Tag Archives: Christmas

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First Christmas

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Wednesday, 25 December 2013: Two Hundred and Sixty Eight Days Old.

Well, I think it’s safe to say Ayla’s first Christmas was a huge success.

The day started off with a sleep in (I know, awesome!) til 8.30 then Ayla was up and ready to see if Santa had come.

And he had!

Ayla’s stocking was full of little nic-nacs and there were presents oozing out from under the tree, we didn’t know where to start!

I think I even had myself believing in Santa’s magic again, even if just for a moment or two, as I walked Ayla around the tree explaining what had happened overnight.

Ayla is a very lucky girl indeed! From Santa she got a bucket of shaped blocks and a very cool push-along walker toy, and in her stocking was a couple of teething toys, a Schleich Shetland pony, some bubbles and a book about colours.

From her Mummy and Daddy, Ayla got a ladybug bouncing ball, a pop-up book called “Little Tadpoles Big Surprise”, a tambourine drum and a set of crayons with an art pad.

From friends and family Ayla got everything from gorgeous outfits to stuffed animals, from electronic learning toys to books and games.

Ayla even received a pair of genuine Baby Raybans and a beautiful butterfly bracelet engraved with her name.

Although most of our family is interstate, thanks to the wonders of FaceTime we were able to include them in our Christmas morning as they watched Ayla open her gifts.

It was great to know that despite thousands of kilometres they could still share in Ayla first Christmas, and see her face light up as her presents were unwrapped.

But after the gift giving, unwrapping and thanking was over we were off to our neighbours house for a street-party champagne breakfast, complete with bacon and eggs!

The afternoon was spent cleaning up and getting ready to go away on holidays tomorrow, and from evening to night we gorged ourselves leftovers while relaxing the couch with a wine, watching our little Baby Ayla play with her new toys.

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Paper? What paper?!

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Monday, 23 December 2013 Thirty Eight Weeks Old.

Everyone’s been telling me that at Ayla’s age she’ll be more interested in the paper than the presents on Christmas morning, but I’m afraid I’m going to have to beg to differ!

We had some friends pop over tonight for a Christmas Eve Eve celebration and they came bearing a gift for Baby Ayla.

Just like when she opened her gift from “Aunty” Ali the other day, Ayla was quick to realise there was a goodie hidden inside the crinkly stuff with Santa’s printed on it.

As soon as Ayla saw a glimmer of the sparkling FisherPrice fish tank she was mesmerised, staring at the piece of present peeking out beneath the wrapping.

I had to help her peel the paper back further, and once Ayla saw the whole gift she started squealing and bobbing up and down in delight.

Paper? What paper!?

It might have just been that Ayla’s “Aunty” Kez and “Uncle” Collie nailed the gift selection, or it could be a sign of things to come.

And that on Christmas morning in two days time, we can expect our little house to be filled with gorgeous wide eyes and adorable shrieks of excitement as Ayla opens her presents.

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Thing One & Thing Two

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There are two things worth mentioning today…

    Thing One

Baby Ayla got upgraded on our boat today.

She’s now too big (and active) for a baby bouncer, so when we took her out water skiing this morning we had to find Ayla a new digs.

And, we created the perfect place! Up the front, in the shade and with a great view of the rest of the boat Ayla was happy and at home while we cruised about on the dam with some friends.

    Thing Two

We finished off the day with a Christmas dinner at a friends place, and it was here where Ayla showed her first ever sign of proper sookiness!

Where Ayla’s usually stoked to be cuddled by others tonight all she wanted was her Mummy and Daddy and she wasn’t afraid to cry for us!

It was endearing, but a little embarrassing, when Ayla started crying if Hubby or I left the room, if we put her down, or if she saw us again and remembered we’d actually left her for a moment or two while she was distracted.

I think Ayla’s clinginess was due to a combination of sore teeth, tiredness and the fact that she is now fully aware who her family is.

The fact that Ayla is usually so independent and social made meant her clinginess was very out of character, and it was a rare vulnerability we were happy to indulge for the night.

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Presents

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Thursday, 19 December 2013: Two Hundred and Sixty One Days Old.

With just five days ’til Christmas the pool of presents under our tree is widening.

And that raises the age old question… How much is too much?

It’s hard enough to find a hope for a balance between our gifts and Santa’s, but then there’s all the presents from friends and family.

People are so generous! It’s overwhelming and heart warming and kind, and something I didn’t account for when I planned Ayla’s first ever Christmas gift list.

So now, given the pace set by Ayla today when she got to unwrap an early Christmas from her “Aunty” Ali, it looks like our Christmas morning will extend well into Christmas night!

But it also looks like Ayla will get the hang of unwrapping pretty quickly, we’ll just have to watch she doesn’t damage the gift inside!

Can’t wait 🙂

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Two things

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Sunday, 1 December 2013: Eight Months Old.

Today is December 1st and that means two things;

1. Ayla is eight months old (eek!)
and….
2. It’s Christmas!

It was also Carols by Candlelight night, which was a beautiful way to celebrate both things at the same time.

I hadn’t been to a Carols night since I was a little girl, and to see Baby Ayla playing with the candles (battery operated), singing err… screeching… to the music and watching all the other kids run amok was so cute!

It was also great to kick back on the picnic rug and catch up with Hubby.

The Carols, which share a venue with an annual music festival, highlighted to us just how much our lives have changed over the past eight months.

Within five minutes of arriving at the festival we would have seen a dozen people we know, but during the whole Carols we saw only three “acquaintances”.

But despite the change, we felt we were exactly where we should be – a new, happy, healthy little family, just hanging out together.