The Wii keeps reminding us that Petra’s birthday is coming up on Saturday, so Olof and I decided we’d probably better buy some presents for her.  Yesterday afternoon we saw Lydia off to a slumber party, packed up Tage and Petra and took them down to Farmor and Farfar’s, and headed off to town, where we spent many hours looking for just the right thing.  Ultimately we found it (or them, as it turned out), but it was no mean trick.  Much to my surprise, we had a far easier time shopping for Tage and Lydia this year (although, in retrospect, that’s probably why we waited so long even to go shopping for Petra;  we’ve had the other kids’ birthday presents for ages, but inspiration never struck us where Petra is concerned).

Our three older kids’ birthdays fall within about six weeks of each other, so from here until the beginning of September it’s going to be pretty much nothing but birthdays around here.  Last year my mom was here earlier in the summer and she left for home before anybody had a birthday, so we decided to invite family and friends for a big combined party before she left.  That worked out so well that we’re planning to do it this year, and maybe even every year.  We’ll still celebrate with our immediate family on the actual date, and the older kids will of course have their celebrations with their own friends, but this way we don’t have to round up the extended family every other week, and Onock will be able to share in the festivities without missing anyone’s party.

After some discussion, Olof and I have settled on the first Sunday in August as the standing date for the Tjerngren Big Birthday Bash.  We’ll have to figure out one of these days how to fit Brynja, with her February birthday, into this scheme, but we’ve got some time yet before that will matter.  For now, at least, we’ve got a plan and we’re sticking to it.