First Birthday

Happy first birthday my sweet Alice, that first year, goes by so quickly, how I wish that it would take two years to get to one, and six months to get to six weeks. I'm not denying that it isn't hard work, but there's something about newborns that very addictive, for me anyway.
The top photo is Alice 3 weeks old, all 11 pound of her!, it's a good thing they can't tell you your babies weight till after there're born, I would have just keeped my legs crossed.
Alice is such a delight, she never really fussed as a baby, if she was in my arms, she was happy. Her big brothers look after her very well, and she has got them well trained in getting her what she wants.Alices gives the best hugs , but don't expect a smile, but she is very ticklish so we resort to that when we want to check that she can still smile:)
Alice had a lovely birthday with all our family and friends, Her birthday cake was a heart shaped black forest cake (omit the alcohol) and she had way to many slices of it. Her duck pinnie and pant was her present from me. I cheated and knitted it on the knitting machine. I love little girls in pinnies, you won't see any denim jeans on my girl! Although I did buy some beautiful wool denim this winter, so you might see a pinni!.
Happy birthday Alice, may the wonder of the world be yours...

Teepee birthday cake

I made some long bread sticks for the poles, I overcooked them so that they would be hard. I made a round chocolate cake and put the sticks around the edge, tied with some string at the top. The tee-pee is made from white chocolate(lots and lots) and glucose so it is bendable, I then wraped it around the sticks and magically it stayed. I then decorated the edges with jelly snakes.

The children enjoyed eating it.

Jim's Native Amercian Birthday Party

For Jim's birthday we did a Native Amercian theme. Jim had spent last term at school learning about the Indians way of life. I love themed party's, the children really get into the spirit of it. All the children arrived with much enthusiasm, firstly we went into the teepee and ground some ochre' for face painting, then the children made some ankle bands, I had punched holes around some suede and the children drew pictures on the band then threaded some colourful strips of fabric through the holes and knotted a bead on the end.It's always refreshing for me to see kids making stuff, they are so inspirational.The children danced around the teepee singing songs like 'soar like an eagle' and I told some stories, why blackfeet never kill mice and the moon and the great snake. All the children had healthy appetites, we had buffalo wings, popcorn, lentil burgers, dips, sandwiches, fairy bread(never to old!), honey joys and birthday cake. We then sat back in the teepee and spun the bottle, and I asked questions like - who will climb the highest mountain, who will be a great leader, who will live overseas, who will live by the sea, who will be a teacher, etc. The funny thing is, when I asked, who will marry first, they all went YUCK, typical 8 year olds but when I asked the question, who will be a great humanitarian, they all yelled with their hands up saying pick me pick me! Ahh there's alway hope isn't there. Jim did our traditional birthday walk holding his candle, then we cut the cake, and last of all there was a treasure hunt, oh yeah, and a game of soccer in there too. Lastly the children costumes were great, mainly indians and a couple of rattlesnakes( Joseph and Flynn) and not a cowboy in sight!.