HAPPY BIRTHDAY BABYGIRL!!!

My daughter is 12 today. TWELVE! Oy vey! I dunno what that means but its sounds appropriate. Wow, it seems like only yesterday when we were celebrating her first birthday with a homemade chocolate cake decorated with black jelly babies made by my own not-so-fair hand.

With cash being scarce, I have forgone the £300 birthday party, but Father dearest has bought the PSP, and is taking us to a Thai restaurant. Although, as of 8.03am this morning, he has yet to book a table. I bought the perspex name necklace from Tatty Devine, although since I bought it, she has been saying how much she wants it in white. I bought red. Oops. I also bought her a ceramic pig painting set. I knew she would like it. You know kids, anything that can make mess.

She's really on the cusp of change, but despite the budding of adolescence, still likes her hugs and kisses from Mummy, and hates the fact that I no longer make her breakfast every morning. So getting up to make it this morning, at around 6.30am (why?!?) was a bit of a treat for her. Then she cuddled up in my bed for a bit, until 7.35 when she left to get the 7.49 train. She takes after her Dad in that respect in that she likes to be up early so that she can take her time getting ready. The only time I ever get up at 6.00am is if I'm flying. She gets up at that time every day, without any help from me.

She always looks neat and tidy for school, and harasses me to make sure her uniform is washed. Again, takes after her Dad. My mum always told me off for my scruffiness, and hated it when I came home in my P.E. kit, so I would change quickly at the front door. I loved wearing my shorts, and my pleated P.E. skirt, 24 inch waist, the shortest length. Although when I was her age, I was washing and ironing my uniform myself, shirts, skirt, socks, everything. Sometimes we had to dry the skirt in front of the gas heater, and mine got burnt. My mum patched the hole on the outside. No meaning. And I had to continue wearing it for the rest of the year. Great.

The birthday celebrations continue on Sunday when we'll meet the family for Sunday lunch at Tootsies in Holland Park, the posh burger place with milkshakes to die for. Guess the diet has to go on hold from tonight. Woo-hoooo!