Tom's 5th Birthday

Tom turned 5 on Thursday and he started his day with present opening which was a huge success. We bought him a few more animals (an eagle, a wolf and a fox) which really are one of his favourite things to play with. He also received some very cool cars from Nate and Sarah with rip cords which we've spent quite a lot of time playing with since. We have a tradition that the birthday girl/boy can choose where we go for dinner on the night of their birthday. We are never surprised because the kids always choose the "fish" restaurant which isn't actually a fish restaurant at all but a Thai restaurant with 2 huge fish tanks. When I asked Tom if he was really sure he wanted to go there he told me "The food is beautiful. When I eat the chicken sticks with peanut butter sauce I feel like I'm on holidays". I told the restaurant it was Tom's birthday and they put happy birthday on the music player and presented him with a huge ice cream with candles and sparklers - he couldn't have been happier!

Jules had the qualifying race for the Sydney-Hobart this weekend which starts on Friday night and finishes in the early hours of Sunday morning so we went up to the farm to further celebrate Tom's birthday. He wanted to go to the pub because "they do the best lemonade" i.e. it's the only place he's ever given lemonade! Craig had to work too so Lisa and I packed the 5 kids, 3 bikes, travel cot, camp bed and everything else we needed for the weekend into her car on Friday morning and after a brief stop at the Balgowlah Heights shops for obscene amounts of bacon, coffee and babycinos we set off. It was fairly grey and cloudy on Friday but Saturday and Sunday were absolutely beautiful and it was amazing how green the countryside was after all the rain we've had. I think I've mentioned before that it gets easier and easier going to the farm as the kids get older and this time both Lisa and I managed to finish our books because the kids were quite happy running around and riding their bikes. Tom's birthday at the pub was a big success with huge servings of chocolate mud cake and icecream. The only thing the children don't get better at at the farm is sleeping - we're lucky if they're in bed by 8.30 and the first are always up by 6am at the absolute latest!

Jules has just reminded me to mention that we went to see the Manic Street Preachers at the Metro on Monday night with our concert buddies John and Leanne - this was the 4th concert we've been to this year (5th for John and Jules who also went to ACDC earlier this year). It was a fantastic concert and we felt very young and free going for dinner first in the City - Jules met us at the restaurant because he'd been in Melbourne all day (feeling exhausted? I am writing about it!). The kids also had an excellent time having a sleepover at our house because John and Leanne decided it would be too hard to get back to the island so I got my incredibly laid back babysitter to look after the 4 of them - they finally went to bed at about 9 (Bronte earned her money that night) and were up at 5.15!!!!

By the way, St Jude qualified for the Sydney-Hobart so it's all systems go!