Alex is (almost) 4 - A Cars Party and good reason for a blog post at last

Apologies to anyone who has been looking at the same WAY out of date blog post for the past 12 months or so…

To make up for it here are some hot-off-the-press photo's from Alex's 4th birthday party yesterday.

It was a big day, lots of planning involved and a cake that almost killed me… the photos below do not adequately capture the preparation, pain and stress involved.

… but we all survived and the party went off without a hitch, lots of lovely friends from daycare as well as friends and family came along, there were games, lots of presents, a bit too much sugar but smiles all round. That evening a very happy and exhausted Alex said 'I'm tired mummy' (FIRST TIME EVER) he took his pass the parcel prize to bed and fell asleep before I could even finish the story (SECOND TIME EVER).

The birthday boy

All the kids got drivers licenses when they arrived

Racing car bears - didn't take a picture when they were all finished but you get the idea

I tried to tell the kids we could just 'look at the cake' no need to cut it up

they weren't having it...

a look of horror from Uncle hOb re the amount of sugar involved

the anticipation

everyone was keen for cake 

duelling blowy whistle things - what are they called?

Piñata fun begins

Alex has a turn

OK, so I had to have a go or we would have been there all night

the rush for more sugar begins

it's like they'd never seen lollies before!

variation on musical chairs - thankfully no injuries

jumping castle - I forgot to take a photo until the party was over so looking a bit sad with just Alex

Will try to do another post before his next birthday!

3rd Birthday Tour - Part 2 Sydney

 
Alex's birthday tour continued home to Sydney a week later (yes I am a good 2 months late with the post) with family and friends gathering for a little party at our place. It kind of worked as a house warming as well (we've been here a year now, you might be sensing a pattern).

Friends in the courtyard thanks to the sun making an appearance

Despite panicking through most of the rainy week leading up to it, even buying a tarp in case we had to cover the backyard, the sun shone brightly on the day and it was great to see our little place full of friends and their various small people.

playing with Fern & Elliot

I was worried there wouldn't be enough little friends for Alex as we don't have that many friends with kids his age so I invited a couple of people from daycare as well. It turns out we had about 12 kids and remarkably the day went off without a crisis. Ok there was one moment when a little girl had found grandpa's electric razor and was inches away from shaving my (female) workmate's head but thankfully the would-be hairdresser's dad arrived just in time to avert that crisis.

Like I said - I was pretty proud of the cake effor

In fact I don't think there were even any tears all day and Alex had a ball getting lots of presents (some of which are still in the cupboard unopened - don't tell Alex); eating his number 3 cake (particularly proud of that one) and some healthy-ish snacks and running around with his balloons and bubbles.

Bubble present was a hit

Alex's 3rd birthday tour - part 1 Melbourne

official candle blowing ceremony

In a move normally reserved for royals - Alex chose to take a tour to celebrate his birthday - with celebrations on multiple dates down the eastern seaboard. The tour began with a trip to Melbourne where his Alexness was accommodated by the most wonderful Theodossiou / Braun family and the lady Emily. During his time in Melbourne Alex visited local attractions, got up close and personal with local flora and fauna at a trip to the zoo and supported the local economy by paying far to much for a punnet of hand picked strawberries. As you can see by the photos below all celebrations were thoroughly dignified and proper...

When touring it's important for one to sample
the local produce

and I mean sample...

Definitely no fun happening in this picture

The inevitable nude royal snap!

Sometimes one just has to take the wheel

Getting close to nature - and the lovely Lady Emily

Alex's 2nd birthday party stays afloat - just

The pirate ship cake complete Agrrr!

The weekend before we left for New Zealand we had a little birthday party for Alex. Technically speaking it was his 2nd birthday on the 31st but we were flying that morning and didn't fancy squeezing in a birthday celebration to the 30 mins we had before checking at the Airport. So we decided to subtly shift his birthday to the weekend before "he's 2, he doesn't even know what a birthday is so he'll never know" - we said to ourselves. That is until he learns to read and discovers this blog post. Hmm...

So anyway, the all important cake baking started the day before and at about 1.50pm, a whole 10 mins before the guests were due to arrive the cake was done. Due to a um... (rare?)... moment of disorganisation I forgot to book the BBQ area that I'd sent everyone to and had to hastily change plans and have the gathering in our apartment.

Grandpa was a surprise visitor and we had lots of other friends, little and large come by and Alex was very spoilt with some lovely gifts including funky PJs, beautiful books (we love books at the moment), two fantastic toy cars, bubbles, an Elmo balloon (still love Elmo) and lots more.

Alex made sure to run to the door every time the buzzer went to greet his next visitor and was remarkably happy despite all the fuss, noise and people wanting to play with his toys (now is not the age for sharing). There was a tense moment with an altercation between two little people over the little tykes car which ended in tears and a few scratches. More on that here: http://bubbymakesthree.blogspot.co.nz/2012/03/party-pooper.html

Harper, just before the incident with little Elliot

Alex loved the kitchen he got from mum and dad

But in the end the party sailed on happily with the Pirate Ship cake going down a treat with grown ups and little people alike. And most importantly Alex had fun!

Birthday song video and candle blowing didn't quite work out...

A few lessons from a Teddy Bear's picnic

A couple of weekends ago (bad blogging practice but I'm at least 2 weeks behind at the moment) we went to little Elliott Cleary's Teddy Bear's Picnic 1st birthday party and learned a few lessons.

The name is Bond...

Attempting to coral the kids and their teddy bears for a photo

1. If you're going to have a party for 20 + kids and parents have it at the in law's house and pray for sunshine
















2. A little plastic tunnel in the middle of the lawn can provide hours of entertainment

Tunnel mission complete M

3. Alex is a bit too young for face painting

Alex and the face painter were not the best of friends

4. You can never be too young for birthday cake - especially when you're the birthday boy!

Elliott birthday boy with mum and dad

A present for mum on his birthday

Alex turned 1 today - can you believe it? I can't, in fact I think I'll continue to deny it and call him 'my baby' for at least another 7 years.

So far we have spent most of his birthday on Skype. In fact, I think that is what Skype is specifically designed for, grandparents, great grandparents, aunties to wish happy birthday to their respective grandkiddies, nephews etc.

And generous soul that he is, Alex has given his mum a present on his big day. He's been asleep for almost 2 hours this morning - and those that know him will know that this is an incredibly rare event. In fact I've done all my morning jobs and admin and don't actually know what to do with myself now, hence the blog update.

Chatting with Aunty Sian & opening presents

And can I just mention that in the video above, Alex is chatting to his great grandma and other family in Florida. Great grandma has very recently acquired her own skype account. If anyone tells me that technology is all bad I say... 'bah'.