The organisation for the day itself started with her dress, which took me a while to find but that I fell in love with as soon as I saw! It was a traditional looking cream Christening dress with vintage affect lace, and was just stunning!
Thankfully I'd bought it in a bigger size in advance though not wanting to miss out, because as it turned out it took us quite a long time to get a date for the Christening. Then I matched it with a pretty white lace cardigan that she already had, and white lace shoes.
Obviously we had a "Peter Rabbit" theme for the day too! With a "Peter Rabbit" cake which I designed with the help of a bit of inspiration from Pinterest, that was made by a local cake maker. We also had cupcakes courtesy of Sainsbury's that I then decorated with "Flopsie" bunny cake toppers that I'd made, and a lovely "Peter Rabbit" banner and balloons from Etsy sellers "Loved By Jacob," and "Emily Rose Ribbons."
It was all a bit of a mad rush on the morning of the Christening with me going to the venue to set up, and then rushing back to get ready and to the church on time. But thankfully it all went pretty smoothly, plus our little one thankfully settled for a nap with Daddy whilst I was out and so was all refreshed for her big day!
I wasn't sure what she'd be like for the Baptism itself as she can be a bit clingy, but she was actually very good, and then proceeded to sleep for most of the reception afterwards. So all in all it was a lovely day, she was very spoilt, and it was nice to get together with family and friends that we don't always see often.
Below you can see some pics of all of the bits from the day.
Not long after the Christening then came our daughter's 1st birthday, which I have to say came around so very quickly! It may not have felt it during those early months, but looking back the time really did fly by! I found myself feeling a bit emotional and reflective as it drew closer though, thinking about to how far we'd all come in a year, how life had changed, and how much our little one had developed in that time. From the clingy little monkey that I couldn't put down anywhere for months, to the cheeky, headstrong, clued up little character that we have today.
I had to work part of her 1st birthday as I couldn't get the time off, so we didn't do much on the actual day. But my mum popped around in the morning with a present and a balloon for her, and it turned out that seeing the balloon would lead her taking her first steps that afternoon. Plus the "Kiddy Moon" ball pit that we'd bought her from us also turned up, which she very much enjoyed playing in!
Then on the Sat after her birthday we took her to the Sea life center for the first time along with my parents, which she absolutely loved! She enjoyed looking at all of the "fshhhhh" which she said for the first time, and looking at all of the lights and colors. We all had a lovely time watching her enjoy herself too, but did get rather drenched on the way home in the rather dyer weather that had developed at the day went on.
Below you can see some pics from the day, and our little one enjoying herself.
The celebrations then continued into the Sunday, when my sister came around and we did her cake and some more presents. Once again she was a very lucky girl and was thoroughly spoilt by our loved ones.
Fast forward a month and I kicked off the festive season by taking our little one to see Santa for the first time along with my parents and my Nan. It was a very spur of the moment thing that we decided to do whilst visiting our local garden center, as there wasn't a long waiting list. But of all the places to take her to see Santa for the first time I'm so glad that we took her there as it was so well organized, everyone was lovely, and it was a very magical experience.
It started off by us being greeted by one of Santa's helper's, who was so lovely with our little one and more than happy to spend time talking to her. From here we were taken to a real mock-up steam train which had TV's for windows showing snowy scenes, making it seem like you were traveling on a train to see Santa. Then once you "arrived" you were taken by another of Santa's helpers to meet the man himself, who once again was more than happy to spend the time with us. We also weren't made to rush, and they were happy for us to take, and to pose for photos.
A bit like the Christening I wasn't sure how our little one would be with Santa. But having been well used to present opening by this point with both her Christening and birthday having been so recently, she was very interested in the little present that she was given by the elf, and even sat on Santa's lap too. Plus come Christmas Day we opened the present to find that of all things it was a little cuddly bunny! Santa's Elf's must have know we were coming!
Below you can see a few pics from the day.
A little later in the month we then took her to see the Christmas light show in town, which we ended up going to see a couple of times in the end as she loved it so much! Again it was a magical experience, and she loved all of the colours and music, and was even quite happy to toddle off away from us. She did however enjoy it so much that she threw a massive wobbly when it was time to go!
Below you can see a couple of pics from the evening.
