Our beautiful girl Libby was 6 years old on Friday 20th of February.
We had a party at home. Tia, Jennifer and Eva with her sister Isla (from dancing), Iona from tennis, India Farnie (a home educated friend) and Charlotte (Libby's big girl friend from David Lloyd) came.
We had some yummy party food and played games, including pass the parcel, musical bumps, musical statues and a treasure hunt. We also had some very funny noisy balloons. The girls all screamed with delight and excitement when the balloons were let off.







Moira had made a beautiful birthday cake for Libby, covered with dark pink icing with two lovely ballet shoes on top made from light pink icing. We had a number 6 candle and 6 small candles on the cake and Libby blew them out, although she didn't want everyone to sing the Happy Birthday song. She sang it herself!
There were crafts put out for everyone to do and all of the children seemed to enjoy themselves. Daniel was a perfect host, making introductions as people arrived, organising games and chatting to all of the mums. Two of the mums were at dancing the following morning and they told me how impressed they were with Daniel at the party. Sharon Farnie brought her new baby daughter Xanthe, who was only four days old (born on 16th).

Libby's done a lot of new things over the last few weeks.
On 11th February she did 25 metres of the swimming pool without stopping 3 times during her lesson! Libby really is a very good swimmer now. She is also getting much better at her tennis and had a lovely lesson with Mike Ratcliffe last Monday shared with her friend Iona. She has even mastered the difficult skill of serving overhead!
On Wednesday last week, she agreed with me that it would be a good idea to turn the sofa bed in her room back into a sofa in preparation for her party and so that she could have more room to play. She has slept in her own room by herself all night ever since.
As of this afternoon, she has been seeing to all of her own toileting needs!
Daniel is becoming very good at tying his shoelaces and seldom asks for help these days. He is also a prolific letter writer, to Ingrid in France, London Nana and Alice in Florida. His writing is very neat and all of the practice he's getting with writing letters and our regular story sessions is definitely paying off.

Strange how children suddenly become able to do things that have eluded them previously. One of the best things about home education is being able to let the children develop at their own pace; they acquire skills as and when they are ready, not through being forced to conform to some expected "norm".
yesterday, Odet and Daniel went off to Newcastle on the train from Chester le Street. It seems that this is a cheap and convenient way of getting into town and DAniel's day was made when their train back was cancelled, forcing a longer journey to Durham then back to Chester le street on another train.
Nanna came for lunch, the first time for 3 weeks. She hasn't breen too well again after another fall but is getting out and about again now.
We had a very enjoyable story session this evening, all of us having good belly laughs, especially Daniel. We began this activity last November and have almost filled two ringbinder files with our efforts.