One weekend, two children's parties

Well this weekend heralded Matthew's very first birthday party. The invite had arrived in the post a couple of weeks previously and much to Heather's dismay this was a party all about him. He has become used to being the tag alonger as Heather attends various party. He was excited, very excited! There were about ten two/three year olds and a sprinkling of older and younger children, and an entertainer. I will admit to being apprehensive, Matthew is not always, ahem, an angel.

I was very surprised, he was so well behaved, he joined in with musical bumps, pass the parcel, parachutes, and pom-pom shaking with joy and excitement. He was so thrilled to be at the party and as soon as we had to leave he kept reciting 'I had a lovely time Mummy.' It was wonderful to see the little ones making their first social steps, some of them socialising easily, others feeling awkward and overwhelmed a little by the situation. Matthew, ever confident took it all in his stride and had a great time.

We returned to a house filled with Grandparents and a sister who questioned him closely, wanting to enjoy the party vicariously, then of course she rooted through his party bag to see if there was anything to her liking.

Sunday morning dawned bright and sunny, today was Heather's party, she was going to dress up as a princess and she did look lovely. I was slightly irritated as the hair clip I had bought the previous day specifically to go with the dress she was wearing had managed to vanish overnight, but still off we went. As she skipped off to join in familiar with most of the children having been partying with them for nearly two years, I couldn't help thinking back to when she had been in Matthew's shoes. How much calmer the parties were then, now the children play louder and more raucous games, there have even been a few scuffles amongst the children. Still Heather danced, jumped and laughed her way through her party, was rewarded with her very own party bag and then homeward bound.

'Mummy, I'm having a party this year aren't I?'
'Yes' I answered, even though she knew the answer, she knows where it is and I had just taken the photograph for the invitations, she is having a joint party with a boy whose birthday is the day after hers.
'Mummy... We're going to give my friends a good present in their party bags, aren't we?' she said.
I gulped and nodded, oh the pressure, the search for Heather approved party bags starts here...