Following our low-key Yuletide celebrations, the Christmas put on by the various grandparents was truly magnificent. This was effectively Bernard’s first Christmas, despite being his third, because in fact it was the first time he really appreciated what was going on. Herebelow follow a few highlights.
- A week in pants with no spills; not yet fully potty-trained but doing alright tyvm.
- On being given the task of hanging candy canes on the Yule Twig, he hung them all carefully on the same branch. The only one he could reach on his own, to be fair.
- Bernard had so many presents that he didn’t finish opening them until yesterday. He likes to play with things very thoroughly before moving on to the next item, so the only stuff that was passed over quickly was boring things like t-shirts and a rolling pin.
- Waking before 5am on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, despite us deliberately not building any anticipation factor into the proceedings, and no mention of Father Christmas.
- Consequently, falling asleep during Christmas dinner at a restaurant. They cleared the starters, his head started to nod, so I lifted him out of the high chair on to my knee and he was asleep in seconds. He spent the main course asleep on the bench with his head on my knee and his feet on Pete’s, and woke up just in time for pudding.
- The most fabulously compliant behaviour, and compliments from several parties on what an adorable child he is.
- Wonderful conversations about all sorts of things. On Saturday we talked about going home. Home too far away, he told me; Taz[1] can’t reach it.
- Remote control cars, almost worn out already. Wooden digger and tractor. Ride-on plastic Ferrari. Many train-related presents. Many, many, many presents.
- Pretty lights, or pretties, as he calls them.
- He has suddenly taking to complaining that’s not right! when we try to perform dull maintenance activities such as getting dressed.
- If I think of anything else, I’ll add it here.
- Taz is what he currently calls himself [↩]