My Birthday 2014

Earlier this week it was my birthday and I was lucky enough to spend it with this handsome devil! 

Mr B took the day off work to spend with me and I'm so glad he did. Do you know that in the entire 7 years we have been together, it has never been just the two of us on my birthday? Normally Mum and Dad have the day off as well and we all spend the day together but this year they weren't able to and whilst it was a little odd, it was also really nice just spending the day with Mr B (and secretly I think he enjoyed getting to plan the day himself!).

After a leisurely sleep in, brekkie in bed and some super awesome gifts (hello cookbooks!!) Mr B whisked me away to our first stop of the day - a massage centre! I was treated to a full hour of pregnancy massage heaven whilst Mr B subjected himself to an hour or deep tissue massage hell. It is now several days later and I believe he has fully recovered possibly even to the point where he is feeling the benefits but he definitely didn't read the fine point that said immediately after a deep tissue massage you will be sore and sorry....the benefits take days to arrive! I was in absolute stitches listening to him recount his experience to me.....(Bad wife sign no. 1 - laughs at husbands misfortune....)

We then went for a walk through town to a) stretch out Mr B's broken body and b) check out one of my favourite stores that I haven't visited for years (and Mr B had never so much as set foot in!) - The Teddy Bear Shop! It's only a little shop but it is jam packed with so many different types of teddy bears, from big to small to just plain giant - I can't wait to go back in there after bub is born and pick out something special for them. 

Next stop was lunch and as it turns out Mr B does listen to my incessant babbling. He took me to a tapas restaurant on the waterfront called The Mill on Morrison that I have been wanting to try for ages and given it was lunch time on a Monday we pretty much had the whole restaurant to ourselves!

Tapas meals are generally quite small so you can order a wide selection from the menu, try heaps of different stuff and still have room for dessert! Plus the meals are brought to the table as they are ready in the kitchen so you just kind of graze your way through.

We treated ourselves to the Mushroom and Thyme Croquettes (demolished before we could take a photo - super yummy though!), the Char-Grilled Calamari with Lemon, the Garlic Popcorn (Oh My God......), the Beef and Bacon Mini-Burger, the Slow Cooked Beef Cheek with Carrot Puree and two Soft Tacos (one with lentils and veggies for me and one with soft shell crab for Mr B) all washed down with a non-alcoholic cocktail.....very civilised huh?!

Ok I lied....we didn't have room for dessert.

But we did have just enough energy to go for a nice long walk in the sun and then go home for a cup of tea....which is kind of like dessert. 

Mr B built us a cosy corner of cushions, bean bags and blankets and we spent the rest of the afternoon curled up watching a movie.

It wasn't easy, mainly because we were so comfy and I couldn't get up off the floor, but eventually we managed to drag ourselves back out the door and over to Mum and Dad's for tea. 

Being the big kid I am, I'm usually more amused by the wrapping paper then what's actually inside it....

And in a throw back to one of the very first birthday cakes my Mum made me, I present to you the Dolly Varden Cake....Panda Style! 

I absolutely LOVE this cake!! You can't go wrong with vanilla ice cream, marshmallows and pandas....not to mention the fact that Mum and Dad made it!

Isn't she gorgeous?? Although she did look a little happier when I pulled her out of her frozen home....not much we could do about the giant skewer in her head though.....

What a huge day! I am so lucky to have such an amazing family and I love that when we are all together we just laugh and laugh until our cheeks hurt, our sides are sore and you get that whole can't breathe thing going on. Times like these make the best days and the best memories. 

Mrs B xx