Tuesday 19 May 2020

Seven



We celebrated a birthday here last week. Lily turned seven. Seven! Even though I say it each year, I can't believe how fast she is growing and changing. There are times when I would quite like to press a pause button. She is so kind and funny, she has a wicked sense of humour, and I delight in her love of animals and nature. Her laugh is infectious and she has an abundance of energy, running rings around me at every opportunity.


Although we never intended to celebrate with a big party this year, we certainly didn't expect things would be this quiet, but Lily was still able to enjoy her special day. The day before, we baked chocolate brownies, although not quite all the broken chocolate made it into the mixture - some things are just far too tempting.  


Lily was thrilled with her birthday gifts. She got books, a new paddling pool, a solar system and a practical joke set, as well as some other gifts which were all very well received. However, she would probably say her two favourites were a Super Soaker and bubble machine. Oh, and the Whoopee cushion is getting a lot of use, heard randomly around the house, usually followed by squeals of laughter.


We spent a happy day at home, mostly in the garden, but there was time to indulge in a little painting indoors. The bubble machine was put to good use before a quick water fight ensued, then it was time to sing and blow out the birthday candles. I am so grateful for technology which enabled others to share the day with us, she also received some birthday wishes online from her teachers and school friends.


In the end, even after all her hard work, Lily decided she wouldn't bother with any of the brownie after all, but she was more than happy to help herself to the Smarties.

J. X

69 comments:

  1. Oh my I LOVE that birthday cake! It looks so brilliant like that! Happy 7th birthday Lily! x Who doesn't love a good whoopee cushion?!

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    1. Thank you, Rachel. The Whoopee cushion is a hoot! X

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  2. Sounds like a lovely birthday!

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    1. It was definitely preferable to spending the day at school. :)

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  3. Ahhh, happy belated birthday Lily. Love the brownie slices they look yum. She sounds a well balanced little girl that you are obviously very proud of. My grandson was 12 on Friday and we did a drive by to wish him happy birthday and drop if a card and present. No cuddles or kisses😥.

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    1. Thank you, Tania. The brownies were yum. Belated birthday wishes to your grandson. Hopefully you won't be waiting too much longer to enjoy some cuddles. X

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  4. Happy belated birthday to Lily. Yes, it's definitely a strange time to be celebrating birthdays but it sounds like she had a lovely day and those presents sound so much fun.

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    1. Thank you, Jo. She loves all her presents. The joke set has seen a lot of use this last week, especially the fake rotten teeth.

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  5. Happy Birthday, Lily :D The birthday cake you made looks absolutely delicious! Perhaps when things return to a 'more normal' you'll be able to have a belated birthday party :) I hope the sunshine and warm weather soon come again and you can enjoy your paddling pool. Take care and have fun :D Jane x

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    1. Thank you, Jane. We never intended to have a large party this year anyway, but all the same it was very relaxing to spend the day just as we pleased.
      I hope we will get plenty of use from the pool this summer. X

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  6. Happy Birthday Lily! I am so glad she had a lovely day. Seven is a wonderful age and I am not surprised you feel like pressing a pause button. I said that, too. But I keep saying the same thing again the year after :-)

    A whoopee cushion is always a good present to get, ours makes a surprise appearance every now and then...

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    1. Thanks, Christina. The trouble is they grow much too quickly don't they. X

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  7. Precious age.Time goes by so quickly. My "baby" just turned 18 in March. Happy birthday Lili! I like bubbles too, and have some here at the house for perfect bubble days. Such a simple beautiful joy.

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    1. Thank you Faith. They don't stay little for very long do they. X

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  8. Belated happy birthday wishes to Lily. So pleased she could enjoy a virtual birthday party. I know I've said this before to you but she really is a credit to you Jules. Enjoy everyday of her childhood as children grow up so very quickly, she'll be a teenager before you know it! My hubby has just seen your blog post and asked why he didn't have any Smarties on his birthday cake last week :)

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    1. Thank you, Eileen. That's a very kind thing to say.
      I have to agree with your husband, all birthday cakes need Smarties. They've always been a favourite of mine too. X

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  9. Belated birthday wishes to Lily. 🎉🎈🎈🎊🎉🎂

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  10. I'm a smarties fan too, happy birthday to Lily. Looks like she had a good day.

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    1. Who doesn't love Smarties? :) Thank you, Betty. X

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  11. A very Happy (belated) Birthday to Lily, I can't believe she's seven - it doesn't seen like a year since you posted that she was six, and no time at all since she was just getting to grips with her first bike. It sounds like she had a really fun day even without an actual party, and the pile of chocolate brownies look delicious :)

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    1. Thank you, Eunice. I can't believe it either, I don't know where the time goes. X

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  12. That sounds like a really good birthday to me. Happy seven Lily.

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    1. Thank you, Pat. Lily enjoyed her special day. X

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  13. HaPpY bIrThDaY! Looks like it was a wonderful day! They do grow fast xx

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  14. Happy Birthday, Lily. Celebrating events is much different this year but still there is the joy of appreciation of these times we have. It sounds like you made a beautiful memory with your daughter and that brownie cake looks yummy.

