Christmas highlights

The whirlwind that is Christmas has passed and we are now at the point where we reflect and remark that it is all over so quickly. Then those of us without children start thinking about New Year’s Eve plans.

We spent Christmas Day with Sam’s side of the family and Boxing Day with my side.

Highlights of my Christmas include:

Christmas morning when we couldn’t get Arlo to stop toddling around on his walker long enough to open his gift from Sam and me. He’s had the walker for about eight months but only just figured out the main function of the thing.

Forget Father Christmas, walking is SO MUCH FUN.

Finally, he gives in. But only if his walker sits next to him.

My dad seeing Arlo ‘live’ for the first time on Skype.

Arlo eating his first ever Christmas dinner.

Arlo loving being around all of his family. He is a proper little socialite now and is starting to learn the names of his relatives, which is very exciting!

The privilege of witnessing how my cousins’ do Christmas. (Well, technically it was Boxing Day by this point). Six children under six years of age. Presents arriving on a ‘gift truck’ (a pimped up ride-on with two trailers attached…the six year old’s idea, very cool in my opinion). Everyone charging in at once to open gifts (‘Every child for himself’, as the six year old put it). Absolute chaos.

My mum had an unscheduled trip to hospital which took up most of Boxing Day (pain in arm, not entirely sure what the cause is yet), and when at home she was very tired, but the few hours that we spent together with her, my brothers, sister, Sam and Arlo, were nice.

As with Arlo’s birthday, I am amazed and touched at just how many people have thought of him and wanted to get him gifts. He is one seriously lucky boy (although I am feeling he might be a slight bit spoilt and a charity shop donation of some of his less loved toys accumulated over the past year is certainly in order).

I have eaten my weight in chocolate and turkey, had a little bit of stress busting booze but not quite the drunk-fest I was initially planning (unlike Sam, who passed out in his clothes on Christmas Day and didn’t stir until morning despite Arlo sharing a room with us, I couldn’t face the hangover in the end).