The Lazy Girl's Guide to Life: Mini Moments: Birthday Barbecue Shenanigans

Saturday was Mini's 3rd birthday,yes, its unbeliveable, but my baby is 3! Although others would say more that they were shocked she wasn't older, in fact just last week a few days before her birthday a lady in a clothes shop remarked about her having a whinge for a bag that she would need it for school! She's only just at playschool, and that fills me with dread, let alone Big School, and being away all day.

Anyway, as I was saying, it was her birthday, and as a surprise, more for me than her to be truthful, a good friend of ours who was one of the very first people from outside the family to see Baby Mini, (before she was even called Mini, but had, shockingly, no nickname) came up from Kent, with his new other half and her two teenage daughters. Who were amazingly funny and not teen strops at all, but even had a cabby in hysterics on the way back from town!

It made me miss Gillingham for a while, and my delightful accent started to pop through too, as even the best elocution lessons can't take it completely away!

So, after calling up Lovely Ian and Lovely Emma, and going on a mad dash around the supermarket for barbecue food, off we all went to our family favourite spot, Boulters Lock.

We hadn't been since Mini was in the buggy, as we had moved to far from it after Littlest was born. So we weren't used to having a mad child who, despite the river being on both sides of us and a barbecue going, had no fear of running here and there whilst being chased by her little brother (all be it slowly and with frequent stops to pick up random Littlest stuff) and by her apparent "boyfriend" Oliver, child of Lovely Ian and Emma, who she scares the hell out of. She also enjoyed walking up to random people who were trying to catch a bit of sunshine, offering them popcorn, cake and sausages, and telling them she was playing. Or giving them daises. And saying Happy Birthday to them.

Nope, even at 3, she has no idea what a birthday is. When she got up, we all said happy birthday to her, but she then said it back to all of us in return.

But she had such a giggle, ate far too many cheese slices, and had most of the randoms she harassed in hysterics, with her absolute fearless nature and engaging smile. Or so one old fellow on a bench told me!

So, I've been looking through some old pics of my darling girly, and here is a pictorial history of Mini. Enjoy.

Newborn- a few hours old, Chrissy Mai Marion makes her first photographic appearance! Weighing in at a respectable 8 pounds 6, she is blessed with brown hair and blue eyes.

Here she is, aged 6 months, in a very snuggly looking snowsuit

First birthday- what a cutie, and already tall for her age. The eyes are still blue, but the hair is very blonde.

Second birthday, and more into boys toys than girls, Mini is still tall, and blue eyed, but the hair is more golden than white blonde, and shes chatting away now too.

Third birthday on Saturday. Here she is, the fearless and happy to chat to anyone who'll listen, frightener of small boys (especially those called Oliver) child who has an uncanny knack to remember pop song words and quotes from Show Me Show Me. My gorgeous Mini.

And the expression? Pure "what mischief can I find now?"