Showing posts with label Christmas. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Christmas. Show all posts

Friday, 2 January 2015

26th December 2014 - Boxing Day (AKA Tedmas 2)

I had a lousy night's sleep. Tradition states this. I always seem to be ill at Michael and Annabel's house!

I got up in the night to cough and it was so bad I made myself sick. TMI? Maybe. I went downstairs as I didn't want to disturb the baby. I heard him a couple of times but he didn't cry - more just made noise! It's cute, as a guest. I'm sure that's not the case as the parent when you're getting a good sleep!

I then had to get up and find a glass to get some water for Paul as he was starting to feel a bit poorly. Whether it's the wine or my cold, who knows. I furnished him with water and got a little more sleep.

I told Annabel last night that Paul normally wakes up early and goes downstairs to watch tv. Well, it was me today. I was up early and chilling in the living room when Annabel came down with my well rested little pal!

So we gave him one of his new toys (this egg thing with chicks in it...kids love it apparently!) and let him play!


As with yesterday, the front facing camera was ever present, and this morning he was just as smiley at himself as he had been yesterday!


I LOVE THIS LITTLE FACE!

We were happily playing, and I tried to take a picture of how happily he was playing when he looked up at me like this...


I mean...just...AW!

Elvis also got a little bit of action as well!


Elvis has a mirror on his side, so that got lots of smiles, which is good!


Yeah, there are a million Ted pictures, but I can't resist sharing them!



The many selfie faces of Ted J Hartley!


Nummy Eggy toy!


Obligatory Ted playing video!

Bellatrix was also keeping us company this morning...loving the nip, as ever. She positively destroyed the neatly contained scratching post to get to the leftover nip! She's a nip fiend!


She's just so cute!

Paul has caught my lurgy, which is naturally the end of the world. He stayed in bed as long as possible and had some medicine with breakfast.  He had a lot of driving to do, so I had to go along with what he wanted.

We got on our way at around 11, with a quick stop at the shops to get a few bits and bobs before starting up the M6. There was a fair bit of traffic on the motorway, so we stopped so Paul could have a coffee to perk himself up a little.

We then carried on to my Aunt's house near Preston for the Hartley family party, made extra special because it's the first time that they got to meet Ted! Very special!


Any excuse for a Ted selfie, complete with Christmas cracker hat and reindeer jumper!

Everyone was understandably smitten with our new family member and he was all smiles for them, not at all scared, which is really nice!


Here is with some presents from his Great Uncle and Auntie. Lolz. They won't like me saying that! He seemed to like them very much and was talking to them, which is uber cute!


Scary Auntie Whiney doesn't get smiles when in pictures!

Just to prove there were other people at the family party, not just Ted, here's a view of the room!


The adorable Emile and Jacob as fun as ever!

We all got our Secret Santa presents...when I say all, me and my Aunt had an IOU as Santa forgot our gifts! Oh well, means Christmas lasts a bit longer!

So my gift can be more pictures of Ted!


Grandma Hartley and Ted having a few giggles!


...and more giggles. Grandma Hartley certainly likes playtime with Ted!

We did give other people a go. He wanted to play with my cousin Karen as well!




By play with Karen, it probably meant pull her hair! He's not too violent with it though, and is so very cute!

Mum soon got him back though, and posed him for a cuddle with my cousin Adam!


They didn't stay much longer as it's a two hour drive back for them. Ted was getting tired so would hopefully sleep in the car.

One last Ted selfie?


Complete with photobomb from Granddad Hartley in the background!

Going to miss his little face now! Christmas is definitely much better with little ones around!

We didn't stay much longer either as we needed to head over to Blackpool for the Kirkham family party!

There were cocktails and lots of play time with the adorable twins S and O, plus lots of girly talk with my little flowergirl S, who is turning into a little lady and is very beautiful!

I got turned into aliens, dogs, chickens etc far more times than I can count but it's all good. I also got to play with the giant Asali, who featured in last year's post which you can see below. Last year I took a photo of her giant puppy paw. 1 year later and it's a little bigger!


2013 on the left. 2014 on the right. She's deffo growing!

Paul wasn't feeling particularly amazing or social so we only stayed for a couple of hours. We had heard rumours of snow falling, especially in the Midlands and we didn't want to get caught in it if it spread up north.

There was a bit of sleet, but not too bad. Paul came in and made himself a hot toddy, getting changed into something a little more comfortable.


See those Avengers 'lounge pants'? Yep - they're from me! You're welcome, Paul!

Avengers, coincidentally, was on the tv! Despite having watched it at least a million times already, we watched it again!


Maia was very happy to see us. Mostly because it meant that she got fed!


Barney and I had a little bit of play time. It was then that I realised that he wasn't all 'butter won't melt' as he had been a naughty boy. Again.


He loves white wires and had set to on Paul's Mum's phone charger. He has done this before with her camera wire during our wedding. He's so naughty. I gave her my phone wire which is identical as an apology. He's so bad.

We watched the movie and then it was time for Match of the Day so I headed to bed. Hopefully to get more sleep than the last couple of nights!

PREVIOUSLY...

2013

Thursday, 1 January 2015

25th December 2014 - Merry Tedmas! **Picture Heavy Post**

Merry Christmas!

