As some of you may know, every year just before Flora’s birthday, I ask her 20 questions. I’ve been asking the same 20 birthday questions every year since she was three, and I keep a copy of them all, along with a birthday photo, in a folder that I plan to hand her on her 18th birthday. It’s an idea I came across on Pinterest originally and I love seeing how her answers change from one year to the next. Or, in many cases, stay exactly the same.
Last year
… saw a shift from dinosaurs to marine animals, from a boy to a girl as her best friend, and olives remained a constant (as they have done since she was three, just like sand and glitter…) So, as she’ll be eight in a few days’ time (HOW IS THIS POSSIBLE, PLEASE?) I wonder how much has changed in a year?
This year |
|
| 1. What is your favourite colour? | Turquoise |
| 2. What is your favourite toy? | My big dragon puppet |
| 3. What is your favourite fruit? | Nectarines |
| 4. What is your favourite tv show? | Horrid Henry |
| 5. What is your favourite thing to eat for lunch? | Mummy’s Sunday roast ♥ |
| 6. What is your favourite outfit? | Tokyo tiger top and black skinny jeans |
| 7. What is your favourite game? | Hungry Shark (iPad app) |
| 8. What is your favourite snack? | Kalamata olives |
| 9. What is your favourite animal? | Dragon |
| 10. What is your favourite song? | Deadlines and Commitments (The Killers) |
| 11. What is your favourite book? | The Wizards of Once (Cressida Cowell) |
| 12. Who is your best friend? | Orla Grace Dowie |
| 13. What is your favourite cereal? | Frosties |
| 14. What is your favourite thing to do outside? | Ride my bike |
| 15. What is your favourite drink? | Lime and soda |
| 16. Where is your favourite holiday destination? | Paphos (Cyprus) |
| 17. What do you like to take to bed with you at night? | Spooky (my cat) |
| 18. What is your favourite thing to eat for breakfast? | Buttered crumpets |
| 19. What do you want for dinner on your birthday? | Fish and chips |
| 20. What do you want to be when you grow up? | Marine biologist |
A new family tradition
Wow, I really think it’s fascinating how many of her answers have stayed the same! I’m hugely chuffed that she loves my Sunday roasts, and that her taste in music remains excellent. Although I’m a little surprised that a wannabe marine biologist wants fish and chips for her birthday tea 🙂
I’m so proud of her and the way she’s growing up, and I hope she’ll love looking back on all her answers when she turns 18. I’ve suggested we make this a new family tradition, which she thinks is a good idea. Who knows, one day I could be reading 20 questions for my grandchild – now there’s a scary thought to conjure with!
Do you like this idea? Did you do anything similar when you were growing up?
This is such a lovely idea! I bet it’s been fascinating to see how her answers have changed over the years. I love that she wants to be a marine biologist, that’s amazing. And you can’t go wrong with fish and chips! <3
Thank you 🙂 I know I’m hugely biased but she makes me so proud. At her age I certainly didn’t know as much as she does about all sorts of topics so I’m not sure where she gets this thirst for knowledge from. Can’t wait for her birthday now! xx
I loved loved loved this idea so much. A great family tradition really. She will really be happy to read all her answers and cherish the memories that you are so lovingly collecting. Marine Biologist sounds interesting. You baby is very beautiful she is looking gorgeous in this picture and so similar to you. 🙂 As always a lovely post Lisa. 🙂
Aw, thank you so much, that’s such a lovely thing to say! I do love this picture of her, talk about attitude, she is way cooler than her mum, haha! xx
What a fab idea! Definitely be something unique to give her. I’d love to do this when I have children. Xx
That’s what I thought when I first came across the idea. I think she’ll be really amused when she reads back over all the years 🙂 xx
This is such a sweet and special idea Lisa! It will be so nice for you both to read the answers again when she is older. I agree with Flora that nothing beats a mum cooked Sunday Roast! Also Paphos in Cyprus is such a lovely place, Shaun & I went last year for my birthday and loved it! Happy Birthday to Flora – hope she has a great day! xx
Thank you, Bexa 🙂 I hope she’ll love looking back when she’s older, I wish I’d been able to do something like this when I was her age but Pinterest wasn’t around then, haha! Xx
Awh this is so sweet Lisa, what a lovely thing to do! I’m a huge olive fan too, so we’d get on well! I’d love to do something like this when I have kids! Or photo albums perhaps xx.
