Olive Turns Three

February 2015, by Tom

With the new year done and dusted and the summer months upon us, we decided to plan Olives birthday party. This year, we teamed up with Lana and Nige to create a special joint birthday party for Olive and Anthony at Staglands.

Staglands has this great barn you can hire out - Alex had his 2nd birthday party here, and it seemed perfect to host Olive and Anthony's 3rd birthday party.

Gini and Lana begun discussing ideas for food, decorations and most importantly, the cakes! A month or so ago, we asked Olive what she wanted for her birthday party cake and it was always the same answer "a purple bunny rabbit!". She was so adamant that this is what she was getting that it's what she told everyone who asked her what she wanted for her birthday. "I want a purple bunny rabbit cake with M&M's!". No pressure Mummy! Always up to the cake challenge, and with a tiny little bit of help from yours truly (chief finishing icier and purple white chocolate ganash maker!), the bunny was ready to go in the fridge by 9pm! The earliest night before cakeathon yet.

Anthony had decided on a digger cake. How PC our kids are! Of course Lana couldn't just do any old digger cake, it had to be angle striped yellow and black on the inside with a pop in your mouth chocolate topping! Amazing.

We all divvied out the food responsibilities and had the grandparents to each bring a plate or two to help feed the littlies and the biggies. We had three different types of sausage on the BBQ (thanks for cooking Poppa!), mini quiches and ginger nut animal cookies (thanks Nan!), sammies and cheese poofs (thanks Granny!), mini meatballs (thanks Anthony's Gran, Lyn!) and a host of other goodies by Lana, Nige, Gini and myself.

Iris, being Iris, was just happy being Iris. Either sitting in the highchair and watching everyone, or sitting in the buggy, or being passed from grandparent to grandparent. Not a single cry the whole day.

All in all, it was a great day. We had a good mix of family, friends, anti-natal friends and playcenter friends all making the journey out. Olive was initially overwhelmed by everyone arriving and getting all these presents given to her (which we decided to leave most of the present opening till after we got home and over the coming days). Once she warmed up, she had a blast. Running round with the kids, showing off her purple bunny rabbit cake to everyone and lighting up with pure joy as we sung happy birthday to her and Anthony.

After the festivities we all took a stroll to see all the animals. We had quite a troupe going! Everyone seemed to enjoy themselves and the weather managed to stay mostly dry, albeit a little chilly.

We won't talk about the accident at the cafe after holding on all day, as apart from this, it was such a perfect day.

Happy birthday to our beautiful Olive! Let the planning begin for your 5th!

T

Party for one! Happy little Iris

Party for one! Happy little Iris

Cuzzie shot!

Cuzzie shot!

As is the mine wooden train

As is the mine wooden train