Growing Up Fast

I present you with some pictures of Anna, looking far too grown up in her (pre-)school uniform.

This is exactly the same uniform as proper Primary school except the tree logo is a hand-drawn version created by one of the pre-school children and has a smiley face too!

I confess to being one of those soppy uncool mothers who had a silent tear roll down her face when I saw my daughter looking like a little girl and all traces of babyhood gone (including nappies. My daughter is now using a toilet. I will write a blog about it soon.)

Where has the time has gone?? (Sounding even older than I am!!)

The Mummy Club

Aghhhhhhh! It is not often that I feel compelled to write this blog immediately after the event has occurred (It normally takes me months!!!) but I feel that somehow writing it down might act as therapy! I feel the urge to get things off my chest and, as anyone who knows me can testify, with a chest the size of mine, that is hell of a lot of things I need to get off!!!! It will probably come out as garbled mess but feel free to just scratch your heads and wonder what on earth I am talking about! (If proof were needed... I have just written that sentence in capitals and have had to go back and write it again!).

I have just dropped Anna off for her second day at Playschool. Any fears of Anna hating her new school and begging to be taken back to her old one were quickly evaporated as she emerged from school on her first day.

'I love school Mummy. I don't want to go home. Can I stay?'

She talked about it all afternoon including names of all the teachers, all the toys and children who were there along with their parents occupations... and that is where the current problem lies.

I have just been stood in the pouring rain, feeling cold and wet while I have listened to the trials and tribulations of owning horses, taking the Range Rover for a service and not having the leather interior cleaned properly and how that last 2 pounds of weight just won't shift! Aghhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!

I knew I was in trouble when Anna and I strolled up the front gate of the school and saw three brand new range rovers parked on the road.

In the playground, there were 2 distinct groups of parents. The one group of mothers were all dressed in the latest running gear with immaculate trainers looking like they have never ran more than 100 yards in them. Apparently, this is the 'Mummy Running Club' (That is what they call themselves) that takes place in the village every Friday morning at 9.15am. It is ran by a man called 'Owen' who is (and I quote) 'Absolutely delightful and very pleasing on the eye'. One mother informed the group that she was considering hiring him as her personal trainer but would just tell her husband that the money was going to charity, where she volunteers on a Wednesday.

The second group was the horsey set. They were all dressed in their barbour jackets and Joules jumpers with their muddy wellies (At this point, I have to admit that I was in my wellies too but it was raining and at least I was not about to go mucking out and bragging about it!!). The conversation went something along the lines of ' Stable Fees are ghastly at the moment and don't even get me started on the fees to re-shoe. Poor Willow had a stumble in the paddocks yesterday and I could not get her back in her stable. Now she needs new shoes which are going to cost, at least, a good few hundred. It is all a ghastly nightmare' while all the other mum's nod in agreement. I am not exaggerating!

They are all dressed immaculately without a hair out of place and make-up looking pristine. Meanwhile, I am stood there with rain dripping off my nose, my hair looking like I have been dragged through a hedge backwards and not an inch of designer clothes on me. Oh dear! I bet they all serve organic food to their little darlings every day and insist that Waitrose is the only place to get their groceries. It was like one of those scenes you see in a comedy sketch but, unfortuantely, this was real and these mother's do exist!

For any passer-by, they would have been able to pick out the passer-by from a mile off as Anna and I stood in the corner on our own! You are probably all thinking that I should have just joined in but I have not the faintest idea about horses and would struggle to tell one end of a horse from another and, as for the running... Ha Ha Ha! If I turned up wearing Running gear, people would think I was off to a fancy dress party.

So I have 2 choices, I can continue to look like a complete outsider who has stumbled into the wrong party and doesn't know what the hell is going on or I can become one of them! I don't relish the prospect of either. If I ever start whinging about stable prices and the fact that Anna needs a bigger pony as she has outgrown her pony called Jasper, you have permission to shoot me! I may own a pair of Joules wellies but that is where the similarities between me and the horsey set end.

