This might be the last year our big boy Sammy calls his father Dada. In September he will walk through the school gates and Dada will probably become a distant memory! So we made our own special present for his birthday. We adore this book my sister in law gave to the boys. Why I Love My Daddy. The idea is it's children in their own words. So we sat down, scrolled through our photo library and found some corkers. I had some sweet woodland paper and although I nearly threw the printer out of my office window at midnight and there are a couple of smudges, it turned out beautifully. Laminated and everything.

Why We Love Our Dada

Why We Love Our Dada

Why We Love Our Dada

Why We Love Our Dada

Why We Love Our Dada

Why We Love Our Dada

I bought him a new amp for his guitar so we went musical for the decorations this year! The boys helped stack the cake - it was awesome!

Dada's Birthday

I raided the local charity shop for sheet music to use as bunting (hand stamped by Sammy), wrapping paper and a pile of old records made a great gift tag, cake stand, door wreath and hanging decorations. I used some luggage tags and printed off some letters to make a manly garland for the lounge and adorned the fire place with his presents.

Record Cake Stand

Manly Bunting

Sheet Music Gift Wrap

Dada's Birthday

Dada Birthday Hamper

Dada's Birthday

Dada Birthday Gift - Record Tag

Manly Bunting

Dada's Birthday

Dada's Birthday

Dada's Birthday Record Door SIgn

And what did he play for the boys? Well he got the score to the Disney Cars soundtrack - Life is a Highway up on the iPad! They loved it!

I hope they have his musical abilities as it is such a skill to read music.

Dada's Birthday

Dada's Birthday

I have gone back and forth about whether you should post about asking for nominations but then something incredible happened. I started popping up in the initial nominations list, without any lovely people being asked.

The chosen finalists in the MAD parent blogger awards (if you haven't heard of it - it is one of a handful of widely respected UK blogging recognition awards, but the only one where you are nominated by others) are the top 5 to be nominated in each category.

A really big part of me would die of pride to be in the top four in any of the categories, but there are only a few that I think I am remotely eligible. A really really small part of me is too proud to post this but here goes!

New Blog - you have to be under a year old to be nominated. First blogiversary end of March 2013 and you will all be invited to the party!

Family Fun - my boys think life is a hoot, shame they are too young to type in my web url address.

Photography - ok so I thought I had a creative eye until I scrolled down the list of nominations in this category. Still, worth a shot (boom boom) ;)

So on behalf on his Mama .....

His ideal day if I was to be nominated ... doing gangnam style!

I thank you for reading and thank you for even considering this little blog worthy of a shiny trophy!

To nominate click here and type in http://capturebylucy.com only if you want to of course!

Secret meetings look like this. Well at least mine do!