Lynley quilts

I regularly read maxabella loves - it's a delightful blog about kids and life and things like that. She is doing a series at the moment on planning a kid's party and it sounds all wonderful ... in a how-is-life-on-your-planet kind of way. I love what she's done and the suggestions but oh my goodness it would not be me in a million billion years.

I should admit, for my oldest's first birthday I did match the cupcakes to the tablecloths and it was great! Champagne cocktails, my friends because he didn't have any yet, and colour co-ordinated balloons and napkins. But that was pretty much the end of my enthusiasm for party planning. I'm quite happy to have parties, as long as I'm not asked to do terribly much. If the kids don't do it themselves, it doesn't happen. So, when number two son had his 7th party on the weekend, they did the lolly bags themselves.

They completely did the decorating.

Made their own pinata.

My role was cooking the sausage rolls and telling various kids to use their inside voice, put that stick down, stop eating like a pig that's disgusting, do you need to go to the toilet? well stop clutching yourself then and counting down the minutes until they left. As a party I think it was quite successful - everyone seemed to have a good time - games were played and food was eaten. Most importantly, the birthday boy was happy! I can't decide if I'm being neglectful or encouraging creativity and resilience...