Maybe I could be accused of positive discrimination. Maybe I am being an inverted snob who expected it to be like this and so fail to see the true picture. However, I find it hard to believe that talking about the millions it costs in stable fees and how the kitchen needs 'tradesmen to look at it' can be perceived as anything other than rather well-to-do! Maybe you are all sat there reading this thinking that I only have myself to blame. After all, we were the one's who chose to move to the country and live in a nice village with nice houses. However, is it to much to ask for a nice school in a nice village with some normal down-to-earth parents who don't look and sound like they have just walked off the set of a Jilly Cooper adaptation!

Therefore, I am on a mission to seek out the mum who is feeling like me and we can become an exclusive little club together. Unfortunately, they seem rather thin on the ground at the moment but I can live in hope! Then all of those other mother's can all look at us and not have the faintest idea what we are talking about as we discuss the latest going-on in Eastenders or how Fish Fingers just dont taste like they used to!

Right... I am off to do the ironing while watching Jeremy Kyle, just to feel normal again!

Moving On

The Gibson's are on the move! I am sure that this will come as a huge relief to the neighbours who now don't have to be forced to listen to Anna play her drum/keyboard/recorder just before bedtime or the shouting from Anna when we suggest that she might like to use her potty (Still no luck on that front. Don't even get me started!!!).

The house selling process has been stressful to say the least. We had it on the market for 3 months before accepting an offer (in the midst of recession which was interesting timing!) and in that time we had 18 viewings. Everyone kept telling me that was fantastic but, to look at it in another way - that is 15 people who didn't like it! (The 3 viewers at the end did like it and got to the offer stage) Trying to keep the home in a 'show home' condition when you have a 2 year old is not easy! As I tided up one corner of the living room, I would see the entire contents of the toy box being emptied in the other corner!

The helpful estate agents also suggested that we should keep Anna very quiet and peaceful whilst showing people around. The only time when Anna is peaceful and quiet is asleep or watching Peppa Pig/Postman Pat. However, we were also told that the TV should not be on as having a TV on whilst showing people around does not create the correct ambiance. Thankfully, I left James to do the showing around while I took Anna to the park (August and September) or drove around the streets of Chester for half an hour while my car became a make-shift mobile disco for Anna as she sat dancing in her car seat (which Anna thought was fantastic!!!).

18 viewings later and 3 keen buyers all wanting to put offers in (all coming in the last week - they're like buses!!), we accepted and started looking to see where we were going to live.

There are several reasons why we felt the need to move. The schools around here are not that great and the one school deemed 'good' is huge (with over 800 pupils at primary level and just under 3000 at High School). Having gone to a village school with less than 100 pupils and even high school having only 300 pupils, I felt that this was completely out of my comfort zone to take Anna there.

I also grew up in Herefordshire in the depths of the countryside and having Anna growing up in the middle of a city wasn't sitting comfortably either. Don't get me wrong - James grew up in a city and dozens of other lovely people that I know and love did, but it just wasn't the idyll that I had in mind for Anna. Having said that, I couldn't ever imagine living back in the countryside where the nearest shop was 3 miles away and getting to a town centre or anywhere with more than 2 shops would involve a 20 minute car journey or half a mile walk to the bus stop to catch a bus that only went on a Wednesday! James can't get his head round that but I never complained. It was all I knew and there are huge benefits - lots of fields to roam around in, angry farm animals chasing you and beautiful scenery (which you never appreciate as a teenager but looking back, I was spoilt with it!) and plenty of fresh air!

I couldn't expect James to go to that lifestyle but we also had come to realise that city life was perfect for a couple but not for us with Anna. So we compromised and wanted somewhere with real village community, a handful of shops, not too far from the city and, very importantly, with good schools.

I hope (and think) we have found that in Tattenhall. It is 6 miles south of Chester and has a really busy village life with toddler groups, toddler classes including dance, music, baby gym as well as adult classes like pilates and yoga. It has a sports club, 3 restaurants and 3 pubs, butchers, post office, newsagents, card shop, tiny library, hairdressers and general store as well a dog grooming salon (bizarrely). It has public footpaths crossing fields, streams and woodland and a village green overlooking the church and school. Importantly, the school also seems good and came in the top 200 schools in the country last year. Academic success is not everything however but, with a school population of 150, I know that Anna will also be recognised as an individual by all staff, regardless of ability. The local high school is also small and catching the school bus will be something that Anna can do when she gets to 11. (Some of my best memories of school were laughing and joking at the back of the school bus. James was worried that kids spit at the back of school buses but he must have gone to a very different school to what I did. Either that or everyone was just scared of the coach driver... who happened to be my mum!!!!)

