every once and a while, i go to bed with the knowledge that i have had a great day with one of my kids.

yesterday, i had that great day with sebastian.

he turned six.

earlier in the week, i asked him how he wanted to celebrate the great day. normally, on a friday afternoons, sebastian, adam, ashleigh, sela, carys, jasper, ella and many many many of their friends spend from 3pm-6.30pm at western park, an indoor and outdoor playground. they come home fed and filthy, tired and triumphant.

i asked sebastian if he wanted to go to western park on friday. i told him it was his birthday and we could do just about anything in hong kong he wanted to do. ferry rides, movies at home, whatever.

he chose to go to the peak, via the peak tram, "because we had so much fun last year". this statement was such a boost for me. A) he remembered what we did last year and b) he liked it so much he wanted a repeat.

i asked if he wanted anyone to come along. his brothers or sisters, perhaps? i suggested gently.

"no. just you and me, mummy."

i made, frosted and delivered 36 cupcakes to sebastian’s class around noon. there were enough for kids, teachers and "incentives" – aka: the student who clears their workspace fastest will receive an extra cupcake.

a few hours later, i picked up my six year old (!!!) and we headed off to the peak tram. we took a bus to the station. we stood in line. and he found a ten cent piece, and was so excited. and was thrilled twenty minutes later to find another ten cent piece. i didn’t have the heart to tell him ten cent pieces are worth very little, but promised him he could spend it. he kept getting ten cent pieces confused with ten dollar coins.

we had great seats headed up to the peak, last tram, last row, and we watched the city moving away from us, waving at people as we went.

up at the peak, we shopped around.

"i need crisps!" announced my boy.

"i need politeness!" replied unfeeling me.

then he decided that sweet suited his palate better. or possibly dinner. we kept walking along, hand in hand. it was so sweet. we window shopped, and as we passed a haagen daaz, he said, "as a dessert, may i have an ice cream?" and i looked at him and said, "my darling, you can have an ice cream right now."

his eyes were very round. NOW? before dinner?

(like it matters – he had planned to have mcdonalds for dinner!)

but in the spirit of keeping things magical, i said, YES. before dinner.

he was adamant he wanted a cone, and it was chocolate. we walked around more, until the cone was gone, and then we walked into a sweet shop. sebastian was quite impressed with the candy rings, and i said, "you can have one for dessert, if you want". so i gave him the money, and he bought a strawberry flavoured grape ring.

we went to mcdonalds and he ordered, and i gave him the money and he paid. he had wanted a hot chocolate, and i agreed, but it was too hot, so i drank it.

he was getting tired by the end of the meal, and when he asked, "how are we getting home?" i figured it was time to get my little charge home. i looked at the darkening skies and said, "bus!"

and sebastian smiled and said, "a double decker one?" and even though it would take us longer, i nodded. sure, why not.

we hopped on the bus and on the way home i started telling him the story of the morning little baby sebastian was born. he loves that story and fills in the blanks for me whenever i pause too long or skip over some bits. he ripped into his strawberry ring and it kept him quiet and content.

our double decker bus dropped us off in wanchai, and then we walked through the streets for a bit, talked about buying something for the Christmas tree and then said we didn’t think we ought to just yet. wanchai is a heaving steaming nightlife sort of place, with active nightmarkets and pubs and clubs and all sorts of people, from street workers to millionaires celebrating sealing a deal. cars were zooming by us, people were walking by us as we stood there, waiting for the 40 to come.

it was here that he made the comment that makes me smile, still, just thinking about it. remember how last year he was awed at the thought that he was five, "a whole hand?" well here is his comment for this year.

sebastian was standing infront of me, leaning back against me.

and suddenly he lifted his head up, and said, "mummy!"

and i replied, "sebastian!"

and he excitedly informed me, "this is my first time being six at night!"

can’t help loving that half dozen man of mine.