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!

Tricycle

We took Ruby and Lucas, along with Maisie and her parents, for their first visit to the theatre on Saturday morning, at the Tricycle in Kilburn. The children loved it, but this particular production, of 'the Ginger Bread Man' left a lot to be desired for the adults. We were only in there an hour and came outside to blizzard conditions and had a treacherous drive home, in first gear.

Princess Victoria

Always a huge pleasure and a lot of fun seeing my old chums Mark, Rupert and Lloyd. And dinner at the Princess Victoria was a big treat too. 'Norwich', 'one', 'Inception', was very much the theme of the evening.

Tree

I love Christmas trees and here's a few highlights from ours; great work from my dear wife.