I really look forward to village life but also realise that being part of such a community means you have to put the effort in. I am hoping that Anna joining the pre-school will introduce me to some of the locals but it may also mean joining other classes, talking to the butcher and being an active member of the village. I'm not sure who should be more afraid - me or them! My friend (who used to live there) has also warned me about the fact that you should probably walk into the post office knowing that the lady behind the counter probably knows more about you than you think! Paranoia comes easily to me so it shouldn't be a problem.

Of course, I am slightly apprehensive too! I think I will miss seeing everyone walk past every day. There's always something going on in our road as we live within walking distance of the local shops as well as the city centre itself. We are moving to a cul-de-sac in a small village so it will seem much quieter. Despite living in a city, you tend to find that the same people walk past our house at the same time every day and I have got to the point where we can say 'Hello'. In fact, only yesterday, the lady who walks past at 9.30am every morning happened to walk past as Anna was getting in the car 'Hasn't she grown' remarked the lady. 'I remember seeing you when you were pushing her in a pram as a new-born! (On second thoughts, maybe she meant that I had grown since then... larger!!!). I will miss that but hope that the village life can one day be the same. Anna and I will both miss Monty the cat who sits proudly at the top of the road, observing all the comings and goings - literally 'top cat'! Monty knows that Anna always says good morning to him and strokes him so he always come running when he sees us. I know it sounds silly but it is the small things that make a difference. I will miss our next door neighbours. It is true to say that they are the nosiest neighbours in the history of neighbourhoods and they can gossip for England, often getting the gossip spectacularly wrong when they have put 2 and 2 together and come up with 46 but entertaining none the less!

I am also feeling guilty. I know that we are moving to give Anna better schooling (amongst other reasons) but she is loving her pre-school. (I also feel guilty about not writing all about it on this blog!) Every morning as she leaves, she shouts a cheery 'See you next time. I love playschool' as she walks out of the school gates! She loves it so much that the pre-school assistants are her heroes. I have been attempting to teach Anna how to draw smiley faces for months and months. Claire (pre-school assistant) shows her once and suddenly Anna can draw them perfectly.

"Who taught you to do that Anna?" I asked, somewhat hurt!!

"Claire" replied Anna proudly.

"But can Claire read stories as well as Mummy" I ask, feeling rather jealous!!!

Anna refused to take part in such a juvenile conversation!

Anna was even listing all her new friends to me on Friday and I suddenly felt like I was going to cry, knowing that I was taking her away from that! The problem is that getting Anna to pre-school for 9am each morning when you live 6 miles away and having to compete with commuters, is just not practical. James reminds me that we had to move sometime and surely it is better to move her now, after only 1 term, than wait until she has been there a year or even worse when she has started primary school ( I refuse to move her once she starts proper school!). Anna does adore pre-school at the moment though and I can only hope and pray that she loves her new pre-school as much (set in the grounds of the village primary school).

However, it is also very exciting to think that we're moving to a house that, all being well, Anna will spend the rest of her childhood in. I do know though that Anna, as a teenager, will resent us for making her live somewhere so quiet and having to catch a bus into town. I will bring her back to where we live now and she will tell me, in the only way that sulky teenagers can, that she wishes we had never moved and found her nice schools and fields! Maybe continuing to live here would mean that Anna would be more street-wise and put her in good stead for university/or the real world? Maybe I worry far too much!

This house does hold lots of wonderful memories. It was our first house together, we came back home to this house when we got married and returned here with Anna when she came out of hospital. It is going to be upsetting to leave but we also have exciting times ahead, adjusting to village life and all that comes with it! As I write this, our house is littered with boxes in every room, filled with the contents of our life. It is rather scary.

I have deliberately left Anna's play room and bedroom until last but, as time gets closer to moving day, I need to start packing those things tomorrow. I wanted to minimise disruption for Anna as much as possible. Despite the dining table having a wall of boxes around it as we eat dinner every night, Anna hasn't batted an eyelid but, once I start touching her belongings, I fear it will be a different story. She has already started to become a little clingy this afternoon and has to be able to see me or hear me at all times.

