Wednesday 1 April 2009

April Fool?


I've always thought it was highly appropriate that my only child should have been born on April 1st. Nature, not content with giving her a slightly skewed mother, made sure she had a birth date that everyone else would snigger at...

And I couldn't even use the old adage about "April Fools jokes are only valid until mid-day" as she was born at 9.20 a.m. Duh!

So, we spent her childhood informing all the playground bullies and those prissy little girls with angelic eyes and vitriolic tongues that you get in every mixed infants class, that being born on April Fools Day was A Good Thing, A Happy Thing, A Funny Day, A Day When Everyone Becomes A Prankster - sort of like an early comic relief...

Mercifully, Elle has always been a strong-minded and very grounded child (amazing given she has me as a mother) and has long since risen above being labelled an April Fool. Now she enjoys sharing her birthday with such mixed luminaries as Philip Schofield, Otto von Bismark, David Gower and Ali MacGraw - and being April 1st babies doesn't seem to have harmed their careers.

When Elle was little we used to make the most of the day by throwing childhood parties that were a cross between a circus and the Edinburgh Fringe. You didn't get in to our caravan (another story!) unless you were dressed up in something amusing and could tell jokes.

So - Happy Funny Birthday, Elle, have a wonderful day, enjoy the meal tonight - and I'm really sorry...

9 comments:

Jayne said...

Awwww - Happy Birthday Elle!

Christina Jones said...

Thanks Mummy - I'll pass the birthday happies on to Elle.

Deborah Carr (Debs) said...

Wonderful! Happy Birthday Elle.

Chris Stovell said...

'So, we spent her childhood...' exactly! That's why Elle's strong-minded and grounded, because, clearly you've always been there for her,so big pat on the back to you too. Happy birthday, Elle (ooh, it's all happening is n't it?!)

Bethan said...

Hi Christina. As a huge fan of yours I've been enjoying reading your blogs for a while now. I've not had the courage to post a comment before now but after reading todays I thought I must as I, too, am an April Fool!!! I can truly sympathise with Elle but, as I'm sure she's said herself quite a few times, at least no-one forgets the date. Happy Birthday to Elle. Bye for now.

Pat Posner said...

Happy Birthday to Elle!
Chris, pop over to mine and read the NEWS!

xxPat

Christina Jones said...

Debs - many thanks - will pass on your HBs tonight.

ChrisH - all happening indeed! And bless you for making me feel that I was an OK mum!!! I did my best without an instruction manual!

Bethan - HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!! Lovely to see you here, thanks so much - you're right, EVERYONE rembers the date, don't they? I hope you've had/are having a great day. I'll tell Elle she's not alone!

Pat - many thanks - I'll certainly sing HB to Elle tonight on your behalf and now I'm popping over to yours....

katiebird said...

(singing)
♪♫♫♪
Happy Birthday to you,
Happy Birthday to you,
Happy Birthday dear Elle
Happy Birthday to you!

Christina Jones said...

katiebird - that was lovely!!! Thank you. We actually sang to her in the restaurant tonight - she was very embarrassed....