I look at her, and she’s gorgeous and she makes my heart smile. But sometimes, there’s a particular kind of terror that grips my heart because she’s growing up so quickly. When it was just her and only her, we could note every little difference. We relished each new word learnt, each new concept grasped. But now that we are Four, there are days I feel I miss whole chunks, whole spaces of time where I can look at my firstborn and really see her. The missing of minute changes and whispers of growing. The realisation sometimes stops me in my tracks like a heart twinge.
Every year, our mother’s group makes a point to celebrate all of our firstborn’s birthdays in one biggish bash. This year’s was a little later than usual, but no less fun. Just two hours of 3yo heaven – flavoured milkshakes, party games, face-painting, rainbow birthday cake, presents… and of course, ice cream on a winter’s day.
Here’s some Arddun-centric highlights.
Guess who are turning three…No sudden moves…Finished product: a simple purple flower.Puzzling it out with friend IvyPlenty of food to go ’roundBirthday song and blowing out the lone candle among 10 kiddiesEyeing the smartiesThat is one impressive rainbow cake. Truly blessed by multi-talented mommies who labour with love.Removing evidence of cake inhalation…A birthday’s not a birthday without presentsOne of many attempts at a family portrait.Goodness! That was a lot of fun!
It’s quite mind-boggling to us, her parents, that on this date 2 years ago, we welcomed our munchkin and she looked like this:
Bright light! Bright light!
And her first mutual scrutiny of family ties with Tony looked like this:
“I am your father” moment
And then last year, on her first birthday, she looked like this:
Duck and chickens
And then – whooshka! She turned 2, weighs a hefty 14.6kg, and stands about 90cm++. And she is more entertaining than ever.
Taking the whole “say Cheese to the camera” thing a little too literallyWhat started out as a prayer for lunch soon turned in Ring-a-ring-a-roses.Purple fashionistaGuest of Honour at the Big Kids table this eveningSuddenly Shy during Happy Birthday song, after rehearsing about eleventeen times on the way over… (Also, sorry I chopped off her friends’ heads.) Happy Birthday, Irresistible You
Because Arddun’s birthday falls on the 18th of June and Tony’s birthday weekend also happened to be 18th May, we decided to put together a combined birthday celebration.
Birthday girlBirthday Boy and meSome of our birthday guestsCupcake-decorating stationGames for one and allLabour of love by the talented and generous AudreyDoor giftsParty loot (and I’m wondering how to ship it all back!)All tired out after a fabulous party!
(I’m in the process of backdating a bunch of posts, so at least when I look back, I know when the photos were actually taken. So yes, I’ve posted this on the 29th even though it’s dated the 6th of April. Better late than never, etc.)
Melissa and David were so sweet to invite Tony, Arddun and I to Ori’s first birthday party on this date, and were we glad we made it. I was nursing a slight sore throat that day, but that didn’t stop me from hoeing into the cake and mian bao ice-cream…
Clockwise from top left: Arddun slow-dancing with Daddy; Arddun rocking out on rocking horse; Mian Bao ice cream man in the driveway, coaxed from his usual business spot in the nearby park; Arddun, still rocking out on the rocking horse because let’s admit it – I’m a mother of an active toddler. I don’t have time and hands to take lots of interesting photos!
Mel and David did such an amazing job putting together this party. Usually, they say parties for 1-year-old are really more for the parents than the kids… but I think they had something for everyone. Stupendous cake, champagne, activity stations, music…
Admittedly, the music was more a reflection of Mel getting nostalgic about her youth (hence the many ’80s numbers!) but we weren’t complaining. The personal gosh-aww moment at the party for us turned out to be when Arddun pulled Tony out to the “dance floor” to dance with her daddy.
Observe:
Yes, she did look a little drunk… or high on chocolate cake… And yes, there was a bit of in-and-out-the-cherry-window followed by lots of odd dance moves partially inspired by Bjork… And there’s no denying the wails of children in the background so we are in no doubt that this WAS a children’s party… But there you have it. Arddun’s first slow-dance with her daddy.
Hopefully, they get the steps worked out a bit better by her wedding day, some day.
Finding The Happy 