The birthday party

Kids birthday parties are just so exhausting. Perhaps this is why it has taken me an entire week to get the photos up from Ollie's third birthday party last Sunday?

Since we live in such a wonderful location with access to a little beach just at the end of the street, we thought it would be great to have a beach party. This theme was brilliant as it meant no real decorating and no need for party games (just a bunch of sandpit toys). A sandcastle cake was called for complete with sand made out of ground up vanilla wafer biscuits (leftover sand may have been consumed by me with a spoon - mmm, sandy goodness). It kind of looked like a giant lump so I piped some shells out of white chocolate as well as some starfish and kind of pink coloured crabs. It did the job. Definitely a sandcastle cake.

We kept guests to a minimum as too many kids are way too much like hard work, and we don't expect our grown up kidless friends to trek out to on a Sunday morning when they should be fast asleep nursing their well earned hangovers. But the guest list was just perfect with a few of Ollie's favourite friends as well as family members. For the third year in a row Pa & Nanna Kaye have even been able to join us during the US school break.

All went well. There were no tears. The only hiccups were our inability to light the candle thanks to the wind (but really is an open flame and a three year old really a good combination?) and a kicked sherrin onto the roof of the picnic area (thanks to Nick, Luke & Simon for putting on quite a show in retrieving it).

What would a birthday be without lots of presents? The biggest present was Ollie's big boy bike. It has sensible training wheels on it and might be a fraction too big but I can see it won't be long before Ollie is tearing around and trying to do tricks on it. Thankfully the present included a helmet and knee and elbow pads. He actually got full value out of the pads that same afternoon when he took an un-bike related tumble on the footpath. I'm thinking that perhaps I should have him wearing them all the time? Especially given how accident prone he has been today.

Other presents included a subscription to ABC reading eggs from us and the corresponding books and activity sheets from Nanna Freddy & Poppy. Ollie has been doing this program lately when I need a bit of quiet time. I figure it is much better than watching mindless television and I can already see that Ollie is recognising letters and words. Such a little sponge at this age.

Of course Pa & Nanna Kaye brought some gorgeous clothes back from NY, but they really outdid themselves this time. Evie is now the proud owner of two of the most gorgeous party dresses I have seen. She busted them both out this weekend at separate events - my friend Carly's baby shower and Madi's 3rd birthday party. She looked totally gorgeous on both occasions. If only I could get her not to accessorise the dresses with baby spew. Eww. Both times. Double eww.

And possibly one of Ollie's favourite birthday presents? A spiderman suit from Aunty Hayley and Uncle Simon. How awesome is that?