being a dad

Part 1

Zoë was very excited to get up today as you'd expect. I brought her into the living room were she was faced with a bag of presents from me for her birthday. I'd wanted the presents to be beteen her mum and myself but Nino decided, after originally offering to do the party bags for Zo's party on Saturday, that she'd rather get her a present herself. The reason she gave for changing her mind about the party bags was that she didn't want to buy gifts for "my friends children". It doesn't matter that these children are Zoë's friends, friends that she sees and plays with regularly, it's only important to Nino that they're "my friends children". Anyway, I got all the party bag fillings from the Man Utd and Man City superstores at their respective grounds so at least that's out of the way.

Breakfast was forgotten as Zoë opened her presents. A Peppa Pig house and roundabout, her name in painted wooden letters and a box of ... that turns bathwater to goo! I told her it was bubble bath so that it'll be a surprise when she has a bath.

Part 2

Nino came at 12:00 so we could take Zoë for a birthday lunch at the Junction. It went well as I just avoided saying anything to Nino and concentrated on Zo. I was really surprised though that Nino hadn't got Zoë a birthday present - especially as she'd not wanted the Peppa Pig stuff to be between us. When I asked her why she'd not brought her present she said it was too big. Then she said she'd not got it yet. I asked what it was and after a pause whilst she considered not telling me (as usual) she told me it was a Doll's House. I guess she's chosen this as she knows I plan to make one for Zo when she's a little older - and, of course, I've given her a Peppa Pig house for her birthday today!

Part 3

Suzanne gave Zoë her present when she got back from school - a Manchester United kit with her name on the back of the shirt. Zoë put it on straight away and announced that "she was never going to take it off, ever!" Then she asked "where are the boots? There are no boots!" but once she put her trainers on she was more than satisfied with the way it looked.

Jon came home and gave Zoë her present - a Fisher Price digital camera! Zoë was absolutely delighted, jumping around in excitement and immediately taking photos of everything! Here are some of her first photographs - pretty good for a three year old! Still she is a photographer's daughter

We were just getting ready to go out for tapas at the Clarence when Nino called to say she wasn't working that night and could she come with us. So, she came with us. It was OK, no problems just more expense as she didn't pay for her meal - just as she didn't even offer anything when we went for lunch. Fortunately Jon and I paid between us so it wasn't so bad.