Happy New Year! The Christmas break really felt like such a long one this year and it was so lovely to be able to spend so much time together as a family. John only went back to work on Thursday this week too, so it’s been nice to just ease back into things. Although the bump back to solo parenting was a bit of a sharp reality check!

 

01. We decided to head out to the Devil’s Punchbowl for a walk on the Bank Holiday as it was such a gorgeous day. Unfortunately the rest of the world had the same idea and we had to queue for about 30 minutes just to get into the car park! But it was well worth it once we’d parked up - the views across Surrey are absolutely stunning in the winter sunshine and I took some gorgeous snaps of Max and John on my phone.

 

 

02. Max got a rocket and spaceman toy from his Uncle for Christmas which he loves. On the way back from nursery this week the moon was really bright, so John was telling him about the moon and how you get there. So of course when Max got home he wanted to take his spaceship outside and launch it to the moon! But what was even cuter was when he put the spaceman inside the rocket and said “I love you Spaceman!” My eyes just met with John’s and we both had the biggest smiles! I said afterwards, I’ve not heard ‘I love you Mummy’, or ‘I love you Daddy’, so it’s good to know where you stand in the grand scheme of things!

 

03. Despite some hiccups with our Christmas plans as a result of Max having chickenpox, we had a lovely Christmas break. It’s amazing how much children grow up in a year, but the way Max totally embraced everything Christmas-related this year was wonderful to see. Whether it was writing Christmas cards, posting them through the neighbours’ letterboxes, decorating biscuits, setting out a mince pie for Santa, or opening his presents, he threw himself fully into everything. It was so much fun to go into him on Christmas morning, say ‘Happy Christmas’ and see his eyes light up as he exclaimed “Christmas… SANTA!!”

 

04. I really love all of the staff at Max’s nursery - they have such a great bond with the children and really do care about them. Max went running up to his key worker on his first day back and gave her a big hug, and told her all about what Santa had brought him for Christmas. I’m so grateful to have found a nursery where I trust them to look after Max and where he loves going.

 

 

05. We visited Alice Holt woods this week for a very cold walk around their Gruffalo trail. We did it this time last year too - I really must organise going in the summer when it’s warmer! We went with my sister, my nephew and my parents and I was struck again by how well Max gets on with his cousin these days. They’re both like little shadows of each other, and just take turns copying the other one. At one point they were both inside a little den, howling like wolves!