Skipping Picnics

So today we celebrated Darcey turning six.  

The festivities started off with an hour in the soft play at the Grove.  Bea was somewhat concerned on our journey there that she would have a nose bleed* but I reassured her that she would be OK and her excitement began to build.

* At Ellie's party, for some unknown reason, when she finally descended from the climbing frame, Bea took a nose bleed.  I of course was unavailable for Mummy duties, as I was stationed outside of the room, waiting to film the procession of partygoers.  Claire, Ellie's mummy, moonlights as a nurse and so took care of the event perfectly, but Bea obviously still remembered it.

After an hour in the soft play area, I once again stationed myself outside the door and thankfully, this time the little party people processed with no blood....

They climbed up to the party room, where they discovered....

...a picnic!

Or rather a room filled with picnics.  There were lots of cosy rugs spread out around the room, and on the centre of each was a picnic hamper for each guest.

On opening their picnic box, each little guest discovered lovely party food...a selection of sandwiches, fruit, crisps and yogurts.  The hot food quickly arrived as did the shortbread and buns, so there was a room filled with happy picnickers. 

See!

(Might I just add....

...gingham picnic hampers...kudos Katrina!)

Then it was time for some more fun...

There were games...

...bouncy hoppers...

AND

...

SKIPPING!

It really is the BEST FUN EVER!!!!!!

See!

Bea was so proud of herself everytime she launched herself over the rope!  Then there was a sequence of many, many sequential skips.  Her pride was evident.  There may even have been tears ( from mummy).

Seriously...everyone loves skipping!

There was even a spot of double skipping.

If you don't believe me you can see for yourself, but I warn you, about 4 minutes of this film is devoted entirely to skipping.

But if skipping wasn't enough...there were also....

I kid you not... GLITTER TATTOOS!!!!!!!

It does not get any better!

Sporting matching Cinderella slipper tats.

See!

Then it was time for birthday cake.  Look at it!

How beautiful is that!

The only problem was the elves and safety had been around and we weren't allowed to light the candle.  (Even though Firefighter Seath was in the building!)

But it was OK.  Katrina (courtesy of the poundshop, she was keen to advertise) was prepared.  At the moment Darcey blew out the imaginary flame on her candle, a glitter bomb exploded.

I kid you not, it might actually have been as much fun as blowing out a real candle.

Then it was time for home...

but the party bags have got to have a special mention.  Look!  The bunting matches the cake!

And, contained amongst all the other lovely stuff within were "make your own glitzy bangles"

so we did.