
Ever since January, I’d been counting down the days to the Small’s birthday. Don’t you love it when you know, with every fibre of your being, that you have a perfect present to give? I’d even been counting sleeps, I tell you!
Way back, during all the Flood Relief Raffle-ing, I was the beside-herself-with-excitement winner, over at Michelle’s. I won a famous Poppy, Bean and Bloss, crafted-to-order, Waldorf doll WITH a wardrobe (heart flutter).

Eight days since birthday day and Lily is fully integrated into the family. There’s another seatbelt to check, another place at the table, two more pigtails to tie. Speaking of pigtails, words cannot express how impressed my kid is by Lily’s long and flowing locks. I’m just impressed how Lily handles all the upside down and sideways...

and jiggling all about-ness.

The shoes and all of the clothes and especially the undies are a great hit,

and so is the snuggly, flannel-backed doll quilt.

Lily’s grandma, (cripes, I’m a grandma), was also utterly chuffed with the gorgeousness of Liberty buttons, smuggled into the package...

Michelle, you out-outdid yourself. You absolutely made the kid’s day and you made mine too.
Um, did you notice? The kid was convinced to wear warmth today. Her top is the second Like Sleeves For Kids I have knit (love this pattern), this time with $1 a ball, on sale, pure wool. There’s not a lot of ‘soft’ in $1 wool. But it meets all kid colour requirements (oh for the pink phase to end) and I have managed to delude the child into thinking that underneath skivvies – to ward off neck itch – are COOL.
Finally and just for the record, the Middle birthday kid scored his embroidered bug. It has been, ahem, some time since I promised him the Christmas Beetle Knee Patch. Instead I artfully sewed it on to a birthday top. Not right in front, cos it’s supposed to be all plain clothes at school but more secret-like shhhhh! off to the side. Right where he usually, delightfully, wipes his hands clean. Here’s the bug in question on top of the dirty washing pile:

Chocolate birthday cake smears, I do believe.
.........................
PS. Hey, my Mr! Yes YOU, fellow lover of mischief, of the big idea, finder of joy in the smallest of things. You who can’t eat enough tomato kasundi (the stuff that blows the socks off the rest of us), you who can laterally think the biggest problem into a solution, you with eyes that smile bright, you with the infectious chuckle, the faultless Scottish (though dodgy Irish) accent, you who have my heart...
HAPPY BIRTHDAY.
PPS. I made the full English Breakfast. It did near send me over the edge.