So the conversation went something like this -
“Robert, the kids birthday lands on a Sunday this year. If it’s warm shall we get up early, meet the family at the beach and celebrate there?”
“That sounds like a good idea, lets do that”
By the time it got to last Wednesday I think it was clear to both Robert and I that it would not be beach weather come Sunday afternoon. Cue a flurry of texts and tadaaahhhh!, we had a party!
The party began at 2pm and my kids got up from a very long sleep at about 13.30pm. I went up to get them and made my way over to my daughter’s wardrobe to pull out a nice dress for her to wear. At that moment my daughter decided for the first time in her short life that she only wanted to wear a nappy, her winter coat and some socks. A few hours later she agreed to remove the coat and put on the top you see in the picture but she never did wear her nice party dress.
I felt slightly scuppered.
If you’d have shown me this picture ten years ago I’d not have believed it to be real. Here we were in my kitchen, friends, family and parents as mothers, fathers and grandparents. You never think it’s going to happen to you but it does. And as my friend Kate and I were dancing in the corner of the kitchen to Dolly Parton’s 9-5, with our own daughters dancing around our feet, it suddenly dawned on me that I am going to be the cause of somebody’s embarrassment for at least the next twenty years. A mother’s lot I suppose but I used to be cool, doesn’t she know that?
I promise, daughter, I used to be cool!!
Hello?
But Kate and I have had our time center stage. There’s a new bunch on the way up.
Looking out for each other, having fun, hanging out. And they’ll need their space to be free and express themselves they way we did. We’ll allow that, I’m sure, and as they go crazy finding themselves we’ll drink tea….
Lots……
..and lots….
…and lots…
….and lots of tea!
My friends and I will go for ‘treatments’ and weep in to the face pillows as we settle in to our massages. We’ll swap bikinis for sturdy one-piece swimsuits with kaftan’s over the top and huge chunky silver jewellery.
It’s time to step aside. We are now the ‘Unnoticed’. We are officially parents.
I’m being dramatic, but you know that.
We had a good time. It was absolute chaos but such good fun.
It wasn’t the beach but that doesn’t matter it was us, food, drink and Spotify through my iPhone. All that and lots of cuddles….
…lots and lots of cuddles…….
…and then some more cuddles thrown in for good measure.
Our good friends and family came out in the rain to help us celebrate at the drop of a hat.
And as I looked around the kitchen at the end of it all to see party hats, baby bottles and half drunk glasses of Prosecco I realised that this was life now. It wasn’t one thing or the other but a mixture of everything.
And I love it.
Thank you so much for reading today.
I love you.
Cherry x
************************************************************
Buy my Easy Jubilee eBook from Amazon.co.uk, Amazon.com or iBookstore today!
Join my Facebook page!
Feel free to add me to your links list. Here it is ! - http://www.cherrymenlove.com/
Facebook – Please feel free to join my page
Twitter – please feel free to follow me
Related posts:
happy birthday to your twins! can’t believe its been 2 years already. all the kids in the pictures are so cute, and your kitchen looks so nice, and happy.
take care!
What a darling bunch of kiddos, what you say is true, though. So, on with life. Some things never change.
It looks like everybody had a good time.
Hugs, Cindy
Happy 2nd Birthday to Ned and Anais!!! Sounds like the perfect party to me – we always do something small and family orientated and then everyone has a great time. Both your children just keep on getting cuter and cuter!
Wonderful, wonderful! I envy you! The time goes so quickly and then they will be gone. But….don’t even think about that now. I am just waiting to be grandma now but not one of my children is even married yet.
Looks like a wonderful party Cherry. I can’t believe those little babies are two years old already.
Aw! love the post Cherry. The bestest time in life !& all those lovely laughter lines/crinkles the best xx
A totally lovely birthday party, and what luminously beautiful children! (Hope that is a word) You’re right…suddenly it is THEIR time, and you get to watch it all develop. And get lots of cuddles in the meantime. As husband says, “THAT is worth the price of admission!”
A happy party is the perfect party! Welcome to the world of a two year old. It is endlessly fascinating and a bit trying all in one go. But it is a wonderful age of discovery and autonomy like no other. Enjoy and laugh, laugh, laugh. And then laugh some more!
What fun!
And your daughter looks adorable despite the lack of beautiful dress – I had to go and get tea when I got the end of your post, hurray for tea!
these are the best parties. believe me. The experience I had last week of a party + friends at a restaurant was not as much fun as the small, family & friends parties of previous years. Sadly, I’m not joking.
your party looked perfect
x
What a wonderful get together! It is often the most impromptu gatherings that turn out the best.
I have the same problem with my little girl choosing what she likes and doesn’t like to wear….it’s pretty frustrating but hey, at least they’re happy!
The photo of the older man holding the red mug bears an uncanny resemblance to little Ned; of course he might not be related at all and it is just a coincidence which will make me sound rather silly…
What beautiful pictures yours and your sisters children are beautiful..and I really love the british mini-coop coffee cup,,where did you get it??Thanks for sharing your home and life with us,,hope you have a blessed week.
Devon
What a lovely party. So glad you had a wonderful time! Happy birthday to the twins xxx
sounds great! my children, different ages, have the same birthday! this year we will be on holiday so it will be a properly intimiate family affair with just the four of us:)