The afternoon

After the chaos of Christmas morning we set off for Nanny and Grandad’s house.  When we got there it was time for presents from Nanny, Grandad and Amy…..and everyone had a huge pile!  Noah got cars and a garage in his pile….

Caitlin had dressing up outfits, stickers and Betty Spaghetti dolls!!!

Austin got a piano that you stand on to get it to play and a dinosaur….

….he completely LOVES his dinosaur…it roars at you…and Austin roars back!!!!!!!

There was time for a quick drink then the rest of my family arrived.  This year there were 17 to dinner….

…I’m not sure which of those is making Caitlin laugh!  After dinner and pudding is present time!  I haven’t got any photo’s of that because it’s pretty impossible to get a photo of the chaos as 17 people all exchange presents all at once in a normal sized living room!!!!!!!  This year Austin loved it….last year he found it all too overwhelming!  They got tonnes more presents and so did me and Richard!!  Soon it was time to go home and straight to bed for the kids!!

Advertisement

Christmas day

Sometime during the night………….

Father Christmas arrived and delivered lots of presents!!!!!!!!!  He also filled everyone’s stockings on the ends of their beds!  Normally Austin is the alarm clock in our house, but today the excitement must have got to Noah because he got up first…and not too early either!  At about 7am we heard Noah shouting…”it’s not flat any more…my stocking isn’t flat”.  In the 5 seconds it took us to go into their room Noah’s was once again flat and the contents all over the floor!  Austin, amazingly was still asleep so we went and woke him up so he could join in!  Noah had found the sweets in his stocking and has tucked in, Austin was pretty quick behind him!!

Both Caitlin and Noah said he’s brought everything we asked for…after they had opened the stockings even though all they had in were some sweets, an electric toothbrush and bubble bath…with beads for Caitlin’s and a car for Noah’s and Austin’s!!!  We then convinced them to go downstairs incase there was anything else……

Caitlin and Noah both totally get Christmas this year, Caitlin was excited but she is a bit calmer than Noah…whereas Noah was excited and screamed it from the rooftops!!!!!!  He was the first to make it downstairs and stood shouting Caitlin to hurry up because there were loads more presents!!!!!!! 

He was right…downstairs there were loads more presents…scooters for Caitlin and Noah and a tunnel for Austin! 

…also the camper van bed Noah had asked for and the twizeling out dress and felt tips that Caitlin wanted and lots of bits and bobs!!!  Noah’s excitement rubbed off on Austin and he was really excited although I’m not sure he knew why!!!

After they had opened their presents from Father Christmas we opened presents from friends and Richards family, and me and Richard got to open ours!  I got lots and lots of presents the best one being a fantastic new sewing machine.  Unfortunately since the loft conversion is about to get very dusty and messy I’m keeping it boxed up until the dust settles!!!  We then got dressed and headed off to Liverpool for our Christmas dinner!

We’re ready!!!!!!!!

We went for a bath and then when we got out…Father Christmas had dropped off a little present for everyone!!!!!!!  Noah was amazed!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Although he was a bit concerned Father Christmas hadn’t left me one!!  Inside the presents were new pj’s ready to wear for bed!

Caitlin got a nightie which she was quite excited about as she’s never had a nightie before!  It’s even a twizely out nightie!!!!!!!!!!!!  Trying to get a photo was almost impossible…the faces they pull when I get my camera out are terrible!!!!  I’m sure Austin is pulling a Noah face!!!!

Then it was time for bed.  And if Father Christmas is kind to Noah…well he did eat his tea nice a quickly for him tonight…this might be the last time he has to sleep in a bed tucked underneath Caitlin’s bed!

Well maybe not the last time since we will surely have to build it!!!  But almost the last time!

So Happy Christmas!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The retirement of the holly fairy

When Caitlin was just turned 1 we were going to a Christmas fancy dress party so I bought her a holly fairy outfit!  It was the smallest one I could find but it was massive…in a kind of grand way!!!

