Birthday girl!

Another birthday celebration successfully completed! Within minutes after waking up, Anneke had donned her new birthday crown, courtesy of Auntie Sarie, and was heading for the presents...

...which, still in her PJs, she proceeded to unwrap amid squeals of delight and heaps of wrapping paper.

Presents and breakfast (a candle-topped birthday muffin) accomplished, the Twosome took a a trip to the city centre with the Oma for Anneke's very first (but, if the Mommy is any indication, certainly not the last) visit to a jewellery store! Ice cream and a pretty silver Tinkerbell necklace - what more can a girl want?

Well, how about more presents, a visit from Auntie Stephie and an entire apartment full of what felt like 25-30 four-year olds. At least. Maybe more.

Luckily, there were occasional moments of peace, if not actually quiet. Such as when six out of the eight, in a rare moment of unity and common purpose (finding the sugar!!!!!),  literally put their heads together to solve the treasure hunt puzzle. Which took them all of 30 seconds (mental note: next time more difficult!) - and then they went back to pandemonium and mayhem... 

And ultimately, what does the noise and mess and stress matter, when the reward looks like this??