James and I have done our best to explain the moving process. We found some sticker books that we have completed with her to explain the moving day and the removal company also gave her a lovely book which has a great story in it about moving house. She does seem to understand but it is obviously going to make her a little worried. I'm not quite sure how she is going to be on actual moving day but I have recruited one of Anna's favourite people to help - her Grandad! My dad is actually quite strong and could help with all the heavy lifting but I feel he is much better utilised in the babysitting department on that day! He has said he will take Anna out on her funky moped (See Christmas post below!!) and terrorise the new neighbours!

Let It Snow!

This month has seen snowfall not experienced for a long time. Schools were closed, public transport ground to halt and nobody seemed to go to work except James (He didn't have an excuse - we live very close to a motorway which will take him directly to the entrance to his office block. Boooo!!)
Anna adored the snow. At first, she didn't seem interested in the slightest. When it began to really fall hard with massive flakes, I ran over to the window and said 'Come and look Anna, it is really snowing now'. She happened to glance up from what she was doing and, in her best mock-interested voice said

"Oh Yeah, snow".
"No Anna. Come and look. Come and really look". At which point, I picked her and physically moved her to the window.
"Why is that man running?" (It was our next door neighbour running to keep up with his dog who was pulling him along with the lead)!!!

"The snow Anna. Look at the snow"

"Can I go and play now?" asked Anna
However, it was a whole different story when she actually realised that she could go and play in it.

At first, Anna was a little hesitant to walk in this powdery White stuff that lay deep in our garden. She then took her first tentative steps and said 'It makes a funny noise when you walk'. She then spent the next half an hour tracing her footsteps again and again.

I then suggested making a snowman which Anna thought was a great idea. She then watched as I was bent over double getting a snowball to roll for the next hour! However, when it came to making the face, Anna was fully involved. In fact, it was her idea which materials to use. Stones for the mouth and she showed glimpses of child-genius when she suggested cucumber for the eyes (We had to resort to celery as I had no cucumber left). She then said that our snowman "had to have hair" so went and pulled some leaves off and laid them over his bald patch. Of course, as is obligatory, we had to have a carrot for a nose. Unfortunately, the snow was a little too soft and as Anna and I tried to gently push the carrot onto the snowman's face, the whole face crumbled. This could have mentally scarred Anna for life seeing Mr Snowman's face crumble before her very eyes but she just laughed and said 'Oh Dear Mummy. You have to do it again". I then spent the next hour doing reconstructive surgery. We then found a much smaller carrot,which worked perfectly!
As we both stood back to look at our creative masterpiece, I said 'Isn't our Snowman great Anna'. Anna just looked at me and said 'It is not a snowman Mummy. It is too small. It is a snowbaby'. Thanks for that Anna! I had spent 2 and a half hours making the thing and was getting told off for it being too small!
After 2 and a half hours in the snow, I thought it was time to go inside. Anna had other ideas. Despite her hands being blue (She point blank refused to wear gloves), we then had a tantrum because she wanted to "play in the snow until tea time". This was 11am in he morning. There was no way! Luckily I bribed her with warm milk and a sprinkle of chocolate and it was only when the chocolate was mentioned that she gave in!
For the rest of the week, Anna and I went for walks in the snow. Anna became fascinated and, dare I say, slightly obsessed with the foot prints left in the snow. She was actually getting quite good at identifying them by the end of the week too. We saw cat, dog, squirrel, birds and even rabbit's footprints. Anna asked what footprints her cube would make. I explained that it doesn't have feet so can't make foot prints, to which Anna informed me that the cubes rolls around when it goes to the shops and that would make prints in the snow. Of course it does!
Anna was also fascinated by the hoards of school children (and some accompanying parents) who were using the cycleway, at the end of our road, as a sledging hill. In fact, it was perfect as the sledges sped down there at terrific speeds and, for the more adventurous, they would opt to go hurtling over the edge of the path and disappear into the undergrowth! "Can I have a go" asked Anna. I wasn't so sure and Anna must have sensed my trepidation. "Don't worry Mummy. I will ask Daddy when he gets home. He will let me". Glad to see I am not considered the 'soft' parent!!! (Thankfully, the snow went soon after so the sledging conversation didn't happen!!)

