Rainbow cake and stripy jelly

Ok so N’s first birthday was a week or so ago, but our NCT group of mums & babies decided to do one of our regular celebration get togethers in honour of all the first birthdays.  We were hosting it at ours, so I spent lots of time cooking in preparation (everyone always brings bits & bobs along so it’s not all on one person) and cleaning (whoa, doesn’t happen often!).  I also had a bit of a guess that the OH wouldn’t turn up even though it was at ours (I was proven right, although he only left the house about 10 minutes before everyone arrived).

The babies would be pleased that they weren’t having to be in fancy dress…the girls all looked so pretty in their party dresses, the poor boys don’t really have the cool equivalent wear.  N slept through most of it (I was expecting his usual post lunch hour’s nap, but it turned into nearer 2 1/2), then when he came downstairs he was really clingy, a bit surprised by finding 14 adults and 7 babies in his house.  Turned out he wasn’t too well on Sunday either with a temperature, so it was a shame we didn’t really get to enjoy it properly.

We had lovely (farm beef) cottage pies, salads, breads for main and then for afters we had pretty stripy jelly, plus one of the mum’s amazing cake concoctions – so we got the opportunity to sing happy birthday to all the babies.  The most amusing bit about the cake, was then watching the men eating such a kiddy/girly pretty cake!  Have to say the weekend eating didn’t do much for my diet.

Obviously there was the attempt to get the latest group photo.  I reckon they’re the hardest age now as so many of them are active and want to escape, plus there’s always a couple of scream (unusually N was the main one this time, a sure sign he wasn’t feeling quite right as he’s usually the poser amongst them).

We also continued our Secret ‘santa’ birthday present giving.  If you’re in a big group it’s any ideal way to buy presents for each other.  There were some lovely presents…N was given a lovely musical tractor & trailer which he immediately played with.  Don’t think Dad will be too impressed as it’s another toy without an off button.

Can’t wait til the next occasion we can all get together.  Really feel like it’s ages in between catching up as prior to returning to work we were catching up at least once a week if not twice.  And now we only see some people at swimming as I work on Thursdays which is a bit sad.

It’s so good though that we all got on so well, given how many of my other friends haven’t had the same experience.  And it’s great to see the little ones develop and playing with each other.