Lily's 7th Birthday

A few pictures from Lily's seventh birthday. She spent a pleasant morning opening gifts, enjoyed a trip to the museum and finished the day off with a party tea. Both sets of grandparents were able to join us, so Lily was a very happy little girl. She had been looking forward to her birthday for weeks and really seemed to be savouring every moment of her special day. My sweet little girl!

Opening gifts with Emma

 

Lily wanted an Innotab 2 more than anything else, but because she thought it would come in an Innotab size package, she didn't think she had got one. She saved the biggest present until last and here she is realising that she got the Innotab after all! She was so thrilled and hasn't stopped playing with it.

Lily with her new Innotab. One happy little girl!

Lily loves stationery, so was thrilled with all the pens and notebooks she received for her birthday

Off to the museum

Lily's cake, as requested. "I'd like pink icing, chocolate buttons, 'Lily' in yellow icing and some of those flowers' (by which she meant wafer daisies). I think I fulfilled all criteria!

Lily's party tea, with lots of pink of course!

Blowing out the candles

.

Lily is 7

Baby Lily. This is one of my favourite of Lily's baby pictures.

My sweet, affectionate, sensitive, bubbly little girl turns seven today. Seven sounds so much older than six! She isn't such a little girl any more and I am so proud of the girl she is becoming. She spends most of her free time writing, drawing and reading and still has very little interest in toys. She loves her stuffed animals, but still doesn't play with dolls. When the weather is fine she can almost invariably be found bouncing on the trampoline with her brother and sister. Rainy days normally involve her rearranging the living room with cushions, blankets, quilts and all her drawing supplies. She never goes anywhere without a large bag stuffed full of all her treasures and loves to be surrounded by her favourite things. Quite how she finds any room to sleep on her bed is a mystery to me, but she isn't happy unless she has her favourite things in bed with her. Minimalist she is not!

If you ask her what she wants to be when she grows up, she will either tell you that she wants to be an illustrator of children's books or that she wants to study history. She has a genuine interest in history and can often be found reading history books and biographies. Her recent favourites have included biographies of Beatrix Potter, Winston Churchill and Florence Nightingale.

She works hard at school and is doing so well. Her reading and written work is exceptional and she has made huge strides in her maths this year. Her teachers all tell me what a lovely little girl she is and I am proud of how she has worked hard to overcome her separation anxiety this year. We still have a few problems at school events, but she goes into school smiling every morning now. My darling little girl is growing up and I am holding on to these precious days when she will trot out to the kitchen just to give me a kiss and tell me she loves me.

Happy 7th Birthday my darling girl.

We are so proud of you and love you so much!

Lily, aged 7

.

A Bluebell Walk

A walk in an English wood in late spring is always a treat when the bluebells are out in force. We enjoyed a lovely walk in Greenway Bank Country Park on the afternoon we were expecting my parents to visit. It is easier and far more pleasant to take the Podlings out into the country for a walk than to field the constant 'How long till Nanny and Grandad get here?' questions at home! We passed a pleasant hour in the woods and got home about half an hour before my parents arrived.

We found this tree highly amusing. Can you see the face?

,

Ten Years!

Our Wedding Day, May 10th 2003. 

Yesterday Mark and I celebrated ten happy years of marriage. It hardly seems possible that we are in double figures now! Where has the time gone? They have been wonderful years though and we have three beautiful children to show for it. I feel very blessed.

Mark's mum and dad very kindly came and watched the Podlings for us and treated us to the very rare treat of lunch out on our own. We enjoyed a fabulous three course meal at a nearby inn and then went for a walk in Hare Hill Gardens near Alderley Edge. Many of the rhododendrons were in flower and it was beautiful and very peaceful. Rather annoyingly I forgot my camera, so I had to make do with Mark's phone to take this handful of shots.

After leaving Hare Hill Gardens we took a very quick walk in the woods at Alderley Edge before heading back to reality. It was so nice to be able to spend time alone with my husband. After all, there were two of us before there were five of us and it was nice just to have a chance to remember that. Thank you so much to Mum and Dad P. for allowing us to have such a lovely afternoon together.

It was slightly disconcerting to find the car park full of cows when we arrived at Hare Hill Gardens. Cows are very big animals!

.

Macclesfield Forest

On Monday we celebrated the somewhat rare treat of a sunny May Day bank holiday with a walk around Macclesfield forest and  reservoir in Cheshire. We enjoyed the whole walk, but I think we found the forest portion the most enjoyable as it was so cool and pleasant under the trees. The next time we take a walk there, we will find one that keeps us in the forest more. We finished our afternoon off with a picnic (naturally!)

Exchanging pine cones

Lily and Emma performed a little dance for us after our picnic

.

Down among the Daffodils

"I wandered lonely as a cloud

That floats on high o'er vales and hills,

When all at once I saw a crowd,

A host, of golden daffodils"

~ from 'Daffodils' by William Wordsworth

We took a walk through Biddulph Grange Gardens on Saturday afternoon with Mark's parents. It was a somewhat spontaneous visit. We had just been to the library and decided that the weather was too lovely not  to take advantage of. If I had known there was to be such a wonderful display of daffodils to photograph the Podlings in, I would have dressed the girls in pretty frocks rather than left them in play clothes! The daffodils were beautiful and I can just picture the dresses I would have had them wear! I hardly ever put them in jeans...typical! Luckily, they look adorable whatever they wear!

.

Flora

Just a few photos I took of some of the beautiful flowers blooming in Biddulph Grange Gardens on Saturday. 

.