterbox for the past hour).
"WHAT!!?" I stared at Ellie in horror. She stared back looking equally appalled.
Mim appeared breathless at the door. "One of my guests is here already. And Dad's in the swimming pool in his undies!"

Oh Lord. Take me now.

Can I just say that the next few hours were a blur?!
A (mostly) happy mix of panic, excitement, shrieking, rain, sun, glitter, sprinkles, laughing and (some) crying (not me, mostly, thankfully), food and fun.

Here are some pictures to prove it:


At this stage, pre-party, the sun was shining. The craft was all set out and ready to go..

 
I found the perfect bird/fairy houses at Riot Craft. $5 each and they were just what I'd been looking for.
 

 

Serious decorating taking place. That's me at the back. Seriously wondering how long this party was going to be going for..


Here's the birthday girl with a friend and their fairy house crafty efforts.

Then came swimming. Then came food - weather was deteriorating at this point - but a little rain never hurt anyone.

After outing my failed macaroons and wand biscuits on Facebook, my lovely friend Meryl offered to make these gorgeous tea cup bikkies.
Aren't they fabulous?!


I decorated plain vanilla cupcakes with a meringue (bought!) top.
Easy and cute.
Yes that's Mim, wearing her birthday dressing gown. One of many outfits worn on the day.



 
Coloured popcorn, mini hotdogs, jelly in teacups and lemonade in cute bottles ($1.50 each at Hot Dollar).
 
 
Then as the rain came down, we dashed inside for the cake.
The only outside thing we missed was the piñata (attacked later by the family when the sun came out again).



Oh and I bought the cake at the local supermarket. I'd made one myself earlier in the week, just for the family to eat on the actual birth day. Mim said it was nice, but that she'd really wanted an Avengers Cake.
(I took this suggestion with a lack of good humour. What? How does that fit in with our multiple themes? What have the Avengers got to do with anything?)

I found a cake with a tiara wearing Barbie sitting on a lily pad:
Princess / Fairy / Mermaid / nothing to do with the Avengers (PFMntdwA)
 
TICK!!

Comments

  1. Love it all! I'll take the job next year, it looks so fun! Those bird/fairy house are lovely, I bet the girls loved them.
    (Does Jonathan know you just posted a mental image of him swimming in his undies?!)
    Kat

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    1. Ah no Kat. hahahaha. My husband is far too busy and important to worry about such trifling matters. However, if you were to mention this to him I will deny all knowledge and definitely consider not hiring you as my party planner next year. A terrible threat, I know! :-) sbdx

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    2. Were the bird houses called carnival wood bird house with stand

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    3. Hi Julia, Yes that's what the bird houses were called. Such great value and so cute. I had to ring around and then visit two different RIOT stores to get number I needed. Bondi Junction had a couple left, but they were close to selling out everywhere else. So hoping RIOT get more in, they were a winner! sbdx

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  2. the party looks amazing Sarah! you did a great job and the girls look so happy. gonna steal that cupcake/meringue idea too, well done xx

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    Replies
    1. Thanks Meryl, the girls really did have fun. I can't remember where I bought the meringues from but they were a great size, in three colours and very tasty! It really looked like I had done something amazing when really I'd just plonked one on top of each cake stuck down with icing. You can definitely copy this idea - just don't copy the whole thing about forgetting what time the party started... please!

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  3. Looks like a little girl's dream party. Well done máma. So funny re the undies. Hope they were nice ones. X Nicala

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  4. Thanks Nicala - less said about the undies the better I think!

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  5. Well done! It looks like a great time was had by all!

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    1. Thanks Laurel, yes I can safely say everyone enjoyed themselves very much! :-)

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  6. What fun to eavesdrop in, but I have to say, the false start time and the dad in undies takes the cake! How many times have I heard a guest approaching the door only to realize I am in my cooking/prep clothes and make hubby answer the door while I dash to my room to change! A man swimming in undies for a child's party is SO MUCH WORSE! Thanks for the wonderful laugh that gave me!

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    Replies
    1. Hi A, Yes, I saw the undies debacle as one of those situations it would be quite a challenge to recover from, socially, with the other parents, for many years to come! Luckily any unfortunate confrontations were avoided - due to husband bolting inside with the speed of lightning. I have determined that when I hold Mim's next party, in 2047, all pre-party swimming will be officially banned! Thanks for laughing.. :-)

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