HAPPY NEW YEAR!

(this is my favourite photo of the year. Taken on my, old, iphone - about half an hour after Lucas had been born)

I hope you've had as wonderful a Christmas as we've had, with huge amounts of festive fun and indulgence, and looking forward to the year ahead and appreciating how good 2010 has been. It's been an absolutely incredible year for our family; with the arrival of our little baby boy, Lucas; Ruby developing and transforming from a baby into an amazing little girl. We've also had the good fortune to have a couple of great holidays, had stable and enjoyable employment, remained solvent and spent lots of good time with the family and friends we love the most. I think that's all I could ask of a very good year.
2010 was a doubly great year too for the arrival of some incredible new people in the world and it was glorious to meet Milo, Oliver, Eliza Dixie, Stanley and Charlie, all for the first time, this year.
Happy New Year everyone and have a brilliant 2011.

(and this might be my second favourite photo of the year, on our first holiday as a family of four, eating fish and chips at the seaside)

Christmas Day Dusk in the Park

After a truly magnificent Christmas dinner, we had a welcome, late afternoon, icy blue, walk in the local park.

Christmas Day Afternoon and Evening

With guest blogger,my eldest niece, Emilia

The 25th of December is a wonderful day for many people, so for some family time and more present opening, after doing very well with our stokings, Uncle Robbie, Aunty Ibolya ,Ruby & Lucas came to stay. The grownups had Champagne and canapes followed by more present opening!! Daddy (Matthew Hargreaves) cooked a wonderfull turkey & mummy got table prezzies (yes again!) for every one! In the afternoon the children watched Toy Story 3 while the adults carried on eating & drinking! Later on we went to the park & it was FREEZING!!!!!In the evening we got another x-mas treat all 5 children got to have a bath together in the NEW bathroom! After the Read children were tucked up the Hargreaves children watched the Dr. Who Christmas special! Then unfortunately it was bed time and Christmas day sadly would come to an end!

Christmas Day Morning

This was our Christmas Day morning, little Lookie's very first. A usual start to the day at 7.00, for nappy changes and a quick look at CBeebies in bed. Then into the lounge to discover Santa had been; eaten his mince pie, finished off his sherry, Rudolph had taken a nibble of his carrott and left lots of lovely presents behind! Ruby did particularly well with Charlie and Lola and Peppa Pig DVDs, new clothes and lots of other bits and bobs. After presents, we had, slightly curdled, eggs royale for breakfast.

Happy Christmas!

I just wanted to wish all my regular readers and anyone who might stumble across this by chance; a wonderful Christmas and a very peaceful and happy New Year.

Here's are a few Christmassy pictures from last Saturday afternoon, when 12cm of snow fell in our garden.

Museum Tavern

We were 2 of our number down last night for our annual pre-Christmas drinks at the Museum Tavern but it was still wonderful to share middle aged, parental, angst over Guinness and pie with Pete and Mark.

Lookie is 6 Months Old

My darling little boy Lookie is 6 months old today! I never knew it was possible to feel as much, overwhelming, love as we feel for Lookie and Ruby; and to experience the incredible connection and bond we have for them both. I'll stop there before I get any more sentimental.
Here's the little poppet on Sunday; holidng a bottle for himself, having a drink of water, sitting in a high chair for the first time and enjoying his first parsnip and butternut squash purée. There's a little film of him too, not doing much except having a few giggles for 5 minutes, while I make faces at him from behind the camera.

It's the winter solstice today too so everyday, from tomorrow, will be a little longer than the day before. Isn't that great!