Santa's grotto

One side of our living room looks a little like Santa's grotto: full of tinsel and bright coloured Christmas lights. It would be in poor taste if we didn't have a baby. She loves it. Beanie keeps staring and staring at the glittery gold tinsel and smiling at the lights as if she's sharing a secret with the Christmas decorations. She's got her first advent calendar thanks to Nanny Hils. Mummy has been helping her with the daily chocolates and Daddy has been helping with the lighting of the advent candle. She's also got her first Christmas tree decoration; a beautiful fairy from Nanna and Papa, although we have opted not to have a tree this year as the real ones are too messy and the nice ones are too expensive, so we've borrowed some of my Mum and Dad's decorations to make the place feel more festive and so at least one side of the living room (the other side to Santa's grotto) looks tasteful. In the meantime, we have all been suffering with colds. Azara has had hers for more than a week; I came down with it last weekend, got better and then started feeling rough again today and Jon has been proper poorly (as only men can be) since Thursday. On another health note, tomorrow we are going to Hull to see the specialist about Azara's hip. We'll keep you posted on the results of that and hope that we get good news and she doesn't have to wear her brace any longer. She is getting quite heavy at the moment and the brace is pretty clumsy. It will also be nice for us to let her sit up which she cannot really do with the brace on and also it will mean she can play on her tummy a bit more easily. Time for bed in Terrington, so love to you all and a special get well soon to Great Aunt Fairy from the von Trappers
xxx