Downs With Ups

Poppet recently enjoyed her 12^th birthday.  As a break from tradition, we decided not to have birthday party, choosing something more low key.  As it turned out, her birthday was celebrated over a number of days.  Two days prior to her birthday, my partner and I took her out for dinner, we then spent the following evening with our extended family for a meal, and then on the night of her actual birthday, we went out for dinner to a restaurant of her choice.  She chose the Lebanese restaurant, Dunyazad of which I’ve been a customer for over 25 years.  We’re almost a part of the furniture there so the staff were very happy to look after us on such an occasion.  We were joined by specially invited friends, who all enjoyed the evening as much as we did.

Poppet simply shone that night.  She was with her loved ones whilst enjoying her favourite food.  She joined in the conversation and, when it was her turn to speak, spoke clearly and sensibly.  She was even witty, offering a number of funny things that had us all laughing.  I looked at my daughter and saw that she has indeed grown up.

I suspect though, she will always remain childlike when it comes to one thing in particular – birthdays.  Poppet gets birthdays.  With so many things that happen throughout the year that she either doesn’t understand or take an interest in, there is always a birthday to bring a smile to her face.

Poppet loves birthdays.  It doesn’t matter that it’s not her own, she just loves to share in the special-ness of the day.  She becomes puzzled when a grown up doesn’t seem to take as much interest in their birthday, for she doesn’t appreciate how the excitement can wear off after time.  She expects everyone to be as excited about their birthday as she is for them.

When she comes home from school and is asked, “How was your day?”, we’re usually told that, “It was just a normal day today.” However, if someone at school has had a birthday, we hear an enthusiastic story about it, including details of how old the person turned, what they brought to school to share with the other children, (which is usually lollypops) and what presents they received.  It’s a shame she’s not invited to other kids’ birthday parties.  Her enthusiasm is infectious.

On reflection, our family has always seen birthdays as special, so she may have picked up on this.  When she comes shopping with me, she helps to choose the cards and gets involved in buying presents, helping me to wrap them when we bring them home.  She impatiently presents the gift to the recipient and watches, enthralled, as they open the wrapping paper, almost bursting with excitement.

I think she has more joy in giving gifts than receiving them.  It’s just as well, for she has to wait virtually a whole year before it’s her turn.  She watches cousins, aunts, uncles, grandparents, friends and her mum and dad all having a birthday, then finally, it’s her turn and the joy she expresses is as touching, as it is catching.

Here’s to a happy and healthy year ahead Poppet.