Brightsideblog : Bright Side Blog |

Bright Side Blog |

Birthdays.... are amazing, aren't they? I remember the childhood magic of birthday mornings, cakes, candles, friends, singing, games, wrapping paper and surprises. I don't understand those who don't love a birthday - we love an excuse to celebrate, remember when Nora had a 'happy six month party' - just an excuse to hip hip hooray! Only now do I really realise - as an adult - that birthdays are hard work for the grown ups! There's so much planning to give the ones you love the 'perfect' day. But Holly is definitely someone we love, adore and want to have the most lovely birthday she can, birthdays are huge bench marks for our kids aren't they? The foundations they build the next year on... And here's Holly now - all glorious and 9! N.I.N.E! Just look at her! She's a wonderful young lady now. Kind, smart and creative. She didn't really ask for anything for her birthday, she just wanted a surprise or two and something Harry Potter themed. Holly is a wonderful big sister to Nora, shes so patient and loving. She's got a great sense of humor and is so affectionate. I'm excited to see what her ninth year brings! This year we've kind of done gifts in dribs and drabs... At the start of the summer Holly got on her old scooter and it was tiny on her! So we decided to buy her a new scooter, which we thought was better purchased at the start of the summer holidays so she could get the most use out of it. Well... that was until she fell off it in the skate park and fractured her wrist poor thing! But she's since healed and is back scooting away, seeing as we live in the hills of Slaithwaite we went for an off road one and it's been brilliant so far. We also picked her up a second hand bike from Facebook market place and took it to Robin Hood's Bay with us last week. She went from wobbling like a jelly to riding around confidently with friends on the campsite. Friends and family are always so lovely with birthdays! Sending cards and gifts in the post - Holly's been super lucky this year. She's has some sentimental gifts, like I FINALLY sewed all of her swimming badges onto a new towel for swimming. We once again made her a photograph book for the last year's worth of adventures in pictures and then there were the lovely Harry Potter themed gifts and a sprinkling of 'Strong Girls Club' too! Our niece Lily had been staying with us, we got a little something for her and Nora to open so they joined in the wrapping paper ripping. There are some jobs that really make me feel like a mum. Scurrying around with a bin bag collecting bits of wrapping paper is definitely one of them! Holly was really pleased with all of her gifts which always makes it all worth while doesn't it! We spent the rest of the morning playing with gifts and putting on party dresses, both girls had their hair straightened (Holly & Lily, not Nora). Holly's friend from next door but one came over with a gift too and then grandma and granddad arrive! It's lovely sharing the day with family. We were all super excited as we'd booked dinner in the afternoon to try the new Pizza restaurant in the village Anello. We've watched them prepare over the past few months for opening and the food looked amazing! It was worth the wait! They accepted our birthday madness with a smile. It was madness, we took party hats and party bags, three kids in tow. The menu was simple and delicious and so speedy! When you're eating out with a toddle speed is of the essence, Pizza was ordered and on the table in ten minutes! If you're local then it is SO worth a visit! We'd love to go back in the evening one time - maybe even without the girls - and just sit and chat over pizza and Aperol Spritz! We took Holly's cake down with us and the lovely staff brought it out for us and joined in singing. Thank fully this year's cake wasn't half bad! If I do say so myself - we don't talk about the seventh birthday cake you see, that was a disaster. The cake I made twice and still cried over. And you know when things just work out? We had six pages left of Harry Potter two to read at bed time, so we all snuggled up and read it together. Calm descended on the house - now onto Harry Potter three. This has definitely been the most stress free birthday we've has so far. We bought presents for the past few months and squirreled them away. I wrapped them all two weeks before. Holly's birthday book was finished two weeks before, ordered and arrived a week before her birthday. We baked the cake a day before we tried to decorate it. Sometimes I've tried to do it all in the same night which just doesn't work. It's only taken nine birthday's to start making it easier for ourselves! Here's to her ninth year - and to reading Harry Potter three! Happy Birthday our darling Holly!