Maddie has missed out on many birthday parties, purely because her birthday lies in the summer holidays. Sharing the same day as her I remember from my childhood, all my friends having parties, sleepovers and fun days, but when it came to my birthday nobody was around, mainly because they were away on family holidays or my family was away on holiday. I got used to having quiet birthdays, but despite this my Mum and Dad always made sure I had a good day, making a fuss of me and getting me nice presents.
Maddie mentioned last year that she hadn't really had a proper party for her birthday. Over the years she's been very gracious about this, has never moaned or complained and never asked for anything the others had. She's seen them have laser quest parties, bowling parties, sports parties, swimming evenings, pizza building parties, gym parties, indoor activity parties, discos, ..... but Maddie's days were quiet, like mine had been. So, this year, for her 11th birthday, we decided to have a party to make up for parties, inviting the friends she felt closest too and the friends she wanted to get to know better in the future.
The only obstacle that faced us, was it being in the holidays, friends being on holiday and this year, herself being away at a Church camp on her birthday. So her celebrations have spanned nearly two weeks! A few presents opened before she went away, a cake and shoebox stuffed with small goodies smuggled to camp in her leader's car as a surprise for her birthday morning and a party and sleepover the weekend after.
Maddie has the most fabulous group of friends. Sadly, not all of them could make it, but she had a great crowd at her Water Walkerz party last night. As well as asking her older brother at the last minute if he'd like to come and bring a friend, which meant a quick phone call to another friend, the group was made up of a neighbour, Brownies pal, school friends and church friends. Girls who had never met each other before, but who got together to have a great 2 hours of fun, water zorbing, sliding the chutes, playing volleyball with the lifeguard and munching on the poolside buffet. They even did a fantastic job of singing Happy Birthday to Maddie so loud, they drowned out the sound system!
Four friends came home afterwards, two went home at 10.30pm and the other two stayed over for the night, finally drifting off to sleep some time after 3.30 this morning. Filled up with pizza and midnight munchies, the girls still managed to fit in a breakfast of sausage, eggs and bacon. It was a real shame to have to send everybody home, but Maddie has had a great time.
Maddie has the most fabulous group of friends. Sadly, not all of them could make it, but she had a great crowd at her Water Walkerz party last night. As well as asking her older brother at the last minute if he'd like to come and bring a friend, which meant a quick phone call to another friend, the group was made up of a neighbour, Brownies pal, school friends and church friends. Girls who had never met each other before, but who got together to have a great 2 hours of fun, water zorbing, sliding the chutes, playing volleyball with the lifeguard and munching on the poolside buffet. They even did a fantastic job of singing Happy Birthday to Maddie so loud, they drowned out the sound system!