Christmas Highlights

I know, I know, Christmas feels like it was months ago but yet here I am writing about it! I would love to say that this was intentional and I wanted to leave it a whole month in order to adequately reflect on the festive period. That would be me talking rubbish! I just haven't had time! In my defence, I have been preparing to move house which I have come to learn is one of the most stressful tasks ever known and one I will not be repeating for the next 50 years (I hope!)
So the Festive season is well and truly over for another year. After eating more chocolate than most people eat in a year, putting on 5 million stone in weight and wondering where all of the toys will go (I may have finally found a solution to that problem this year. It is rather an expensive and stressful solution though, seeing as though it requires moving house in 2 days!!! More about that at a later date!), I have found the time to sit down and write this blog.
So, thinking back to what already seems like a year ago, what were the highlights of Christmas 2009 (in no particular order)???

• The look on Anna's face when she realised that all this Father Christmas stuff was actually real! Instead of just being some story that the adults harp on about for the entire month of December, it is actually true and Father Christmas does actually come down your chimney, eat a mince pie and drink a glass of milk and leave you a Doll's house. Anna woke up on Christmas morning and a very excited Mummy and Daddy asked her whether she thought Father Christmas has been and left any presents. Anna looked at us both and said 'Yes, I think so. Let's go back to bed now' before she climbed up into our bed, presented a story book and asked me to read it. 'Don't you want to go and see if Father Christmas has come'? I asked. 'Story first' replied Anna. I think Anna genuinely thought that meeting Father Christmas and writing letters to him was just a game and not actually going to result in anything. Imagine her surprise when she walked into the living room and saw a huge present, only to discover the much-wanted Doll's house that she had been asking for had been left. Words would fail me if I tried to describe the huge beaming smile that appeared along with 'Woooooooow'. Magic can happen!

• Another highlight was the moment when Anna evicted the Sylvanian family (Bear Family, Mouse Family and Labrador's) from their home and made it perfectly clear that they were no longer welcome in her Doll's house. The Doll's house had been purchased with them in mind but Anna was having none of it. She placed them on the opposite side of the room and then let them watch on helplessly as she moved Peppa Pig and her family in (Luckily, they are perfectly sized for Daddy Pig to sit in the armchair watching TV and George to sleep in the bunk beds etc). 'But where are the Sylvanian's going to sleep?' I said, pretending to sound very concerned for the Sylvanian's welfare. Anna looked at me and sighed before disappearing. She returned with the Sylvanian family Caravan and put it down next to the Sylvanian characters. 'I think the caravan might be a bit small for all 3 Sylvanian families to live in' I said, still trying to sound as though I was deeply concerned for their welfare. 'No Mummy. They can live in the caravan' said Anna in a very firm voice!
  

• Watching 'The Snowman' on Christmas Eve with Grandad Peter, Auntie Sally and Uncle Ben while the snow lay deep, fresh and new outside. Anna became totally absorbed in the story as she lay on her Daddy's lap in her new Christmas pyjamas that the elves had given her, especially for Christmas Eve. It was just unfortunate that the snowman melted at the end and made Anna cry. (I have never seen her that engrossed in a programme before so didn't dream that it would have that effect!

• James and I being gobsmacked when Uncle Steve and Auntie Carolyne presented their gift to Anna! A fully motorised electric moped! Rest assured, it doesn't go very fast so is perfectly safe but apparently it can go a considerable distance before running out of power. I can only imagine what our new neighbours think as they first set eyes on the new family that have moved in as Anna goes trundling along the pavement on her moped, carrying her cube in the basket behind her and waving as she drives past the pedestrians. We will certainly become quickly well-known in the village! It needs to be seen to be believed as Anna goes trundling along, flashing her lights and beeping her horn. She looks like one of those little old ladies on their mobility scooter who have rules of the road known only to them! I still continue to laugh aloud every time I see Anna riding her funky moped!

• Seeing Uncle Matthew and Auntie Ulriikka. Living so far away means it is extra special when we get to spend time with them (It is also a highlight for me as they bought me some Finnish chocolate. Finnish 'Milk Chocolate with frozen strawberry yoghurt centre' is pure heaven itself. I first tasted it when in Finland. That chocolate is almost gorgeous enough to announce that I am emigrating to Finland. I would die from eating so much of it that I would explode but I would die happy!)

