Happy Birthday Hermione!

Hermione turned seven today. It's amazing how the days can seem so long when you're up to eyes with the day to day grind, but really, the years just fly on by so quickly. I can honestly say she has given me more joy than I could ever imagine. More pain and worry that I could probably ever have imagined too. I guess that's the deal with kids - they take you to your limits - in all directions.

A dozen friends called round this afternoon to help her celebrate. Ordinarily I would say that given the choice I wouldn't change a thing about her birth, but while we have been preparing this week I thought how nice it would be if she had a summer birthday - that way we could invite lots more friends to join us and celebrate in the garden with more space. Sometimes I have worried about the social implications of my decision to home ed. I've feared my children could be 'billy no mates'. Those concerns certainly felt unfounded today.

Hermione chose a bug theme. She dressed as queen bee. There were numerous ladybirds, a spider, a green bug who looked a lot like a grass hopper and others.

There was a bug tucker trial. They munched their way through a few eyeballs (lychees and goji berries), monkey toes (pickled gherkins), frog spawn (quinoa and blue green algae), wilderbeast brains (tofu) and other delicacies. I say munched their way through, perhaps it would be more fair to say nibbled hesitantly.

Everyone split into teams to make bug models from junk. That was good fun. The adults showed as much, if not more enthusiasm than the children. Miles was delighted to return home from his jaunt out to find big bug creations lying about.

Out in the garden we threw bean bags at the CocoLoco Bugs and water bombs at a snail cut out on the fence.

The pinata was particularly robust and needed a couple of whacks from parents to actually break open. Shocking to think that after extolling the virtues of Non Violent Communication at last weeks home ed meeting I then encouraged the children today to pick up a stick and bash a pinata *blush*. Does non verbal communication count ? *grin*

I think everyone had a good time and hopefully was not put off by the fact that (a) the toilets may not flush (the waterboard had told me they were carrying out maintenance today and that I would have no water), (b) that adult drinks were restricted to fruit juice and wine - which turned out to be so dry that it could strip paint (refer back to lack of water issue), (c) despite the fact that I had scoured the Internet for great bug music and found some cool stuff I hit repeat on the Ugly Bug Ball tune and didn't notice for about an hour and a half, (d) children had to remain seated at the table while we mounted a clean up operation after I shattered a glass and (e) the birthday cake and cake which I had prepared for parents turned out to be very dry due to my tinkering with the recipe *blush*. One parent who shall remain nameless, (you know who you are Julia), complimented me on the crunchy biscuit base. Eh??? What biscuit base???

When everyone had left I realised that we hadn't played some games I had planned. Nor had we dragged out the bubble machine and parachute. Perhaps comes summer when the weather is brighter we can invite lots more friends round to get together and I can have another shot at the cake and wine. Second time lucky huh?

A friend gave me a scrap book for Christmas. I've never tried scrapbooking before and wasn't sure what to do with it. I think I'll make a birthday scrap book with lots of photos and details of her day. Then I'll put it away with the book where I write down some of her first experiences, the funny things she has said etc, ready to give her some time well in the future when the time seems right.