December 9, 2007

Well here we are in December again - how fast this year has flown by. It doesn't seem five minutes since I was blogging about all of Charlie's festive activities last year!

We got back from Center Parcs on Friday, and I'm pleased to report that a relaxing time was had by all (not least because Pete and I spent a relaxing afternoon in the spa, and then mum and dad babysat Charlie that night while the two of us had dinner as an early celebration for Pete's birthday. It was something of a novelty because I can count on one hand the number of times we've been out alone since Charlie was born!)

Charlie had a ball being with Nanny and Grandpa, and we quite enjoyed him gatecrashing someone else's bedroom early in the morning, instead of ours!

He did have a horrible cough and cold while we were away - so we didn't take him swimming, much to his disappointment. I'm pleased to report that he seems to have shaken it off without the need for a trip to the d0ctor though, so we're hoping he can avoid picking up anything else in the run-up to Christmas.

We managed to fit loads into our break, and I'm attaching a few pictures. Center Parcs was really Christmassy and there were loads of lovely lights, which Charlie loved, and some singing reindeer which really tickled his fancy! Charlie had so much fun - he decorated an enormous gingerbread man, ate a lollipop to rival anything produced by Willy Wonka, rode his bike for miles, spent an afternoon in the time-out club at a pirate party, made some Christmas candles, and even managed to coerce Nanny and Grandpa into going bowling! Bearing in mind neither of them had ever been bowling before, they did themselves proud - and Chas loved every minute!

He really enjoyed the playground, and I'm attaching a bit of video of him having a ride in an enormous swing with a new friend.

It's not the world's best bit of video, but I've been itching to try out the video feature on Blogger!

We also went to visit Father Christmas in his woodland Grotto, which was so lovely. It was the best grotto I've ever been in, Charlie was the only one there because they booked timeslots for the children, the 'elves' spent ages talking to him, showing him the sleigh and the reindeers' feeding buckets, and then the big man himself spent a good five minutes talking to Charlie (who was pretty amazed by the whole experience) and even let Charlie rattle Rudolph's bells while Father Christmas (and Mummy, Daddy, Nanny and Grandpa!) joined in a chorus of Jingle Bells!

We put up all our Christmas decorations yesterday - a bit earlier than normal, but December is going to be so manic that we thought we'd better make the most of a free day! I'm attaching a pic of Charlie in his tinsel disguise, which he said he wanted to wear on Christmas day - 'but it's actually a bit itchy, you know!'

He's back to playschool tomorrow afternoon, and starts his manic festive run-down to the holidays. We have his Christmas show on Thursday (cue a Kleenex moment!) and then he has his playschool Christmas dinner on Friday.

Then we're off to the CBeebies Christmas show at the CIA (Cardiff International Arena - not the Central Intelligence Agency, for the benefit of our international readers!) with one of his little friends.

He's got loads more planned too - including several Christmas parties, visiting relatives all over the place, and doubtless one or two more meetings with the big beardy chap in a red suit!

Don't you just love Christmas!

We still haven't heard from the hospital with regard to Charlie's cardiac catheter, so we're assuming it won't be before Christmas now... in fact, I don't think we could fit it in if we tried!

No doubt I'll be updating soon with more festive photos!