He's 5!!

How on earth did that happen? Stuart turned 5 last Monday.

It's not like I can't do the math, it's just that 5 is such a big number - the first of those 5 increments that seem to define so much of our life. As in what's your five year plan. I think if someone had asked me that 5 years ago I would never have come up with some of the wonderful (and awful) moments over the past 5 years.

We had a party yesterday to celebrate - 10 kids including my two. Last year was the first year that we had kids that were school friends - ie not kids of my friends. This year was the first time their mums left them here alone - with the exception of two of my girlfriends (thank goodness for Gill! Got to love a guest that helps her child tidy up before leaving) So in theory there were 5 adults (Marc, myself, my mum, Gill and Anneli) to 10 kids, and based on the fact that I can handle two or three at a time it should have been fine... ?

Actually it wasn't bad - I think a lot of it comes down to cultural things. So many of these kids come different cultural backgrounds. The main language was French, but there were Luxembourgish kids, an Italian/Belgian child, Swedish/American, Scottish, Yugoslavian/Portuguese - and one little boy who's father is (I think) Spanish and his mother from Cap Verde (I think - and it would appear they are divorced as he was dropped off with his babysitter - wait that makes it 6 adults - as you can tell she was a lot of use since I forgot about her). This is one of the first times they are all going to a party without their parents, they (with the exception of one little boy) had NO clue what pass the parcel was (that went off better than I thought). We just all have different traditions and it was interesting to see how they intermixed. Or didn't :-)

Anyhow, Stu, despite suffering from a reaction to a booster shot on Thursday, had a great time and was sad to see everyone go. So to make the special day last a little longer, we all went out for Indian food (my kids love Indian food?) and it was a perfect ending to a wonderful (HECTIC) day!