Boys, I have not blogged in a very long time. Well, for me a week is just too much. This awkward, deafening silence on the Raising Men front - it has to stop. We've been so busy, and it's only going to get busier from now until the first week of March. There is so much going on with all of us right now, and I don't know where to stop or start, or how to encapsulate it within words right now. In the interim, I have to tell you about Noah's very special birthday. My dad was in town for a week, and your uncle Paul arrived ON your birthday. It was so special.
Nu, you'd been asking for a scooter for weeks. Those stand-on, push ones with the handlebars? We convinced you that they didn't make them anymore / we can't find one and went on and on about how sorry we were that we just could not find scooters in any shops anymore. You were bummed little guy.
While you were sleeping, we wrapped up a bunch of 'decoy' presents. This included a packet of uncooked spaghetti, and one of your bath toys. From the bathroom. That you already have. We SO badly wanted to wrap up an onion as this is your least favorite thing in existence, but we didn't have one in the fridge. Bad planning. Then we wrapped up your helmet, then another bunch of stickers to decorate it with. Your scooter was wrapped up and put around the corner.
We woke you up with chocolate cake, candles, clapping and a song. You were half asleep and overwhelmed and hid under the duvet during all of it, just beaming with shy smiles. You blew your candles, we convinced you to put pants on and then we opened your presents. You sat on the blue carpet in your room and excitedly unwrapped the packet of uncooked pick n pay brand spaghetti. "Oh! Food." you said, just looking at it. You didn't sulk, you just looked at us like we were a bit weird, but practical and politely put it aside. You unwrapped the bath boat and you were like "Oh look now I have TWO of these" and we were like "No actually that's the one from the bath" and you were like "Oh" and looked at it a bit weirdly.
You unwrapped the stickers and loved those. You loved the helmet and you were like "Ooooh, this is for my bike hay?" and we were like "uh huh" and you inspected it for a while. Then you sort of sat to the side and fidgeted with your slice of cake. You didn't sulk, you were so like - polite about it.
"Hold on there might be ooooooooooone more present" and we went to the kitchen to fetch your scooter. Dude your face. Your little happy, shining face. You were so happy, you were getting on it, adjusting heights and settings and hopped on to it quicker than a seagull to a slapchip. You were so happy.
Then you had cake and songs at school, your teacher made you a birthday hat with a big 4 on it. I snuck in to your class as you were falling asleep on your little nap time mattress. You were so happy to see me and teacher and I had to shush you so many times as you were like "THEN THEY SANG, THEN we had cake, THEN THIS IS MY HAT and look it says FOUR on it, and THEN..." and the other kids were falling asleep so I rushed you out of there fast.
Granny, Paul and Nobby joined us at Deer Park for lunch and ice cream. You played in the sun and got even more presents - so spoilt! It was such a nice (exhausting) and fun afternoon - you had the best time.
We'd planned this big birthday for you at the blue train in Mouille Point. There were train rides, I'd booked the bike track, all the invites went out and you were so excited to have "a train party like Ben's one mommy". The invites went out to about forty people and it was going to be so much fun. You were beyond excited and on Friday night you were like "Just one more sleep mommy!!!"
I can't tell you how sad I was when I woke up before you to see the rainy skies. I didn't know how to tell you or what to do. We waited to see if it would clear up, but it didn't. Daddy took you to the blue train to show you that it was too wet and rainy there and you said yes "Thomas can't come out cause he'll get wet hay?" and you were so... understanding of the whole thing. You didn't cry / freak out... you were so like, mature about it? My four year old self would have thrown a tantrum right there, I think?
Noah still wanted to see his friends and get presents (obviously) so I invited some of the guests to our house for a quick song and cake. I have never cleaned my house that fast in my life. Obviously (like a good mom) everything was prepped for outdoors in the sun. I had even frozen some of the juices and waters. Packed everything up picnic-style.It was fun and chaos to get everything ready and set up the house for a party in like two or three hours. Thanks so much for granny and Nikki for helping us, otherwise we would still have been sweeping the passage by the time the guests arrived.
Wiggle you had so much fun, with old and new friends and I don't think that we could have had a better time, regardless of the venue. I still don't know how we fit 22 people in and around our tiny little dollhouse!
I baked your cake and granny helped. We put a cake pop and some strawberries on there - I rushed to your room and found blocks to use for your name at the last minute. It was all very clumsy and un-perfect, but we had fun. You loved it and you were like "Yaaaaaaaay chocolate!". There were no left overs. Obviously.
The wine and cheese for the grown ups are from Fairview, which you know we are huge fans of. We love the location, the goats, the tasting rooms, restaurant, the wines, the cheeses, the packaging, design - we just love everything about them. The gorgeous whale cupcakes and the Pinocchio cake pops were made by the super lovely Justine at Bespoke Catering. Please go have a look at her cakes, they are so beautiful and so well priced - really.
Noah you've had a great birthday - it was has been like a birthday WEEK. Yesterday we went to Gaga's house in Betty's Bay and had another mini party there, and more cheese, cake and MORE presents. You are such a special little boy, people just shower you with affection, gifts and kindness. I hope that your soul stays this sweet for the rest of your days little guy.
Also, here is a one minute video interview with Noah on the eve of his first birthday. I hope to ask him the same questions and make a duplicate of this every year to see how he changes, because grow up they must - no matter how much it breaks our hearts. Noah, this is you right now. And you'll never be exactly the same again. Isn't that sad?
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| For the first time - ALL my boys together at once - Brother, sons, father and husband. SO SO SO SPECIAL |
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| Whale cupcakes and Pinocchio cake pops by Bespoke Catering |
