Gosh they come around quickly!

Birthdays that is... Yesterday marked 23 years since I made my entrance into the world at 5:08 in the morning. (I have always been an earlybird!)

Usually May 3 is a wintry, gloomy day and sometimes ever rains. Not yesterday, it was a glorious day and the sun was out all day, it was lovely.

Yesterday didn't really feel like my birthday as we had celebrated the previous evening with a big family dinner. It was such a great night, I really enjoyed it. However poor Miss Lily was slightly overwhelmed with all of the people and attention. I think this photo sums up well how poor Lily was feeling.

The night flew by very quickly, as it does when you have it at home and do all of the cooking and catering yourself, I even baked my own birthday cake! Not that I mind in the slightest, I love having everyone over, I just wish the family managed to get together more often than just at birthday's. It is just so hard with everyone leading such full lives.

Very few photo's were taken, as I was just to busy to worry about the camera.

So my actual birthday was a lovely, quiet, relaxed affair. Mid morning Lily was asleep and I was sitting outside in the sunshine having a drink and eating toobs!

Nana rang to wish me a Happy Birthday and to ask if we wanted to go out for lunch. To be honest I was quite enjoying my relaxing day at home, so Nana and Papa came over and brought lunch with them.
It was lovely, we all sat outside under the pergola and basked in the sunshine.

Miss Lily also enjoyed eating outside, as evidenced by this big smile!

I love the way Nana is looking at Lily in this photo. Lily is named after my Nana, and they share a lovely bond that I love to see.
It was decided early on in my pregnancy that if we had a daughter she would be named after my Nana. Throughout my pregnancy I envisioned how we would tell Nana that her Great Grandaughter was named after her.
I pictured that the first time she came to visit Lily and was cradling her in her arms I would tell her that her name was Lily Lorraine.

Well unfortunately that didn't eventuate. I remember the moment well. We stood in the SCN peering at our newborn daughter through the glass of her humidicrib.

Nana had to buzz at the door to get permission to come into see us, her arms laden with bags of gifts and the most gorgeous pink teddy bear. When she walked towards our little spot in the SCN I could see the tears welling up in her eyes, I had to hold them back myself, at this stage I think I was still in shock.
Nana stood next to the crib admiring Lily from afar, it was then that I told her Lily was named after her, it was to much for her, and I, there we both stood crying, tears of joy, shock, worry and anxiety.

Earlier in the day, Lily enjoyed her morning bath, as she usually does. Now that the weather is cooling down somewhat I am reluctant to let Lily stay in the bath for very long, I have the heat lights on in the bathroom but I still don't like to let her get cool.
In the bath Lily loves to flap her arms and legs around, so I was quite surprised yesterday when I put the face washer over her body and she layed there like that, until I got her out!

To finish the day off we had a lovely quiet night at home, just the 3 of us.
Lily and I had such fun playing on the floor with her toys, chatting away.

Is this not the cutest little face you have ever seen???!!! How I will ever be able to say no to that face I don't know! So I think my 23rd birthday was the best birthday I have ever had, I am the happiest I have ever been, and that is largely thanks to my precious daughter Lily Lorraine.