For weeks we'd fretted about whether to cave in to societal norms and have a party like what her friends at kinder have. You know, the MacDonald's or indoor play centre do. Lots of highly excited kids running around and screaming. Party games. Goody bags. Meeting and greeting and exchanging polite conversation. It was too tiring to even think about.
In the end, her birthday came and went quietly, aided no doubt by the fact that it fell during school hols.
Did Beth get a present from us?
Actually, a couple of months ago, CA and I got her a bike from BigW, and told her that would be her advance present. To her credit, she didn't whine about not getting one on the day itself. She loves riding up and down the driveway and the other day, astounded CA when she insisted she was ready to ride along the road outside our house. (Supervised of course.)
Beth also got a present from Uncle Denka and Aunty Doris back home - impossible-to-find-here Chinese flash cards and a book of Chinese proverbs.
谢谢叔叔阿姨！
Aunty Hui Mei came over on the big day to take us to Williamstown for hot choc and cake. Afterwards, she baked a heap of brownies for Beth to take to school for sharing with her friends. Beth had fun stirring the batter.
Only hiccup was, I forgot to check the ingredients for nuts (the school has a very strict nut-free policy), and it turned out the packaging said "May contain traces of nuts". So I ended up having to bake another 2 dozen chocolate muffins in place of the brownies. A blessing in disguise, since we got to keep all the yummy brownies for ourselves and our dinner guests!
Beth went shopping with Daddy to choose her birthday cake. I laughed when I saw what she'd chosen. The Bavarian choc cake came in a familiar white box with red and white lettering: HOME BRAND by Safeway (Safeway is to NTUC Fairprice as Coles is to Cold Storage).
Yesterday, we took the girls to ride Puffing Billy, the historic steam train tourist attraction in Belgrave near the Dandenongs.
Beth had her Hi 5 DVDs to help her endure the 1.5 hr drive, and J took the bumpy train ride and the cold surprisingly well.
The volunteer guard patrolling our carriage told us it had been 1 deg early that morning and maybe 4 deg when we got on the train.
Our visit coincided with the monthly Gembrook Market, and we had a lovely time browsing the stalls, where we got beautifully fitted wool gloves for Beth and me for just $5, and Beth got to feed some farm animals.
Am so glad we elected to pack a picnic basket, as that helped restrict our outlay for F&B to only $15.
I think riding by train beats driving or flying any time. There's something leisurely and earthy and real about travelling at ground level and being able to inhale fresh air, notice how old and tall the trees are, and to smile back at the friendly locals who unfailingly stop whatever they're doing to wave as the train trundles noisily past their homes and caravans. And fellow passengers on a train ride are somehow friendlier and more relaxed than those you might find yourself sharing cabin space with.
Altogether, Beth had a low-key but meaningful birthday spent with people who matter to her. And that's just the way we like it.
Happy Birthday Beth!
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