Big Four-boy

This week has been the festival of George. His birthday was mid week but the festivities began on Monday and finished on Saturday. How many toy cars can one boy cope with?

The main event was his party on Tuesday; a visit to the Funtime Factory (bouncy castle, ball pool, slides etc) followed by a party tea and Pass the Parcel at home. He conned me into making him a cake in the shape of a stegosaurus. My Victoria Sponges usually turn out like frisbees, so rather than baking, I constructed said dinosaur from bought chocolate swiss rolls glued together with butter icing, then carved into shape. Green food colouring and cocoa powder makes quite a convincing sludge green butter icing, and the plates on Steggie's back were made from After Eights. A sprinkling of chocolate flakes finished the reptile off. It tasted great! As birthday boy, George got to chop its head off- accomplished with great panache.

May I also mention a dessert triumph: Traffic Lights Jelly. Six individual red, amber and green striped jellies slid gracefully, and intact, from their moulds and were greeted by gasps from the assembled pre-schoolers. A marvel to behold.

We won't talk about how I completely miscalculated the pass the parcel. That game is by far the most stressful event of a party, timing it so everyone gets a go. Hell was narrowly avoided by the swift inclusion of Extra Sweets.

By 4.30 George had finally had enough and put out the plaintive cry 'I just want some peace and quiet'. I couldn't have said it better myself. Luckily the proud Four-boy's visitors took the hint.

By 6.00 he was dropping off on the sofa. An Exciting Day was over.