Happy 11th Birthday!

It is my Chiara's birthday! She is eleven! ELEVEN! How can she be that old already I keep asking myself...

She woke this morning full of excitement, trying to play it cool.  Her sisters were just as excited.  

Eventually, just after 9 this morning, Chiara managed to get myself and her father down so she could open her presents.

I always buy her a present from each of us and, as I do every year, I gave my 6 year old and 8 year old the freedom to buy whatever they wanted (so long as it fitted my budget of course). Naomi was thrilled, she wanted to get Chiara a remote control car and she did.  Honi wanted to get her something really grown up because, in her words, Chiara is really old now! I love how 6 year olds, more to the point how my Honi, sees things so differently to the rest of us!

It was a struggle to stop Harmonie from telling Chiara what was in each present as Chiara was opening them, when we said ...

Shhh! It's a secret!

She responded with, 'is people sleeping?' To her the only time anyone should be quiet is when people are sleeping.  

 

Chiara found it all very amusing fortunately and loved all her presents!  There was one last present Harmonie didn't know she was opening:  a brand new dress.  Chiara was so thrilled and it went straight on and didn't come off and hasn't yet, but she's not yet in bed!

 

She spent the morning bathing, pampering and setting up ramps for her RC car to jump until her Nana came round with cards and a present.

In the afternoon Chiara wanted to go to the park, to see the animals and play with her new toy! 

Followed by window shopping, lots and lots of window shopping!  

Unfortunately there was an incident at H&M. Honi thought her Daddy was on his way down the escalator. Daddy wasn't going down the escalator.  Daddy wasn't watching out for Honi.  When Honi turned around, a couple of steps down the escalator and saw she was alone on her way down, she panicked!  I was too far away to help and screamed (for the whole store to hear - a tad embarrassing looking back on it) fortunately this grabbed Daddy's attention and he ran to save her and she cried and cried bless her.  fortunately she wasn't hurt, just scared.  

I think he, her Daddy, forgets how small Honi is sometimes. While she was in tears, the store assistants and a manager came to check on her.  They asked us if there was anything they could give her that would help - at this point I could have got them to fill bags full of lovely new clothes and accessories but it didn't feel morally right. I turned down their kind offer, and after a cuddle with mummy and me singing her a little song she was fine, she was back to my bouncy Honi.  

 

I don't think my husband will take his eyes off my Honi next time they're near an escalator!

Our tummies began to rumble soon after that and we headed back home for a treat - Chinese takeaway.  

Chiara didn't want a party.  Chiara wanted a day of doing her own thing and she got what she wanted and was very happy indeed.  She also has an extra birthday present promised to her from myself and her dad: a day riding a horse in the summer, she is very excited about that indeed!

 

Of course there was cake at the end and a film, her choice: Black Beauty.

 

What a day, I am shattered but all in our house are happy, especially our Chiara!