Christmas reminiscing

'Tis the time of year to madly buy gifts for loved ones, decorate the tree, write cards and listen to carols. Such a big event in our annual calendar, Christmas is also a time for reminiscing.

This time last year Lucy was only 3 months old. She was still nursing very regularly, sleeping when she felt like it and every smile made us leap for joy and imagine what it was she found so amusing. Joe and I were still in a whirlwind trying to get by on few hours of sleep, learning the parenting ropes and were completely wrapped up in our bundle of joy. I for one was still in that brainwashed new Mum stage (ok, so some days I still am). Her first Christmas passed her by without her knowing it. In some ways it passed us grown-up Crosers by too.

Twelve months on and many things have changed. Lucy is no longer our baby. She finished nursing two weeks ago, she sticks rigidly to her napping ritual (praise be for those many months instilling a routine!), and smiles and laughs almost all the time. She is almost walking, loves chatting and singing and is a real Daddy's girl (all she wanted for Christmas last year was Mummy's boob!). She still doesn't get Christmas of course, but she loves our tree, the brown parcels that arrive at the door and the Christmas music that plays almost constantly through the house. Christmas has certainly come to the Crosers this year...we're all here and present and enjoying the excitement of it all.

Enjoy the remaining preparation days everyone and enjoy these pictures of us last year...