I love buying birthday presents for my daughter. She is so easy to buy for and there are so many gorgeous things out there for little girls. She never wants a big present, so I get the chance to choose lots of little bits and pieces for her.

This year the two of us ended up in Next a few weeks before her birthday. She loves dresses and was very taken with a party dress decorated with cakes and biscuits. It sounds hideous, but it's gorgeous. There was also a lovely, floaty, patchwork summery dress. She likes shorts and had her eye on a denim pair with a cute panda print, as well as a soft, pink, spotty jumper.


A few days later, I went into Next and bought all the things she liked. Then I nipped into Cath Kidston for a look round and was pleased to see their children's clothes now come in bigger sizes. So I bought her a gorgeous set of pyjamas with a ballerina print. And I couldn't resist the retro musical, jewellery box with the ballerina that danced. Didn't we all have those as kids?


My husband loved all the presents. He wasn't involved in choosing them, although he likes to buy her presents too and knows just what she likes.

The day before her birthday he texted to say he'd got her an extra present - a Royal Ballet bag from Joules. He suddenly felt that he wanted to choose something himself and to know that it was 'his' present. I was really touched by that. My husband and daughter adore each other so much and it was a lovely thing for him to do.

My husband loves birthdays and is dreadful at keeping secrets. He doesn't like secrets (whereas I do!) and is always desperate to know what presents he has got and to tell people what presents he has bought for them. He stopped short at telling my daughter what she'd got, but couldn't resist telling her he'd got an extra surprise for her.

When he left the room, my daughter said to me: 'I hope the surprise is that he's going to come to pick me up from school with you'.

My heart just melted. My daughter has said some nice things in her time, but that must have been one of the nicest ever. It speaks volumes about my daughter, and her relationship with her Daddy.

It tells me that she really isn't interested in material things, which is a quality I really value in people and like to encourage in my kids. It tells me just how much she loves her Daddy and wants to spend time with him. And, sadly, it tells me that her Daddy isn't really around enough and, in my daughter's eyes, spends too much of his time at work.

But the good news is, Daddy couldn't say no to such a simple and heartfel plea. And he was there to pick up his little girl from school on her birthday.