Rebecca
Thank you, Rebecca! I love olives too but I certainly didn’t at her age, she’s an oddball, haha. Fingers crossed we can keep thid going because I think it’ll be really lovely to look back on all those years later 🙂 xx
This is possibly the sweetest concept I’ve ever seen. It’ll be so amazing to have when she’s older! So cool that she wants to be a marine biologist. I hope that doesn’t change next year (pretty sure it will at some point given that she’s only 8, but still impressive). The most impressive thing however has to be that olives have been her favourite snack basically forever. My mother used to try to force feed me them as I hated them as a kid. Now, kalamatas are the best. Great choice, Flora!
Sophie
http://www.glowsteady.co.uk
It’s such a lovely idea, I’m so glad I found it on Pinterest all those years ago, haha. I hope the ambition to become a marine biologist doesn’t change either – she’s already decided she’s going to study at Plymouth so she can volunteer at the National Marine Aquarium too 🙂 Olives. I know. She’s the best little fruitlopp, love her up to the sky and back again! Xx
Awww!! I love that you do this every year! So cute and what a lovely surprise for her in the future when she will appreciate your thoughtfulness so much! How awesome is it, out of all the crisps and biscuits in the world, her favorite snack is Kalamata olives!? Love it.
Thank you 🙂 so far we’ve done 6 years, and it’s been fascinating to see how her responses have changed. And yes, olives instead of crisps and sweets, she’s certainly unusual, haha! X
What a fabulous way to record Flora’s preferences throughout the years and see how much she has changed- or things she still likes! Fab post Lisa ?
Melanie | http://www.frasersfunhouse.com
Thanks, Mel, I loved the idea when I first came across it, fingers crossed we can keep going all the way to 18, haha! X
Nectarines are an excellent fruit so good choice but can I just say this is one of the most adorable and lovely ideas I have seen and I am sure that Flora will love it when she gets this on her 18th birthday!
Thank you, I hope she does too – I’m certainly loving looking at all her different answers from just the first six years! Xx
This is such a cute idea! She’s going to absolutely love reading her answers back when you give her them! I’d definitely love to do something similar when I have kids! Marine Biologist- she’s clearly a smart cookie!- – https://sophhearts.com x
I hope she does love her answers, it’s been so much fun to date, I think the final tally should be a really interesting read! And yes, she’s a very smart little bear, far more so than her mummy 🙂 xx
Bless, what a little cutie pie, her answers were so so so sweet! It’s nice to do blog posts like these as when she is older you can reflect on them together and always treasure the memories! Loved this post so much!
Thank you ☺ she’s so funny, we love seeing what she comes up with each year. I never expected olives to be so consistent though! X
This isn’t such a fun idea! I simply LOVE it! ? Flora is just the cutest and boy look how big she’s getting, 8 is such a fun age. Lol I can’t remember what I was doing at 8. Her answers are soooo cute! I use to want to be a marine biologist when I was in love with my science books lol. Keeping a record of all her answers and showing her progress and that it’s ok to change will be a gift in its own for her 18th. Such a lovely tradition to have. ?
Xx Lena
Thank you, Lena! We’ve been having such a lot of fun with all her answers to date. I’m really hoping she’ll want to continue with this tradition every year – as you say, it’s absolutely fine to change her mind and I think this proves it! xx
This is an AMAZING idea!! I have to admit I wasn’t keen on Wizards of Once (Sorry Flora ?) but I agree fish and chips are a brilliant birthday dinner ?
Amy x
Haha, I won’t expect you to comment on a future Wizards of Once review then! Flora’s got aspirations to start her own blog (what have I done?) but fish and chips take some beating 🙂 xx
Awww Lisa this is such a wonderful tradition to start! I am sure that Flora will be so touched to receive a book containing all of these answers, built up over the years, as well as all the photos on her 18th birthday! How cute that she rates your Sunday roasts so highly, you’re obviously a great chef! 😉 I’m impressed that she enjoys olives so much for someone so young, I hated them throughout my childhood and have only come to love them in my adult years, so I always think of them as a “grown up” food hahah!
Abbey xx
Thank you Abbey! We’ve only been doing this for six years but it’s been fascinating to see how much she’s changing every year. Like you, I’m amazed about the olives, most children wouldn’t touch them if they were starving. And I’m not sure I’m that good a cook, I owe it all to Delia, haha! xx
This is honestly such an epic idea! I wanna steal it but I can’t go back to ask my 12 year old these questions 6 years ago ? That makes me bummed! Thanks so much for sharing…
Shevy
Aw, thank you! But if you start asking her now then she could enjoy them when she’s 21 perhaps? Or be embarrassed by them ? xx