Watching my four-year-old in the days leading up to his fifth birthday, I realised that nothing else compares to the excitement a small child feels. Every time it was mentioned or he caught a glimpse of wrapping paper his whole face would light up and he would bounce off in the best of moods.
Meanwhile, I have been silently panicking. Being temporarily lame after my recent netball injury, preparations have been slow to say the least. Each morning, my son has arrived early in my bedroom, peered over me and said, “Mummy, how is your foot?” How considerate and caring I thought. He then added, “You will be alright to wrap my presents won’t you?” Presents! Oh yes. The day before the big day, I dash off to Yeovil and drag The Toddler and my leg around to find a much longed for Pirate Ship. Back home, exhausted and a little stiff I realise that I must now turn my attention to all the other paraphernalia that goes with a five-year-old birthday party. I turn to the Internet for some much needed help and stumble on www.partypieces.co.uk. Here was the solution to all my last minute problems. The following day a large box arrived full of reasonably priced pirate plates, hats, filled party bags and balloons. Also, to my utter relief a ‘make your own party cake pack’, containing cake mix, icing, disposable tray and a basic step-by-step guide, that even the amateur cake baker like me could follow. For the first time ever, I was able to shift from the chocolate sponge with Cadbury’s buttons, to an impressive treasure box, complete with gold coins. I was up there with the mothers who create the most impressive train and then try and convince me it was just cobbled together the night before.
That evening, I turned my attention to wrapping up the pirate ship and imagined the look on his small face when he discovered what lay beneath the Dr Who wrapping paper. I opened the box and out rolled out several small bags containing lots of small pieces and a five-page instruction leaflet on putting the ship together. “Aaaaargh”, I shrieked. Late into the night, after several glasses of wine and under the watchful gaze of the border terrorist, I hand-built the ship. I collapsed into bed and wished myself to sleep, rather than worrying about the weather forecast.
At 2am, a small hand nudged me. “Is it my birthday yet?” “No,” I groaned. For the next few hours, I drifted back to those early morning contractions five years ago and before I knew it, the nudge returned. “Mummy, it’s raining.” I jumped up, flung open the curtains and looked out onto driving rain drenching the fields. Oh help! However, as I turned to catch a glimpse of my excited son standing tall and flexing his muscles in the mirror, I could not help but smile. “Look, I am definitely bigger now. I look as though I’m five don’t I?”
