Birthday Season

Excitement levels run high before a birthday

It all started last Sunday when my youngest turned 7. Excitement levels had been building, resulting in some uncharacteristic behaviour.

The week before his birthday, he was reprimanded at school for an incident at break time. A girl in his class was acting out a wedding with her best friend at break time. My son presumed they were solemnly declaring their love for each other, and congratulated them on being the first lesbians in their class. Suffice to say, it didn't go down well with his teacher.

Unwrapping and playing with presents

His birthday dawned, quite literally as it turned out, as he made us wake up at 5am. Bleary eyed we all tried to join in the fun, but when he unwrapped his first present, which was a book, and started reading, I have to admit I turned over and went back to sleep. My husband read the newspaper.

When I woke up my son was still reading with a pile of unopened presents around him. We all agree he is not a normal child.

Maybe a Cinema trip wasn't the best idea

My son chose to celebrate his birthday by taking a few friends to the cinema. That would have been fine in the middle of winter, but it was the hottest day of the year. And we were stuck inside, with 5 boys high on sugar, watching a truly dreadful remake of Tarzan. My husband was deeply unimpressed and vowed never to go to another children's party again (so that was his first and last then).

Visiting the James Bond exhibition

When it came to my eldest son's birthday, it unfortunately fell on a week day and a working day. So he got a quick peck on the cheek at 6am and a promise that we would celebrate it in style later. He held me to that, and next weekend we are taking a bunch of his mates to London to look at James Bond cars.

My husband is already fuming about that because a) he had already vowed not to attend another children's party, b) the cost, and c) he's missing his Saturday "middle aged men pretending to play football" game.

My birthday celebrations

When it comes to my birthday, to the outside world I pretend that it's not a big thing and play it low key. But secretly I'm harbouring a desire for a MASSIVE party, with shots of tequila, an epic playlist with hits from all of my decades (not saying how many); and loads and loads of presents.

That's clearly not going to happen. Instead I will be lucky to get a card and an IOU from the husband. But in my head I will be dancing.

Amanda Coxen, Working Mum and Tinies Director