Oscar's birthday party - part 1

Oscar eating his first birthday cake...

Just a quickie as I'm exhausted. Oscar had his first birthday party today (a bit early as his birthday is the 24th but I wanted my sister to be there). As you can see from the above picture, he really enjoyed the cake part.

We had an amazing day - so many people came and I'm so grateful. But I have to publicly say how AMAZING my sister is - I couldn't have got through the last two days without her. She cleaned my house, she looked after me on Friday when I was sick so I could sleep long enough to be well enough to go to the Big Brother final (more on that later Ty). Today she helped set up the party - did ALL the cooking. Was generally an absolute angel.

I couldn't ask for a better sister and Oscar has the best aunt in the world.

So for you K - I owe you so much. Your heart is so big. You are wonderful and I thank you.

More party stuff tomorrow when I've recovered....thanks to everyone who came and made it such a memorable day for all of us - we'll never forget it!

Questions for Ty

Go read Ty's blog - he's living and working in Japan at the moment - I've always wanted to go to Japan and stupidly didn't take the opportunity when one of my best friends was living there (Hi Simon, I know you read this) - he's back in the UK now with his Japanese wife (Hi Yuki!) So I'm very jealous of Ty living in the land that invented sushi....

Here are your questions Ty - I'm sorry they aren't that exciting but I've been up since 6am (Thanks Oscar)

What do you miss most about your home?

What’s the craziest thing that’s happened to you since you’ve been in Japan?

Who or what has been the biggest inspiration to you?

If you could live anywhere in the world, where would you live and in what sort of house?

What would you do/say to Craig if you had 10 minutes alone with him?

Questions for Jodipodi

To my lovely lovely chum Jodi.....here you go

1. If you could transplant your head and personality on to anyone’s body, whose would you pick and why?

2. Have you ever had any paranormal experiences? If so, tell me the weirdest one.

3. Where do you see your boys being in 16 years time? Do you have ambitions for them? (I picked 16 years cos then they’ll both be nearly adults)

4. If you could have a holiday where money was no object, what would be your dream destination and itinerary?

5. What’s the most romantic thing that has ever happened to you?

Not the most exciting of questions but my brain isn't working today.....

Incredibly overdue questions from Zoe

The lovely Zoe agreed to interview me (at my request) and I have been so rubbish, I didn't spot her questions until today so apologies to Zoe - and here we go:

Here's how it works:
1. If you want to participate, leave a comment below saying "interview me."
2. I will respond by asking you five questions -- each person's will be different.
3. You will update your journal/blog with the answers to the questions.
4. You will include this explanation and an offer to interview others in the same post.
5. When others comment asking to be interviewed, you will ask them five questions.

So here are Zoe's questions and my answers....

1. You have the opportunity to appear in any production (film, theatre, tv, whatever) and play any role. What would the production be, what part would you play and who would be your co-stars?

I've ALWAYS wanted to play Lady Macbeth. I think I'd give it a whole "mother figure" twist....It's my ambition to play at the National Theatre so let's put the show on there....now co-stars...hmmmmm Who would be a good Macbeth....that's a toughie. Johnny Depp perhaps? That would be unusual....I'd like Duncan to be played by Judi Dench in drag as it's my dream to work with her!

2. If you could choose any food in the world to be calorie/Points free what would it be?

Oh that's easy -chocolate!!! Wouldn't that be wonderful....

3. If you could give Oscar the perfect 1st birthday party, with money and practicality no object, what would it be?

I think I'd fly him and all his friends to Disneyland in Florida - even though he's too young to appreciate it, I'd love it! But if I'm being unselfish, I'd get an amazing soft play area and hire the whole thing, have hundreds of helium balloons - he loves those - and a cake in the shape of Oscar the Grouch. And champagne and melted chocolate fountains (with no calories) and sushi for the grown ups. And massages for the Mummies.

4. Do you have any regrets in your life? Is there a role for regrets or do you subscribe to the Robbie Williams' philosophy "they don't work"?

It's my main ambition in life to never regret anything. I try and learn from everything and see it all as meant to be - I never wanted to look back at my life and say "if only". And so far that's how I've lived. So yes, Robbie - you're a nutter but you're right on that count

5. What is the best thing that you can imagine overhearing someone say about you behind your back?

I would say it used to be - wow, she's a great actor. But now I'd like it to be "what a great mum she is"....

How my life has changed.

THANK YOU ZOE - for such wonderful thoughtful questions.

Yawn....and not from a mad night out either

Had a lovely birthday - thank you for the lovely comments. Rob bought me a stunning crystal heart from Swarovski on a leather thong so Oz can tug on it all he likes. Got lots of cards, some money and vouchers so I'm off on a spending spree....

My friend Julie and her daughter Mya came round and we had lunch at Miso (a noodle bar) in Bromley - lovely lovely.

Then Rob took me to Strada for dinner - he'd booked it himself and it was lovely - garlic bread, prawns, fiorentina pizza. We were going to have dessert there but they'd run out of vanilla ice cream and crepes so we stopped at Sainsbury on the way home, bought a proper birthday cake and had that when we got home.

All lovely then.

Liz had babysat - not a peep out of Oscar......until she left - ten minutes later he woke up but went back to sleep no problem.

1am - he woke up. And he stayed awake. He'd settle and then just as you got back into bed, he'd start up again. We changed his nappy. Gave him a drink. Cuddled him. Rocked him. Ignored him. Gave him Calpol. He went back to sleep at 3.15.

He woke up again at 6.15.

So I'm KNACKERED today......I managed to get about half an hour's sleep when he went back to sleep this morning. But I'm a zombie. I remember many years ago, the day after a birthday was always a sleepy day....but at least it was self-inflicted....

I can't WAIT till Kirsti gets here - she'll be an angel and take over and let me sleep.......look out K - you're going to be spending a LOT of time with your nephew!