Ada's 5th Birthday

First birthday party, at Nanny Kate's:

Arthur got a reward present for completing his first potty training sticker chart:

Meanwhile, Ada got to open a couple of presents before school on her actual birthday:

Then we had dinner at the pub (her choice) with ice cream to finish. I did actually put a candle in the ice cream for her to blow out, but it was impossible to hold the cone, balance the candle (which was too heavy to stay upright in the ice cream) and take a picture. So that, sadly, is lost to posterity.

Another round of presents from a couple of school friends (that's Rosie, our next door neighbor, who is a year older than Ada):

A birthday trip to Puxton Park with Nanny and Daddy, while I got the house ready for yet another party:

This is what happens if you send Ada and Mark out together:

And the rest of the 'home' presents were opened:

  

And then party number three, a 'flamingo' party:

Ada and I both wanted a Costco cake (it's the only way to get an American style birthday cake over here, so the best I could do is stick some flamingos into it):

And there were flamingo-themed games (like pin the beak on the flamingo).

The party was all a bit hectic so we didn't get many pictures, but the kids had fun.

Finally Ada had a climbing party with all her school friends. She had no problems reaching the holds...

Happy birthday Ada Mae!

Happy Birthday Pa!

Arthur is one year old!

Although Arthur was only turning one and doesn't really have any friends yet, Ada had been asking to have a summer party for a while, so we decided to have an actual party for Arthur but invite all of Ada's friends.

We were planning to have everything outside and let the kids go crazy, but then the weather intervened and it was meant to be rainy all day. So Mark brought the party inside:

It may have been an excuse for Ada to have friends over, but for me it was my chance to have an "American" style birthday cake, courtesy of Costco (which, as a result, was enormous):

We invited all of Ada's NCT friends (the people we met through the antenatal class, who we still keep up with, almost four years later), plus a friend from swimming. Ada has a bunch of friends from daycare, too, but we wanted to keep the numbers down. And I'm glad we did because we ended up with nine kids (counting Arthur and three-month old Imogen), plus associated grown-ups and I can't imagine how we would have fit in more in our house!

We had the usual American and British party games including pin the tail on the donkey, pass the parcel, fishing for prizes and musical statues.

The rain stopped long enough before everyone had to go to do the treasure hunt we had set up outside. 

Everyone seemed to have a good time, especially Ada. Amazingly, with seven three year-olds in the house for a couple of hours, there were no meltdowns. The only downside is that Arthur went down for his nap (we do not interrupt sleep even for birthdays!) and everyone had to go, so we cut the cake before Arthur had a chance to blow out his candle. But we gave him a chance when he woke up, and he didn't seem to mind. 

Unlike Ada, who mostly ignored her first birthday cake, Arthur scoffed it down and asked for more and more with obvious delight. I think the fact that he's genetically predisposed to having a strong sweet tooth combined with his interest in eating everything at all times means that he's going to be going great guns for sugar from now on. 

The next day wasn't his birthday but was a day we were at home, so we Skyped with Pa and Mimi and opened Arthur's presents. Ada "helped" but Arthur at least managed to get a look in once or twice.

And then, finally, on his actual birthday in the middle of the week. he got once last present--a remote control of his own, since he loves ours so much.

The Horn-family multi-day birthday tradition continues!

Team Vallentine in January and February 2015

Ada's group birthday party this year was a pirate theme. Hooray! And I did the party bags so there were fake mustaches for everyone. 

The rest of the last couple of months have been busy with the move! Pretty much all the boxes are gone, but it's still pretty chaotic in here...

  

UK birthday: two years old.

Unveiling the kitchen. (A half Christmas/half birthday present).

Exploring all the features.

A new game: hungry, hungry puppies.

Puppy cake.