On Saturday, Oscar celebrated his third birthday in style.

In the week leading up to the party, Anne had been planning the details, while Oscar, filled with anticipation, had been super-keen to help with preparations. On Saturday afternoon, four of his friends came to tear up the house help him celebrate. Anne ensured that the party fare was reasonably healthy (low-fat, allergen-free items). A jumping castle was set up in the garage, although only Oscar and his friend Miles were game to try it; the others may have been frightened by the noise of the pump that kept it inflated. The cake was a home-made chocolate ice-cream affair. (Unfortunately, Adeline missed out because of her cow's milk allergy.) The children were well-behaved throughout but played vigorously nonetheless: for the parents, it's always good to see them wear themselves out!

We had a quiet Sunday, with a trip to Zollman Zoo (15 minutes away) in the afternoon, and a brief stop at McDonald's on the way home so the kids (and Dad) could snack on some French fries.