Raphael's Social Calendar........................ Melany's Party - MONKEYBIZNESS, HULL and Jacks's party at home.

For the last few days Eric (Raphael's Daddy) has been away but today, he came home.

Raffi has had a busy weekend starting on Friday with his FIRST invitation to a birthday party. I think I was more excited than him! Friday is his full day at the nursery school and I knew he would be tired on his return home.

I planned carefully, made sure he had plenty to occupy himself on his return home, giving him a plateful of high energy food, including chocolate. Chocolate seems to have a "hyper effect" on Raffi, he goes 'crazy with energy', perfect for the evening ahead!

Eric was catching the evening ferry from Hull but could join us at the party.... held at Monkey Bizness, for an hour before he had to be off.

Raffi had bought Melany a baby pushchair and a doll to go with it.... we struggled to wrap it!

Monkey Bizness is situated on the top floor of St Stephens, we discovered it was extremely difficult to find exactly where to park! We had no idea where the car park was and became dangerously close to being late!

Raffi stayed quiet and still whilst we struggled with the one way system through Hull to the correct car park (usually we would park in Tesco's but not if we arn't shopping there).

Parked and calm again, we asked directions to the party place... out the building....turn left...Oh no a lot of walking! We got there eventually. Wish we had know where the entrance was. Its next to Next haha!!..... right next to the Paragon Interchange.

Wow this is some place, PERFECT for the age group... 4 to 5. Raffi loved every single minute and positively didn't want to leave the play area to eat the birthday tea.

He had a wild wonderful fun packed time, the complex had several areas with a large eating section. The place was warm and not to large, Raffi had a lot of fun.

I found I was too big to get easily around the climbing area, he was to quick for me, in the end I just stood and watched him having so much fun with all his friends from the nursery. How much joy it gives me when he is having fun.

My camera by my side I took lots of pictures. I had reverted to my Sony Cybershot for the party. I got some satisfying photos!

Food time and I was a little surprised to see ALL frozen food, absolutely nothing fresh. The children had no complaints though and enthusiastically tucked into sausages, pizzas, curly fries and chocolate cake and sweets.

Now I could be wrong and the parents may have ordered this menu?? But I am sure as a large Spanish party host they would have enjoyed a sumptuous menu for their little birthday princess. The Spanish love their food as do the Lebanese... Raffi is of Lebanese blood.

The highlight of the party, for Raffi, was the moment a life size monkey walked round the corner and joined the party!! All the children gazed at this large monkey......none of the children cried, a usual occurrence at these sort of parties, but not today. The children whooped and clapped with glee!! Raffi raced forward and managed to get prime position, at the front and next to Melany. I did not realise he had mischievous thoughts, the little monkey started poking the big monkey! At one point the big monkey was in danger of loosing his trousers to over excited children lol! Great fun watching!

I noticed around the place, bean bags for little tiny tots to sit in and sofas for the mums to relax in and "mind the bags"!

Eric left for his ferry and Raffi and I continued to enjoy this great place. I will definitely take Raffi there again......next time I shall travel by bus, and probably take one of his friends.

*Thanks to Melany's Mum, Isobel* What a great idea for a children's party.

I negotiated with Raffi for some time whilst he decided whether to put his coat on!!! Then refusing to hold my hand we re tracked our footsteps for the long walk back to the car. I know he was tired, I just wanted to get him home into bed.

We made it to the car and I managed to get out of the car park - its, oh so narrow when you swing round to exit past the barrier, BEWARE!

Saturday and Raffi was looking forward to his second party of the weekend. Fancy dress, at home and another friend from his local nursery school. Raffi loves dressing up for every occasion and we had, the previous week gone and bought a "Ninja Outfit" for our young ninja! he looked a treat!

I like home parties, from a mums point of view they are HARD work, but traditional and much more personal. Your house becomes a riot house of young children! All good fun if your stress levels don't blow. From a child's point of view, you get to play in your friends house, AND meet his or her mum, you get to eat LOTS of party food and play games with prizes! You mostly get balloons and a party bag.

Raphael had huge amounts of fun, managing to get covered in white emulsion paint, tearing his costume in half during a 'battle' and have sauce and chocolate smeared on his face. Lots of smiles, who can scold a happy child?

*Thanks Jack's mum, Nicki* Raffi had a BALL!!

The 2 styles of party were very different, I haven't actually asked Raffi which one he liked best. It seems unfair for me to ask him to compare as I KNOW he enjoyed them both immensely.

In money terms, if you are counting the pennies, its far cheaper to party at home but if you can afford the luxury of this sort of "made" party I would definitely recommend it, just for me I would look at the menu closely before committing.

Raffi slept restlessly Sunday night, surfacing next to me in the double bed in the middle of the night. He was complaining of cold (I later discovered that it had been the coldest night), it was 4.00 am, I felt sorry for him so let him stay and snuggled up to him smelling his hair and touching his skin. I was missing Eric and it was lovely to lay with him sleeping next to me. He woke a few hours later and we spent a very lazy Sunday watching movies and playing together.

Eric arrived home in the very early hours of the morning, I was glad to see him, so was Raffi when he eventually saw him after his nursery school session Monday morning. How lovely to see the pair of them laughing together in the front seat of the car. Raffi squeezed and cuddled him for an age still sitting in the front seat (we are stationary), I struggled to get him into the back car seat.....used the usual bribery tricks..nothing worked for me, eventually Eric talked to him and he jumped into the back seat with enthusiasm... obviously with thoughts of something exciting to come!

He's in bed now, glad to have his daddy back where he belongs. So am I.

Life and events move so quickly, Raffi will be starting school in September, so he has not got too long left in his current nursery. His little life is full of learning, he is showing so much interest in things. His curiosity is amazing. His manner of questioning and his intent listening of the answer deeply touches me. He looked at a picture of Eric and I for a long time today and asked "is that Beirut mummy?" No honey that is Canada "What happened then mummy?" - I glossed over the history, moving to England, buying this house, etc etc (there is a lot) and then he thoughtfully said "we are a happy family, mummy, daddy and raffi", that made me smile, our little boy has the right idea, I hope it continues.

Thanks for reading a little fun, emotion and happiness :-)

Written by Sue-Raphael's Mum