• Anna's discovery of board games. Up until this Christmas, Anna has never really got the concept of board games but, after being so kindly given some from friends and family, she loves them! In fact, ever since returning home, we have had to play a board game EVERY night after dinner whilst still sat around the dinner table. We get to spend time playing games as a family and, with fear of sounding rather twee and old-fashioned, it is rather lovely! Anna is becoming shockingly good at Peter Rabbit Dominoes and her Peppa Pig memory game and can usually beat both James and I, even when I am trying really hard (James says I am far too competitive and should let Anna play her own rules but even when she plays the proper rules, Anna wins!!!)
  

• Visiting Uncle Steve and Auntie Carolyne in their new home as well as seeing the sheep, ducks, cows, cats and chickens. Playing with Tetley (Their 6 week old puppy) was one of Anna's biggest highlights this Christmas. Despite the playful pup trying to nip her toes and chase her every 5 seconds, Anna loved him and did not seem in the slightest bit fearful. In fact at one point, she exclaimed 'He is certainly wild.' Goodness only knows where Anna got that phrase from but it was certainly true!
  

• One of the biggest highlights was Anna and I watching her Grandad Flob, her Uncle Matthew, Uncle Henry and her Daddy singing karaoke. I had never seen this side of Flob before so Anna certainly hadn't! Flob is a scientist and I consider him to be quite an intellectual (I got excited when I had actually heard of one of the books that he and Matthew were discussing!) and always imagine he is very good at his job as a lead inspector of nuclear power stations (being very serious and matter of-fact). So seeing him belt out the classic 'All Night Long' by Lionel Ritchie as Henry, Matthew and James sat on the sofa behind him singing backing vocals was quite a sight to be hold. I laughed very loudly and still laugh about it when I picture it in my head! Anna was stunned. She even stopped dancing to behold this spectacle before her, as she stood there looking very puzzled as to what had come over them all! It is one of those memories I will think about if I am ever having a bad day and it will put a smile on my face regardless!

Thank you to every one of you who was so kind and generous to give Anna a gift. Every single present was a huge hit and Anna is a very lucky young lady to have so many people who love her and who she loves too!

An Angelic Performance

Anna has performed in her first ever Nativity play.

It is very strange to see 20 3 and 4 year-olds all dressed up singing 'We Wish You a Merry Christmas' while 40 parents are all snivelling and crying in the audience with the children wondering what the fuss is about!

Anna ended up being a Reindeer. I'm not sure why she wasn't an angel as originally planned but it might have had something to do with the not-so-angelic way that she insisted on watching her fellow performers act and refusing to look at the audience! While all the other reindeer's wore their antlers, Anna also insisted on using them as handle bars for, what looked like, a pretend motorbike! I imagine that the same scenario probably occurred with angel wings or her halo, hence the Reindeer role.

I was actually told that Anna chose to be a Reindeer after having a change of heart about the angel. I'm not sure how much of that is true, especially considering the information above but who wants to be angel anyway?? Boring angels just get to stand there looking angelic while Reindeer's prance around the stage having fun.

The actual content of the Nativity was an interesting portrayal of the Christmas story. It began with the Reindeer's (Anna opened the show!!) singing Jingle Bells while shaking bells manically with one little boy shaking his bells so enthusiastically that he ended up hitting people over the head with them... accidentally on purpose!

The angels then came on and sang some bland song (Who wants to be an angel anyway!!!) but did look beautiful and very angelic.

There was then a short play about Father Christmas who fell over and the mice came to help but a cat chased them away. Then, I think there was a twist to the tale but the child who was due to act out the narrative suddenly got shy and a huge part of the story got missed but it then all concluded with the mice and cat being friends and Father Christmas sat on his sleigh! I'm not sure who wrote this particular play but I am pretty certain that it wasn't Shakespeare!

There was then a short interlude where the cast had a costume change. Well... most of the cast! Apparently Anna refused to take her Reindeer costume off so, for the first time in the history of the Nativity story, there was a Reindeer in the stable amongst Mary, Joseph and Baby Jesus. I think Anna was just feeling sorry for the donkey who had been forgotten off the cast list so this was her actual portrayal of the often forgotten donkey. She just wasn't able to explain this to anyone!!