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    1. Thank you, Arleen. I hope Lily will have happy memories of her special day. X

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  15. Happy 7th birthday, Lily! I'm so glad that you were able to celebrate the occasion with brownies and fun activities. I love the birthday banner!

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    1. Thank you, Bless. The banner was a lockdown special, made from the card you get inside a roll of wrapping paper and some letters cut from pink sticky back plastic :)

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  16. A belated Happy Birthday to Lily, I am so glad to hear that she has a lovely birthday despite the current restrictions in place. We have a birthday here next week and are planning to do the same with singing and the cake.

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    1. Thank you for your good wishes and I hope you enjoy your own celebrations. X

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  17. That sounds like the sort of day I would have loved as a child (and a lot later I have to admit). I have always loved small groups of people and, as a child, I hated parties with a passion. Presumably Lily was pretty well fed by cake time. I wouldn't have passed on the Smarties either. I still love bubble machines and photographing bubbles can be very rewarding.

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    1. I'm not a big fan of parties myself, they can be quite overwhelming, especially for some children. Small gatherings of friends is more my kind of thing too. One of my most memorable birthdays was spent going conkering with a friend in the pouring rain and getting soaked through to the skin :)

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  18. The brownie looks delicious. I'm sure it got eaten later. Happy birthday, Lily!

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    1. Thank you, Chris. The brownie was delicious. X

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  19. Happy birthday to Lily! The years pass too quickly, and quarantine birthdays are...different. 4 of my kids had birthdays, from April 30 to May 16! It's nice you made it special for her! The brownies look so yummy, I would have had a hard time saying no to one!
    Della

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    1. Thank you, Lily really enjoyed her day. They do grow much too quickly don't they. X

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  20. Sounds like a prefect party! Gifts, sweet things, family and lots of love! I'm sure she had a lovely time even without the friends. The brownies look delicious ;o)

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    1. Lily really enjoyed her special day and thankfully technology enabled her to share it with those most important to her. X

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  21. lily has beautiful hair! i'm glad she had a lovely birthday x

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    1. Thank you, Julie. Lily is forever getting compliments on her hair, especially on the rare occasion she wears it loose, as it has a natural wave. X

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  22. Happy Birthday to lovely Lilly! I'm so glad she managed to celebrate her special day despite the circumstances. I love the bunting, the cake looks delicious and her cat painting is gorgeous.
    I want a solar system, too! xxx

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    1. Thank you, Vix, Lily did enjoy her special day.
      The solar system is pretty cool. It glows in the dark too! X

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  23. Belated Happy Birthday, Lily. Those brownies look amazing and the cat is really lovely.
    xx

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    1. Thank you, Joy. The cat is actually a money box and Lily had a lot of fun painting it. X

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  24. Happy Birthday Lily sounds like you had a really fun day. The brownie cake looks delicious. You have created some lovely memories Jules, a wonderful celebration.

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  25. Happy Birthday Lily :) Looks like she had a fab day and the brownies look scrumptioius. Turning 7 always seems a milestone to me. I used to tell Tom I was going to get a tablet from the doctor to make him stay little haha. We've had big parties, house parties and family parties over the years but they've all been fun in their own way. xx

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    1. Thank you, Suzanne. Yes, they do seem a lot more grown up all of a sudden at this age don't they. Finding their feet and becoming more and more independent each day. I must put a stop to it right away! :D

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  26. Happy Birthday to your Beautiful Little Girl!

    Yes, she is still 'little,' and so, do keep enjoying every minute. -smile- In the wink of an eye, she will be a "tween"... And onward marches times. Enjoy each moment, along the way.

    What a lovely day! And what an adorable Birthday Cake. -smile-

    Enjoy! You do, I know.

    Gentle hugs,
    ✨🌼✨🌼✨🌼✨

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    1. Thank you, WoW. I do try to enjoy every moment, even the more 'challenging' ones :)

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  27. A belated happy birthday to Lily. I'm so glad that you had a lovely day together. The cake looks fabulous!

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    1. Thank you, Scarlet. Lily really enjoyed her day. X

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  28. Belated birthday wishes to Lily, a great cake.
    My granddaughter celebrates her 9th next week, I cant believe its been 9 years since I saw her come into the world.
    Strangest of times, making the best of things as we can.

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    1. Thank you, Julie. And very Happy Birthday wishes to your lovely granddaughter. X

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  29. Belated Happy Birthday to Lily.
    Great Cake.

    Julie xxxxxx

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  30. Very happy belated birthday wishes to Lily! So glad she had a lovely day xx

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  31. The years go by so quickly don't they.
    Happy Belated Birthday Wishes to Lily, so pleased she enjoyed her day.

    Have a good weekend.

    All the best Jan

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    1. Much too quickly, Jan.
      Thank you for your birthday wishes. X

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  32. Just came across you blog. Looks like the birthday girl had a good day. I can't believe she resisted that cake, it looks delicious.

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    1. Thank you for introducing yourself, Maggie.
      Lily doesn't often eat cake, but she does occasionally enjoy some of this chocolate brownie. I think next year I will play it safe and make a gingerbread house. X

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  33. Goodness....how did I miss this happy post. Belated Birthday Greetings Lily! x

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