My birthday afternoon turned out to be a barrel of laughs, with all the kids except Andrew having noisy tantrums about something or other.
Thomas - "I want to play pass the parcel! I want to hide ALL the lollypops! I want to open the present NOW!" (repeat ad infinitum, with tears and screams)
Lizzy - "I want my favourite thing for dinner! I don't LIKE spicy stew! It's your birthday! It should be something special! Can I have bacon?" (repeat ad infinitum, with tears and screams)
Lizzy, Ben and Thomas - "But I want to sit next to Mummy at dinner! No, I do! NO, I DO!" (repeat ad infinitum, with tears and screams)
You get the idea.
It was oddly reassuring to be surrounded by my screaming, crying children, all upset because my birthday was not going according to their plans. Somewhat perversely, it made me feel loved, in the same way that "I want to sit next to the birthday girl!" are sweet words for any 9 year old to hear at her party.
Picture me sitting at our scratched old table, surrounded by my tired, grumpy family and the lollies and 2 candles the kids chose for me (told you it would be candles or mugs, didn't I?), blowing out a recycled pink candle on my Safeway chocolate cake (a cake they carefully picked out and have been demanding ever since), and listening to a very subdued and erratic happy birthday song.
The wonders of family: tears, wonky candles, and sticky chocolate-covered kisses.
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