Happy Birthday to us!

Another year, another joint birthday. Even though Mark and I have now shared 11 birthdays together on April 10, it never fails to amuse other people and somewhat annoy us. After all this time, it still feels so strange to be sharing your birthday with your best mate! Not that we don't love each other dearly, it's just that we really don't get to enjoy that one special day of pampering as we're always too busy being nice to each other! To be honese, I'm not sure we'll ever get used to it, although it should at least make it harder for Noah and Mylo to forget our birthdays when they get older!

This year felt like quite an under-celebration. Whether it was the fullness of our Easter weekend, or our sadness at seeing Grandma depart for home on Tuesday, or the colds we've all been battling this week, one way or another we got to Friday night almost unaware of our birthdays being the next day.

Mark had at least bought me a card, and when I realised that I didn't have one, had to do with making a swift homemade jobbie on Saturday morning whilst Mark and Noah were out doing the shopping. I thought it turned out rather nicely using my winnings from the Little Treasures Magazine for the first time - a stamping and card kit.

We shared our birthday afternoon with Sam's 4th birthday party (one of Noah's daycare friends). It was held just around the corner (well by Wellington standards at least - a 10 minute walk) from our house at the Kelburn Playcentre. It was a glorious afternoon, and the kids had a ball running around on all the equipment. What really made the day special was when Marian (Sam's mum) came out carrying a very cool-looking dinosaur cake, followed hot on the heels by Sam with a smaller cake which he came and gave to me! We hadn't made a birthday cake this year, so to be given one unexpectedly by a 4-year old sharing his birthday was rather sweet!

Last night, Baba babysat for us so we could enjoy a rare night out together, as we hadn't been out just the two of us since celebrating our wedding anniversary a couple of months ago. I have wanted to go to Trade Kitchen  for ages, and we weren't disappointed. The restaurant was very quiet (there were only 3 tables including us the whole night), so we had fantastic service from a very friendly waiter, although I think he would have been equally attentive even if the restaurant was full. When we mentioned our birthdays, he brought us a small complimentary bubbly each, and when we were both trying to remember the name of the artist whose music was playing, he obliged us by going and finding out. He also was very helpful when I was trying to choose between the duck and salmon mains, as I'm not known for being able to make a quick decision on a menu at the best of times!

We're not prone to tipping in NZ, as it is certainly not expected, but I asked Mark if we could leave a really good tip since the food, ambience and service was so fantastic. Although the day slipped in oh so quietly, very unassuming as far as birthdays go, it packed a real good punch at the end!