your forty-sixth week

It was all about Christmas.

Your first Christmas.

The Christmas excitement started on Christmas Eve

with the first of our little family traditions.

Noel the Penguin 

who had come to stay when the Christmas fairies came to decorate our tree

had to go back to the North Pole.

We were very sad to see him go

because he had been such a good house guest.

He had even gone on holiday to Butlins with us

because he was checking out whether we were all well behaved or not.

But Noel didn't leave us empty handed.

He left behind a note saying thank-you for letting him stay

and that he would be telling Father Christmas that you were a very good boy.

Noel also left behind some lovely presents for us all.

So you got some early practise at unwrapping presents 

just before bedtime on Christmas Eve.

He had left us all a new set of pyjamas to wear for Christmas night.

Your sleepsuit was red with stars on and a reindeer

and he had left you a new pair of lion slippers too.

As we put you to bed on Christmas Eve

it wasn't hard to tell who was most excited.

It was Mummy.

You were quite clearly oblivious to the fact that anything exciting was happening at all.

But as Mummy hung your stocking on your door

it brought a little tear to her eye.

She couldn't quite believe that after years of hanging out her own stocking

for Father Christmas to fill with goodies,

she was hanging the stocking of her best present ever.

On Christmas morning

we all got up as normal;

changing your nappy

and having a cuddle and some milk in bed.

Then we checked our stockings

and sure enough,

Father Christmas had been.

He had left some lovely presents for you in your stocking,

including some lovely new books,

some colourful animal finger puppets

and some new starry socks.

But by far your favourite present from Father Christmas

was a new cup.

It was an instant hit.

You had a look at it for a bit and were quite intrigued,

but then we filled it with water

and you pulled a huge smile as you worked out what it did.

Father Christmas has also delivered some more presents for you under the tree.

You had a rocking horse from Mummy and Daddy

which you were interested in the instant you saw it.

You looked a bit unsure at first

when we put you on for a little ride,

but soon you were grinning and giggling.

You gave Daddy some Lego

which was exactly what he had asked for,

so he was absolutely thrilled.

And you gave Mummy a bracelet 

with your name and birthday engraved on one side

and 'my beautiful boy' engraved on the other.

She loved that fact 

that she could now take you with her 

wherever she went.

We spent the rest of Christmas day at Nanny and Pops

with a brief visit to see G.Nan.

You were thoroughly spoilt by everybody

with clothes and toys and books.

You had already had a walker from Nanny and Pops

but they had got you more presents

including a wooden toy train with your name on.

Uncle Matt and Auntie Jen bought you your very first pair of Converse trainers

which were just about the cutest and trendiest things in the world.

And G.Nan had got you a brilliant activity cube

that you could stand at and play with all the different sides.

We couldn't help thinking back to last Christmas,

when you were still in Mummy's tummy.

And we couldn't believe how much you had changed our lives

in such a short time.

We felt so blessed to have been given you.

You had given us so much joy and happiness

and we just couldn't believe our luck.

Sharing Christmas Day with our lovely little man was simply magical. 

We all had a wonderful day.

It was perfect.

Just like you.