Yes, it is hardly believable but our little boy has completed three circuits around the sun and we have been a family of five for three years. Sunday was Ezra’s actual birthday however his birthday celebrations began a few days before that.
As you are all, no doubt, aware Lucinda is a childminder and thus looks after the children that have been entrusted to her care at our home. Therefore, our children have to share their space and their toys with these children. There is obviously some trust that is built up between our children and these visitors, especially for the girls who are not necessarily about when Lucinda is looking after these children. Ezra, on the other hand, has to share his space, and his mommy with these, initial, strangers. He has acclimatised to this need to share his things and his mommy extremely well and as a bonus counts a number of these children as his friends and, indeed, looks forward to their arrival at Bagnall Manor.
As a consequence when we thought about throwing a party for Ezra for his birthday his only friends that he was interested in inviting were these children and a couple of friends’ children that he knows through our friendships. With all these children available on the Thursday before his birthday it was an ideal day to through him his first party. I took the day off work to help Lucinda ready the house for an invasion of little people and party games (and food) were prepared in anticipation. The party started as soon as school had finished and we had all the traditional party games: pin the tail on the donkey, musical statues, musical bumps and a new one invented by Lucinda: hunt the party bag. Instead of automatically receiving a party bag after attending the party (something I still don’t really understand) they had been hidden around the house and the children had to hunt them down.
So after filling themselves with party food and adorning themselves with stickers (the consolation prizes for being knocked out of the various games) the three hours were soon over and the house returned to a sense of normality and Ezra’s first party was a success. Indeed one of the attendees said that it was the best party they had ever been to. I suppose at that age there is not a lot of competition but still the bar has been set!
Friday saw Ezra back at school before the birthday celebrations commenced once again at the weekend. A shift swap at work worked in my favour meaning that I was off with my boy for his birthday.
Ezra had more visitors for his birthday weekend (he is a popular boy!) starting on Saturday with his Bagnall relatives. Nanny Fran and Auntie Liz came down from West Bromwich joined by Auntie Mary later in the day. All three Baguettes get over excited by Nanny Fran and Auntie Liz and this weekend was no exception. Indeed Ezra was more excited by seeing his Black Country relatives than any presents or cards that they brought down with them. Hopefully it will stay like that.
This was all before his actually birthday on Sunday. As usual Ezra woke up early and went downstairs while the adults dozed in their beds. He can not just lie in bed, or play in his room if he is awake; he insists on going downstairs. I suppose his logic is that I am awake, therefore I should be up.
Woken by the birthday boy we all found ourselves downstairs earlier than one would expect on a Sunday morning. He was very excited, but controlled while opening his presents and it was worth the early morning call to see his eyes light up with delight with each of the presents (although I think he was expecting a Christmas Stocking equivalent with lots of little presents, rather than the big ones he received). Of the presents that he opened Sunday morning it has to be said that his favourite was the Paw Patrol control tower. Although he is a typical three-year old boy in the regard that his favourite toys are dinosaurs, pirates and Spiderman, his current favourite TV programme is Paw Patrol and so the Paw Patrol control tower with Chase went straight to the top of the list.
After getting washed and dressed it was time to prepare the food and the house ready for the afternoon’s guests and Ezra’s second party of the week, a gathering of the family around Bagnall Manor. Unfortunately we had two casualties before the party had begun. Auntie Liz was suffering from severe stomach cramps, potentially caused by an intolerance to something that she had eaten the night before, however she still hasn’t been able to identify the culprit. In addition, Éowyn was running a temperature and was also complaining of stomach ache (although not to the severity of her auntie). Auntie Liz was getting worse and so Nanny Fran decided to take her back to West Bromwich before the journey would have been unbearable.
Ezra’s guests started to arrive around 3pm and once again he was spoilt with more presents, including a new favourite from Adam and Lucy in the shape of Butch, the Tyrannosaurus Rex veteran rancher from the Disney film “The Good Dinosaur“. A good time was had by all, however Éowyn was gradually getting worse and even the lure of her cousins to play with couldn’t stir her from the settee. She was running a temperature of 39.5°C and so we dosed her up with Calpol and put her to bed.
It was good to see the family come round for our youngest birthday, although we were a little short on numbers especially with the Bagnall contingent back in West Bromwich but hopefully it will be something that we will do more of this year. Ezra enjoyed being the centre of attention but it was so tiring for him that at about 18:30, with his guests still here, he asked if he could go to bed because he was tired. Hopefully he will be able to hone his party animal skills as he gets older.
I will leave you with some photos from his birthday week and the good thing about having two parties in one week is that you can have two birthday cakes! He does, however, need to work on his candle blowing skills, sorely lacking I’m afraid. Never mind, happy 3rd birthday son.
Peace and Love
Baggie
