Sheepish

That's me. I think I wrote something along the lines of 'I'll update you with how Christmas went' and then bobbed off to church, for our Christmas Eve meal and to open a lot of presents and didn't come back. Anyone who was reading my blog before has probably given up and gone somewhere much more exciting, but I have finally recovered from the excesses of the festive season and am going to endeavour to spend 2009 updating here more regularly. So er, come back and hold me to it!

Anyway, Christmas was lovely. T awoke at a godly hour, enjoyed opening the first of his presents, napped and then ate dinner beautifully, revealing a previously unknown love of roast potatoes. And gravy, into which he stuck his fingers before sucking them. I know, I know, the salt content (eek!) but one day wont kill him. Besides, it's not like I gave him Ferrero Rocher for breakfast. To be honest, that's mainly because this year noone bought us any! He did share my smoked salmon bagel though, a boy with such good taste!

Presents this year were in turns big, noisy or both. Hits included a 1m high stack of In The Night Garden wooden blocks (for banging, building, destroying), a trike (thank you Aunty Clare!) and a mouse on wheels from my Mum.

We also received an amazing selection of new books. T loves to 'read'. He'll happily sit with a pile of board books, turn the pages and babble to himself. Now he's such a star at bedtime too (note to self, find out how to change title of blog!) he loves to be read 'proper' stories in bed before turning over, snuggling in with his poodle (not a real poodle, an IKEA soft toy which he snuggled during a shopping trip, which twanged my ovaries and my wallet) and going off to sleep.

New year was quiet. We enjoyed a freezing walk at Bolton Abbey on New year's Eve. That's me on the stepping stones.
Given that we're amongst friends I can admit that, shortly after this picture was taken, I chickened out and came back, before walking over the bridge. It wasn't just because I was worried about getting my new Christmas Uggs (thank you Mummy!) wet, but those stones wobble, and I knew our bracing walk would have been out had I gone up to my knees in fast flowing, freezing but crystal clear Yorkshire water.

We spent the evening at home, eating Marks and Spencer's finest and drinking home-made cocktails. That makes us sound quite metropolitain, but actually there was cherryade involved. Yum though. One of the best things about living up in Rammy is that, from an elevated position over the valley which cradles the city of Manchester and its environs, we get a panoramic view of new year's fireworks. At midnight, my husband and I jostled for position at our attic window, drinks in hand, and enjoyed our own personal show. Sadly the noise woke T (not the fireworks, the noise of two slightly drunken overweight parents creeping quietly - watch that creaky step - up to the top of the house) although after being allowed to snuggle with Mummy and Daddy on the sofa and watch the end of the Hootenany he was much happier, and let us lie in until 9 am on January 1.

It all seems like so long ago now though. 2009 is well and truly underway. We've had our first illness of the new year, T's reaction to his MMR jabs, and we're both back at work. I haven't made any resolutions this year, although getting rid of the stone (a whole one!) I've put on since going back to work would be nice. I do have dreams though, small hopes I'm carrying in my heart. This year is going to be a good one.