SO good to finally catch up with two out of three of the 'big nieces', when we were invited to Lettie's 2nd birthday party yesterday. Luckily just us, the three of them and Abbie & Nick, have to admit to slight relief at not being met by a sea of toddlers!
Jess & Pat had 'pinked up' their house with little girl balloons and a full array of party lunch classics – hadn't seen a table like that in donkeys years. Coronation chicken and egg mayo baps, midget iced gems, party rings, choc fingers, mini sausages, puffed crisps and a Colin the Caterpillar cake – what's not to like?
Violet / Lettie in fine form – adorned in tutu and fairy wings, happy as a sandbox and particularly delighted to see Scrumpy. Ah well, we know our place in the pecking order.. Though she did rather enjoy being hand fed her party scoff by Hawksey!
And as hoped, the little prezzies went down well. We finally handed over the 3 euro plastic ball pinging / catching game we bought for Violet when we were in Majorca, from Lidl, because Clare G's 2 year old grandson loved the one he had. Slight shame that Scrumpy chomped one of the balls – probably a good job that the second one went under the sofa and was going to be fished out once the dog had gone. And yes, it was much preferred to the pile of books we'd also brought – though hopefully The Cat in the Hat – one of my favourite childhood books – and his chums will come into their own at bedtimes.
Jess had explained the idea of Pass the Parcel, so that was duly played, with cuteypops Violet being very good at accepting that other people might also find lollies and things under each level of the game. Not played that in hmm, quite a few decades I suspect!
And we were then shown round Violet's new wendy house outside. Absolute classic that it only cost £100 or so, but needed a van to go and collect it. Richard duly offered to drive it, and apparently managed to knock off a wing mirror while driving out of the van depot. Straight back in, to get Van number two, which he then managed to scrape somehow during the collection and drop off. So – just the extra £700 (yes really, apparently that was the excess on the day hire policy!) he then paid. It's a good job Lettie loves her wendy house, and an even better job that we did somehow manage to winkle Hawksey back out of it once she had swerved him and the toy black cat some 'tea'!
All finished off with the Colin the Caterpillar cake moment, delivered by daddy Pat (closely watched by the ever food thief Scrumpy) and H trying to encourage Violet to blow on the candles rather than just giggling with delight..
We then all wandered the 10 mins to Blackheath Rugby club and watched them lose to Plymouth Albion, who were at the bottom of the league. Whoops! But still, such a good chance to have a proper catch up with the nieces. Just a shame we were still missing Grace, who was moving into her & Adam's new gaff up in Stoke this weekend. Still not met baby Bobby and he's 9 months old now! Hopefully next time..
Topped off an already busy day with a few drinks at there Duke on the Green in Fulham, followed by a chicken fest at Cocotte with Jules & Nicky and Soph & Jane. A much overdue catch up on the various plans, and good to hear all were fine. And yes, we are definitely getting old as at 10.15pm, when standing outside the Sloany Pony, it was a full mutual agreement to not bother with a final drink as we were all ready to head home! God, 53 looms and this is what it entails.. Still, was a good decision as I woke up at 5.30am and scrumpy (in our bed as a treat, because we'd been out for an evening) decided that Mummy needed to get up and feed her. Is Sunday at 11.10am too early for an 'afternoon' nap??!
x