Christmas Countdown - 23

Today's move is: Home Alone 2

We also had Zachary's post op check up at the hospital with the plastic surgeon today. All is looking good and is where it should be. Yay! Releif! We've got to go back in another 6 months for a check-up and then he should be discharged (hopefully never to need their services again). So, good news for Christmas!
Today's activity is: Baby Christmas Meet Up

The Baby Crew

Now that some of our friends have had babies in the last year, and they will all be in the same school year with the Smaller Person, and hitting the same milestones together, we decided it would be nice to have a meet up for them all together.

I asked Zacky to smile, he turned around and...I got this!

We met at our favourite haunt, The Almanack, at the top of Kenilworth town. It's inbetween for all of us and is kid friendly. Oh my gosh was it busy! First we struggled to find parking. then it took us about half hour to get a table, and the table we got was tiny!

Christmas babies :)

2 ladies were sat at the long sofa tables by the window, their drinks empty (and had been for about 20 minutes - I was watching incase the table became free!) and we were trying to squeeze 7 adults, 4 highchairs and a 6year old around a table designed for 4. Simone very politely asked if they'd mind swapping with us explaining why. The one lady looked over at where we were all piled on top of each other and said "no I think I like it here thanks". Now, I understand that it's perfectly within her right to do so, it was their table, they got there first, but it just strikes me as sadly unfriendly and a little selfish. I would have swapped with a larger group in that situation, but there you go. We did manage to absorb another small table into the centre of our group and extend ourselves a little.

The Small Person and Auntie Simone.

Once we were all settled we had lunch, chatted, shared our Christmas plans, cooed over the sweet little people and just enjoyed ourselves. We also exchanged gifts (just for the children).

Mr and Mrs Best, Baby Best and Monty (also answers to Uncle Ted).

 This is what I've been working hard at these stocking for. It should be a law that every child, no, every human being (extended to human like pets) should have a homemade personalised stocking. Really, it should. Stockings are my 'thing'.

Presents!

At our house, everyone who visits on Christmas day has a special stocking hung on the stairs made by me. Most that are hanging there now were made waaaaay back in 2003 and have really seen better days. I've been saying for the past 2 or 3 years that I need to replace them, and the plan is to replace them all with Disney character stockings (either the favourite of the person who's stocking it is, or a character that makes us think of them). I haven't gotten very far with that plan, but who knows, there's always next year!

Ethan, his Mummy and Daddy and his new stocking.

The babies stockings each have a non-Disney Rudolph on. They are made of crushed velvet, felt and embroidery floss, with a ribbon loop and red satin bow and a little jingle bell. Everything apart from the side seams is hand stitched. Had I have had more time they would have been padded and lined. But I didn't. So they're not. I use a blanket stitch to fix each of the felt pieces in place and also along the top an bottom of the stocking cuff, I use chain stitch for the name, and back stitch for any details on the actual characters.

Stocking love.

Each stocking has a vtech noisy vehicle, a pair of xmas slipper socks, some Milky Bar buttons and bars, a First Christmas tree decoration, the they each have an individual present. Ethan has a book and some clippo blocks, Isla has a pink first Christmas teddy bear, and Jake has a bug rattle/teether.

Little Princess.

The mummies and daddies may use the stockings every year, or they may not want to use them at all. I am in a minority of crafters in our friendship group, so I'm never sure how a homemade gift will be recieved. All I know is, I enjoyed making them, I hope they like them, and if they don't, I know that they are good enough friends not to tell me!

Poser.

Mr Bogert is off photographing at the theatre again tonight, so I'm gift wrapping then I'm on a mission to get the Smaller Person's stocking complete in time for Santa's visit!

The youngest of the crew.

Only 2 sleeps 'til Christmas!