When she was 2 it still fit her…and so at Christmas it came out again!

…..and again when she was 3…..

…and again at 4……

….and at 5…..

It’s getting a bit small now so this year may see the retirement of the holly fairy…defintely for any public appearances anyway!!!!!!!!!  I can’t believe how it still fits and how well it has lasted, although the wand did break a few years back!

Grandad’s birthday!

Today was Grandad’s birthday so we went to visit!  There was loads of party food and a cake!

We then re-lit it and pretended it was David’s birthday again as he was away for his!!!!  After the cake Noah jumped all over poor Grandad!

…and Austin played with a bubble making thing…

Birthday party

Caitlin and Noah were invited to a birthday party at a soft play.  It was for someone who was at nursery with Caitlin last year so there were lots of people who had gone to different schools there.  It was lovely to catch up with them all and they all played together as if they’d never been apart.  Richard spiked Noah’s hair for him but it is so so so straight that it didn’t really work!  His hair is like mine it only goes one way regardless of what you do!

After the food there were a few games including musical bumps!  Caitlin was concentrating so hard on the actions to the song that the girl was showing them that she was one of the first out!

They all had a great time and we rushed off to another party!

A sing song in the park!

Our local park (well more of a small area of grass) was having a carol singing event so we went along.  With all the snow there weren’t very many people but they had promised free mulled wine and mince pies so a few turned up!  There were a few people we knew there so the kids had a great time running around in the snow with their kids…

We had our mulled wine and mince-pie and sang for a while then we got far too cold so got a chippy tea and went home!!!  It was really nice but could have done with some professional singers to encourage the crowds!!

Snow….

We have had more snow so this morning Caitlin and Noah went outside to play in it with Richard!  Me and Austin stayed in the warm in the hope our colds go away!!  Austin stood at the door desperate to go out so they all threw snowballs at him!!

….which Austin thought was very funny!  They scooped snow off the cars and other safe objects in the garden and made a head (tucked around the scaffolding!!)…..

…and then a whole snowman….

…not sure if you can tell on the small photo…but his mouth made out of an orange pepper is NAILED onto his face!!!!  Nice!!!!

Parties 2 and 3….

Today Austin had a party in the morning and then another in the afternoon!  In the morning you had to take your own present labelled for Father Christmas to give your child…sounds odd but great idea as you get what you want and you can spend as much or as little as you like and it made the party ticket a bit cheaper…just £1.50 towards the food!  The food at this party was loads better too…sandwiches, crisps, cakes and some veg.

There was also the visit from Father Christmas…and Austin obviously isn’t getting any less scared the more times he sees him as he screamed and screamed!!  He was very impressed with his present of 2 tractors though!

…but everytime he turned around and saw Father Christmas still there he started crying again!!

There was just time for a quick sleep and it was off to his final party.  There is no Father Christmas at this party but he kept looking around expecting him!  They had more party food and then a play in the balls….

…and then instead of Father Christmas this playgroup always has a group of children from the school opposite who dress as elves and fairies to give out the presents!  Austin was fascinated by the elf who looked just like him!!!!!

He was a much bigger success than all the Father Christmas’s we’ve seen!!!

MOSI

Richard took a few days off work to use up his holidays and go and see Caitlin’s nativity on Monday, so today we went out with Austin!  We decided to go to the museum of science and industry.  Xperiment has been closed for refurbishment so Austin hasn’t really been here…also everyone I used to come with has all their kids in school now.  Xperiment had only been re-opened a few day so we went to that part first…  I was a bit disappointed as most of the exhibits seemed to be the same just rearranged which must have cost a fortune for very little gain!  It didn’t look all sparkly new and the toddler part was very small with all of the same (and broken) toys as before just less of them!

Austin’s favourite part was the pipes…..

Some of the exhibits were not working …not sure if that is yet or already!  But I was glad to see they had kept my favourite part…..

We then went for a wander around the other parts before it was time to go get Caitlin and Noah from school….