Zoe Turns 5

 (Zoe with her present from Anna - a musical jewellery box, complete with rotating ballerina)

Ah, welcome to the Golden Years... I know people say the 'Golden Years' for parenting are when your kids are between the ages of 6 and 12, but I say it starts earlier... Zoe turned 5 on Thursday, and I feel we are well and truly into the golden years now. Although, of course I will admit to feeling a few pangs when I see how big my 'baby' is now... she's a baby no longer. Zoe has really grown up this year in France. 

And I think we made a suitable fuss of her - as Zoe says herself, her birthday lasted 3 days. Toby took all the girls and two friends to the cinema on Zoe's actual birthday (to see 'Madagascar 3 - Zoe couldn't actually tell me what happened in the movie, but she assured me it was 'hilarious') after a birthday dinner of sausages (Zoe's choice), and then we had her birthday party on Sunday. Quite a few invitees couldn't come, but since we contribute three girls to the party right from the start, we ended up with a very respectable eight party guests, and much fun was had by all. A bit of face painting by me, then a few games - Stuck in the Mud, Freeze Dance, Relay Races - then presents, a snack of hot dogs, melon and cake, and then lots of free play. Two hours - the perfect length, I'd say, for 5-year-olds. We're getting old hands at this home party thing, and have learned from past mistakes. It helps, of course, to have a big back yard to run around in, and lots of sunshine. 

 Decorating the chocolate cupcakes for the party

 Check out the brand-new deck, and new table and umbrella!

 Toby is the chaser in Stuck in the Mud

 Scatter!

 Present opening

 Birthday snack

 Zoe and her best friend, Eva

 This season I shall mainly be wearing cupcake

Eva and Zoe

The other news from this week is that Indie lost her other front tooth - giving her an impressive gap. The tooth 'mouse' came (it's not a fairy in France, it's a mouse) and left 2 euros. Pretty good deal, I'd say.