Twelve years ago since that equally cold, grey day when the girls were born, it doesn’t seem like that long. The great excitement as usual of opening large packages, so many presents, from gadgets like a hoverboard and electric scooter to a dart board, clothes they have chosen, a box of candles, soaps, and some surprises. Their birthday breakfast at the French pâtisserie was a treat, especially on a school day, eating a croissant with Nutella; crêpes with strawberries, lemon juice and sugar; and drinking large mugs of hot chocolate. That night we overcame conflict and the cold weather to have a Chinese meal out, with mandarin, honeycomb and chocolate cookie ice creams afterwards from our local thriving traders.
Cupcakes aren’t allowed at school anymore for health reasons, I understand, but the class sang Happy Birthday in Spanish after a visiting parent from Spain talked to the class, and after school the girls had a chocolate muffin with icing before their music lessons. Saturday was warm and sunny, the afternoon tea for mum, dad, Marcus, Maggie and Peter, Heidi and her little Sophia was delightful, though we missed having the girls’ godparents because their godfather has been unwell. We sat outside to eat the blueberry ice-cream cake Steve had made and there were a couple of games going on, as the girls had planned: darts and Trouble. More present unwrapping uncovering more clothes, generous money donations and a diary and wall planner each.
At the bilingual school the girls attend, they would be considered highschoolers in France, and the curriculum reflects this. Accordingly, study habits are tightening, with increasing homework expectations. They have been allocated a kindergarten buddy each, and are looking forward to getting to know them during the rest of the year.
Just on the edge of adolescence, the girls are both reading a lot, busy after school and like spending time with friends. Their friend came over after the family afternoon tea for a sleepover and they put makeup on that made them look bruised (like Steve after his squash accident recently) and played Uno and hide and seek.
After next week, we’ll drive to Melbourne and Steve and I will work from Annie’s house with her for a week while the girls relax. The following week, we’ll all be on holidays, and I intend on doing very little. Rhea and I will still be reading a chapter each night of Anne of Green Gables, which we started reading together a week ago. Our new bedtime routine, a pleasure for us both.
After our return, all going well, we’ll have the birthday party at a play centre that had been booked up until then – so this birthday is being strung out to a month rather than the usual week.
So far it has been the easiest birthday for me that I can remember. Rhea said it’s been one of her best.
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