The actual story was left unspoken, except for Joseph who kept shouting 'MUM, take my picture. Don't get her in it' while pointing to Mary. The children then all sang 'Away in a Manger' (a more accurate statement would be that the adult helpers sang while the children looked a little confused!) before a photo opportunity was then announced. I would love to publish a photo on here but Anna had her back to the audience throughout!

James didn't know what to expect but he did look rather puzzled throughout. However, despite the slight confusion, it still saw me reduced to tears, seeing my little girl looking so grown up and dressed as a Reindeer!!

Meeting Father Christmas

I felt that I had to write a separate blog post about meeting the big man, just because it felt extra-special and deserved a post all of it's own.

Like the whole weekend at Alton Towers, I wasn't sure what to expect when we met Father Christmas. However, I did live in hope that, being a big tourist attraction, they would be able to conjure up something special. I could never have dreamed about how good it actually was going to be.

Alton Towers had created a forest by buying the entire contents of an actual forest and transporting it to Alton Towers. OK, I admit that this may have been actually better if the forest had been authentic but I can't blame Alton Towers for not having a huge forest placed in the middle of their theme park for 12 months of the year. This forest was filled with Christmas Trees covered in snow. Then, on top of the hill covered in trees, you could make out the rooftop of a wooden lodge with smoke coming out the chimney.

Thankfully, due to an extremely effective system, there was no queueing so, at our allocated time, we made our way to the foot of the forest where a friendly Elf called 'Pumpkin' was there to meet us. She talked to Anna and asked her what she wanted for Christmas. I was a little worried at first as Anna had just ranted at me that she was tired and wanted to sleep but she soon perked up when the topic of presents came up! 'A Doll's house please' said Anna. 'Phew' thought her Mummy!

'Pumpkin' then told Anna to look up towards the hill and there coming down to greet us was a fellow Elf called 'Petal'. She explained that she would take us to see Father Christmas and began to lead us up the hill through the forest of trees. We then came to a crossroads with 3 paths leading off. Petal told us that one path lead to the Elves Workshop while the other lead to Mrs Christmas' kitchen. We even got the faint smell of spiced apple (just to make it smell little more Christmassy!!).

Then, we continued up the hill and came to a huge wooden lodge with an old rocking chair sitting on the veranda and a huge old oak door. We knocked on the door and walked in.

Anna confidently strode in and then stopped very abruptly while staring at Father Christmas sat in his old Armchair, next to a roaring Fire and a hot steaming cup of coffee sat on the table beside him. (Not sure where the Health and Safety inspector was - a hot drink and young children should never be in a 50 mile radius of each other in public spaces according to my old teaching training. I would have liked to see the Risk Assessment but didn't like to ask!!!!). Anna took at least 30 seconds to just stand there with her mouth open, taking it all in. She then shouted 'Look, it's Father Christmas' before racing over him and giving him a huge cuddle. She then took a seat on the stool next to Father Christmas and proceeded to tell him all about the elves and how nice his house was! When Father Christmas could get a word in edge ways, he asked her what she would like and a Dolls house was requested. 'Please can I have a dolls house please. Thank you. A doll's house please thank you very much. please. thank you'.

Father Christmas then explained that Anna would have to go to bed early on Christmas Eve and leave out some carrots for the reindeer and a cake for him. Anna nodded her head and then looked at me and said 'Cake Mummy', making sure I had noted it down somewhere.

As a Thank you for visiting him, he then presented Anna with a small gift to play with until Christmas Eve. At first, I feared that Anna thought this was the actual doll's house and I could envisage tears that Father Christmas was unable to meet her request. Thankfully, she soon realised what was going on and thanked him, with no prompting from anyone. In fact, both 'Petal' and Father Christmas congratulated Anna on being 'the politest young lady we have met this weekend'. Apparently, most children needed prompting to say Thank you. Anna knows how to play the game!

After a good long chat with the man himself, we headed for the door. Anna, unable to take her eyes off him, backed up to the door as though looking away would somehow break the magic spell. We then said 'Goodbye' and we walked back through the forest. Anna telling us all about Father Christmas (forgetting that we were all there when she met him).

As Petal waved us goodbye, Anna opened her gift and was extremely impressed to find a Ballerina Bunny called Belinda (a big cuddly toy). Anna has not let her go since. I think it is reminding her that she did actually meet Father Christmas and this Christmas magic might all be real after all!!!