We also had a bit of a "Peter Rabbit" Christmas this year, as I managed to find more Christmas paraphernalia of the famous little rabbit than I ever have done before including: My Charbonnel Et Walker Advent calendar, which I fell in love with and struggled to get, but thoroughly enjoyed devouring. "Peter Rabbit" Christmas paper, which again was gorgeous, and a "Peter Rabbit" Snow Globe and ornament. Both of which will be treasured and bought out each Christmas for us and our little one to enjoy for years to come.
Below you can see all of my "Peter Rabbit" Christmas finds!
Then just before Christmas we had our annual Christmas family meal. Whereas last year our little one was only six weeks old and in the baby sling, this year she was eating the food, toddling around, and trying to attack and take the decorations off of the Christmas tree.
Below you can see me putting the decorations back on the tree that our little one had been attacking, and her in her Christmas outfit. Plus her examining our Christmas tree in her Christmas pj's too.
Then the big day itself finally arrived, for which our little one was up bright and early for! So much so that she ended up conking out around mid morning before she even got around to opening any presents!
She did eventually wake in time to open the wooden pram from us though, before we then headed off to my parents for lunch.
She took her pram with her and looked so grown up pushing it around at my parents, even though she hadn't quite got the hang of steering and would get quite frustrated when she crashed into things! She also enjoyed eating Christmas dinner, opening more presents, and joking around at the dinner table with my Dad.
So all in all we had a lovely and special Christmas, which is what I wanted both our little one and us, as last Christmas went in such a blur with her being only six weeks old that we couldn't enjoy it as much. So this year was lovely, and even though not her first Christmas, it was her first proper Christmas. But it's true what they say the magic of Christmas is definitely there more when you have children.
Below you can see Flo posing by the Christmas tree on Christmas Eve, and our little one giving "Flo Flo" as she call her, her presents on Christmas morning.
New Year was then a bit of a novelty for me because I actually had my first proper night out since our little one's been born, and went into town to watch a rock tribute act with my best friend and her family, which were fab! Our little one behaved herself for Daddy too, which was also good!
We had road tested it a few times earlier in Dec just to see how things went and she was good then too, so hopefully it means that I can now start having the odd Mummy's night out now and again!
It took me longer than most to be able to leave our little one of her of a evening though, as even though she's growing up fast and is nowhere near a clingy as she was, she is still very much a baby at bed time. She still feeds from me at night, and still co-sleeps with me too, which is something that I never thought that I'd do. I do get criticised for it, but at the end of the day it's not forever, it works for us, and I know how willful our child has been from the word go, that the cot is just not an option at the moment. But all the time that it works for all of us we'll carry on as we are.
The main difference now though is that she's trusting Daddy a lot more, so if I get her to sleep and then give her to Daddy for the evening she'll generally stay asleep on him, or if she does wake up now she will rock back to sleep for him, which she'd never do before. Then to be on the safe side I'll also express some milk if I'm going out too, just in case he can't settle her back easily.
I have to say apart from wanting to get my illustration back on track, I do feel that I'm getting a better balance back between spending time with our little one, working, and gradually getting a little more time to get a bit of me back. Plus our cheeky monkey is at such a lovely age at the moment.
Then finally we had Valentine's last week. Which generally we don't make a big thing about, especially when it comes to presents. But since we don't get as much time together as a couple these days, we though that we'd make a bit of an effort this year.
I was very spoilt with my hubby buying me a gorgeous "Lady and the Tramp" Pandora charm that I'd been eyeing up, as well as some "Hotel Chocolat" mint hot chocolate pouches for my "Velvetiser," and a "Hotel Chocolat" heart lolly. Then I bought him a sandwich toaster so that he doesn't have to keep using the toasty bags, and our usual M&S meal deal, which this year consisted of: Cheese and leek souflee's for starters, a pulled beef parcel with rosemary potato's and veggies for main's, and "Nut's About You" cheesecakes for dessert, with heart chocolates and of course Prossecco.
What also made it even more lovely was that we were actually able to chill out and eat our meal as a couple, which pretty much never happens these days! As our little one had settled to sleep in her pram for the evening, after having been worn out at Nanna's while I was at work, and had then fallen asleep on the way home.
Below you can see the lovely bits that my hubby got me, and our Valentine's meal.
So that pretty much rounds up all of the big events that have happened around here over the past four months or so! I hope that you're all having a good week so far, and thank you for dropping by as always! I'm currently aiming to have my illustration back up and running, and my cards on sale again for the beginning of March. Hopefully it will actually happen this time, so please pop by again soon! x
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