Early morning! I didn't sleep great, waking up every couple of hours. Not fantastic when you have a mad couple of days to follow!

Oh well.

Paul and I had a brew and exchanged presents. He was very happy with his and I loved mine also! I didn't take a photograph of them, but they mostly involved denim goods!

I showered and repacked everything then we filled the car to the brim and headed down the motorway to Lichfield to see my parents!

It was a fairly easy journey, except for some hideous rain around Crewe, made even more awesome by our choice in audio entertainment for the trip!


We like a good road trip CD. This one is quite a good one!

We got to Lichfield and had a brew at Mum and Dad's house, I ironed my top (long story), we cuddled their kitties, then we headed over to my bro and sis's house for Christmas Day shenanigans!

I can say that, as there is little to no evidence of what went on. There are a lot of pictures to follow...but they are all very similar.

Guys, there's something I haven't said in a while...

...


...



It's been a while, so I think you need to be re-introduced to my super cute nephew on his very first Christmas! Everyone - it's Edward!


This gorgeous little munchkin LOVES looking at himself in the phone if you have the front facing camera on. So guess who had the front facing camera on her phone pretty much all day? That's right - Auntie Whiney! :)

Yay!

He had a nap not long after we got there so we were able to talk like grown ups for a little while! There were 7 adults (Me, Paul, Mum, Dad, Michael, Annabel and Judy - Annabel's Mum) and the men were in the kitchen doing all the cooking whilst us girlies were watching whatever was on the TV!

When Ted woke up and came downstairs, he had a whole new abundance of energy to show off, including his little commando crawl which is super cute (pretty much everything he does is super cute!) so I had to get it on video, of course!


I just love this little dude!



I could watch these videos for EVER!

After some good play time, it was time for Christmas dinner! YAY! We had eaten some pate etc earlier on but the big show was about to commence!


A joined effort of my Dad and Paul, featuring superb pigs in blankets made by my bro! Well done, all! It was delicious! I just couldn't eat it all! It's not like me! I should invest in stretchy trousers for next year to fit more in!


Bellatrix decided to inspect the post-dinner carnage. She blessed the wine, which is good. Ok, she was really looking for scraps left over. She loves her food!

I did the non dish washer washing up and Mum dried. We had to tell Michael to go and sit down and relax for a while. He's still healing from his biopsy last week. It didn't take too long. Thank goodness for dish washers! Think we're going to want one for our next house!

Then it was back for more play time! Grandma Hartley got in on the action as well this time!


This is Ted's little dance. It's very cute. Obviously.


AH! SQUEE! Look how happy he is! Annabel, if you're reading this. please go and give him a big kiss from me! Just coz!

Cue montage of happy faces made by Google!
Thank you, Google!

Ted will be 10 months old on New Year's Day. He LOVES being on his feet and sort of knows what to do to walk. Obviously, it's too advanced for him at this point, but just standing up is a joy to him!


All smiles! :)

Two of the other residents of the Hartley Household were present and observing the Christmas festivities!


Bellatrix is a very social cat and loves attention and fuss. Boris is more an observer but is also a little flirt and a very handsome man cat!

So Ted got to open his presents from Auntie Whiney and Uncle Dino. One was chosen by Paul specifically for Ted and the other was bought on request from Mummy.


We bought Ted his first drums! There are other instruments in there but the drum and the tambourine were instant hits!


It's good to see him actually liking what we have bought him!


We also bought him Elvis the Activity Elephant, seen here on top of the drum. This isn't as fun as the drum kit, so off Elvis went!


Me thinks he loves his drum. I like to think he's giving it a big kiss...not just putting his mouth on it like kids do. That's definitely an 'I love my drum' kiss! :)

Unsurprisingly, but a little amazingly, given the noise, my Dad fell asleep. The other men in my life found this hilarious.


Yep - that happened. We were going to change his Facebook picture to it, but thought that would be cruel!

Mum decided that we should get a picture of her and Ted with sleepy Granddad. OK.


Ted then wanted to explore why Granddad wasn't joining in on play time!


There's only one thing for it: we're going to have to crawl on Granddad.


Ted kept touching Dad's face. Much to the amusement of my Mum who was in her annual fit of giggles!

Thank you for the montage again, Google!

You do see correctly. Ted is groping at my Dad's mouth and my Dad is still sound asleep!


Nearly a fish-hook there, Ted! Still no response from Granddad!


Hahahahahahahahaha! He did not wake up at all during this interaction!

Ted went for his bath and then to bed where he did NOT want to sleep. Poor Michael and Annabel! We stayed downstairs and had a chat.

Dad only woke up with the promise of cheese and port. We had cheese and port and Paul tried to persuade Mum and Dad to come out to stay with us in France next year. Hmmm.

Mum and Dad left, then we retired to the living room and watched Star Trek which was on tv. The original Trek and TNG were always on in the house when we were growing up so there is no surprise that I could easily sit and watch this with my bro!

Paul was tired and went to bed. Annabel watched most of it then too, went to sleep, knowing she'd be up in the night a couple of times with Ted. Michael and I watched to the end of the film then also went to bed.


Bellatrix was already snoozing.

It's 9pm. Lame.

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