Well what a year it’s been. It must have been about January that we first heard of the Coronavirus effecting China, little did we know then how it would become a global pandemic, effecting lives and jobs and the health of loved ones. I think it’s fair to say most people knew of someone who had been affected with Covid19. School were closed, pubs and restaurant’s. And if you could work from home you were told too. We had a national 12 week lockdown back in March when I was about 23 weeks pregnant. Fast forward to July and little Lola arrived and completed our family. I can’t quite remember when the lockdown was lifted, but I know that you still weren’t really aloud in one another’s houses, only socialise outside and no more than 6 people etc until the tier system came in. Then skip forward to November and we had another 4 week lockdown. This time it didn’t seem too bad as schools didn’t close this time and randomly garden centres were aloud open. Most of my Christmas shopping got done early online. When we came out of the last lockdown we were in tier 2 like 90% of the country and had been told we were aloud to socialise with upto 3 households over a 5 day period over Christmas. Again this didn’t really effect us too much as we were aloud to have my Mum in our “social bubble” anyway it just meant we still couldn’t see my Dad in his care home. Was very odd not actually being able to see my Dad on Christmas Day (first time ever) Thank goodness for skype! This then changed to just Christmas day only.

We found out on the 23rd that on Boxing day we would be moving from a tier 2 to a tier 4 which basically means another lockdown, working from home where you can, schools still open (at the minute) and only seeing one other person outside our homes and only seeing support bubbles where needed. This is where I’m super lucky that my Mum is in our bubble as she is a single household etc. I know alot of my friend’s can’t see their families which is just heart breaking and I hope by the time the girls grow up and read this that the Coronavirus is long gone in the past because at the moment it seems never ending and getting worse before it gets better.

Anyway enough doom and gloom here is what we got upto over the festive season….

First off Polly picked somethings she wanted for Christmas then wrote a letter to Father Christmas. I did tell her he wouldn’t be able to bring them all but she still managed to squeeze as many on her letter as possible. The address we used was the royal mail one and luckily he wrote back just in time for Christmas but in the meantime I’d found a cute little company online that makes personalised letter so I order both the girls one as Lola’s was a first Christmas one. Polly couldn’t believe he had actually written to her, really made her day.

This year we also got our Christmas tree from a different place and for only £25 I can’t believe how well it’s lasted with the underfloor heating and fire on. If we didn’t now always have real trees, I would have for certain put our tree up in November for some extra magic.

This year Lola was too young for and advent calendar but I got Polly a Playmobile one aswell as a little sticker chart to help her count down the days until Christmas. Each door was another little character to build up a Christmas scene. She got some playmobile for her birthday and has loved it ever since. I also got them some new PJ’s ready for the start of December.

Polly had a her school’s nativity and was the Donkey. Of course due to the virus we couldn’t go into the school to watch her perform but the school did an excellent job of filming it for us parents to watch. They even did a Christmas Carol concert in which we got to see all years perform. I think Polly was excited to break up for the Christmas holidays as she knew it would soon be Christmas. I didn’t risk taking her to see Santa this year. I knew it would be busy at the places that were still open so we just went to a local garden centre instead that had lots of outdoor lights on display and then another evening driving round seeing people’s houses all decorated and festive. Basically most things outdoors I’m happy to still do, just indoors in crowded places not so much.

I couldn’t let Lola’s first Christmas pass without a picture of the main man himself though even if it is just one for the memory books.

We got our bake on over the holidays, Polly loves baking and cooking so was very happy to make sausages rolls, mince pies, a nutella Christmas tree from puff pastry and we decorated the Christmas came that my mum had made.

I also got abit creative and painted their toes, made a new bauble for Lola for our tree and made some for 2 other little girls that were born this year.

I also tried to take some festive picture of the girls as there really is something abit magical about Christmas especially after this year and while Polly still believes. Our wonderful neighbour’s brought the girls matching stockings which were cute and Polly couldn’t wait to hang on her bed.

Then just like that Christmas morning soon arrived and Santa had been… Polly was literally buzzing to wake up and come downstairs.

Of course I had to get matching pjs. You either love or hate them but I personally love them! My Mum spent the day with us and this year Polly was really sweet in the way she opened a present and wanted to play with it or wear it so she seemed really grateful for what she had been given and it made the day really long. We did finally get dressed and Skyped my Dad. Polly was busy showing him all the toys she had.

My roast lamb turned out really well, although we love a roast there always seems so much more pressure on getting it right on Christmas day doesn’t there, but it went down a treat. Little Lola was quite herself, she still suffers from reflux so typically was sick x3 times and the only time she slept all day was in my arms so we had a very tired little bubs. So much that we opened most her presents boxing day so she wasn’t too overwhelmed.

Our living room looked like a toy shop for a couple days while Polly built toys and performed in them. But it was nice to get our living room back to normal. My job once she is back at school next week is to go through their playroom an get rid of any old toys she might have outgrown that wont suit Lola etc and repaint in there to freshen it up.

We ended off the year by having a zoom quiz with our friends which was a good giggle, not what we would normal do. We used to take it in turns for each couple to host. We didn’t go last year as we both had a bug and I was also hiding pregnancy sickness. Really crazy the difference a year makes. Anyway hope you all managed to have a good Christmas and stayed safe. Really hoping that 2021 is the year we can all get together an hug one another again and the virus be a thing of the past.

Much love

Sophie