Mr and Mrs.

Cross stitched these little fellas for my girls bedroom. By the time she is ten they will just look like portraits of man and I by the way we are going.

Pattern from Sewingseed on Etsy.

That was the year that was.

I'm still finding my feet with the new year and have yet to really get further than a sniff of the air and a squint at the sky. It was with a bittersweet heart that I watched 2012 tick away........the year my daughter was born will go down as one of the big ones, still adventures await and as soon and I've caught my breathe from the chaos and excitement of our first Christams as a little family then I shall face it full on.

Here are some Christmas bits and bobs that I didn't pop up before.............

I love robins yet my feathered friends ignore my bird feeder so I make do with these at Christmas.

Salted caramel thingamabobs, I fought the Christmas eve shoppers for these and I won.

I crafted my girl her very own stocking, every night for a month I was stitch stitching, thinking it wouldn't get finished but it did and I'm bashfully proud of it. All my lovings and hopes and dreams for our future Christmas times are in those stitches. It makes me a bit blurry around the eyes. I adapted some MollieMakes templates.

Outside looking in.

Baby asleep awaiting her first Christmas Day. Bubbles of happiness and bubbles in my glass. Probably only my man is reading this blog but if you stumble upon it then Happy Christmas, may it be merry and  bright.

Juggling

There has been some of this......

and plenty of this.......

Wonderland.

For someone who was organised gift wise back in July the past two weeks, rather bizarrely, became a stressfest. Too many things came to a head and fretted away at my composure. When you're busy busy busy all day with a now walking baby you don't get a proper chance to process your thoughts, so when a 3am feed occurs you snuggle, rock the baby and get back into bed where you CANNOT sleep because of the ticking in your head. There will be open roads now next year as I won't be returning to my job after maternity leave. All my knots are untangled and I find yet again my life has changed and I need to make a new step towards......well something.

Christmas first though........and a chance to rest, play, sparkle and give thanks for all I have.

It's oh so quiet...............

Bambino and I have managed to pick up a cold bug and have felt under the weather. Luckily my little snuffly kiddo has been in terrific spirits even though I've not been as attentive as usual (she might well be enjoying the chance to play with her toys without Mamma getting in on the act). Anyhooooo there has been much staying indoors, reading of books and sofa snuggles. I've also been a big big tea belly but hey, maybe my tea 'thing' can be another post. Rather dramatically I lost my voice for a couple of days and goodness did I miss chattering to my girl. Crafting for crimble has now stepped up a notch and  my man loves to see me stitching and snipping and planning and we've had some lovely cosy evenings with wine and catch ups.

These little chaps cheered up my germy self this week.

Minced by.

Little lady chops has started to be a proper darling and have a real afternoon nap at last, all that toddling about I think. Now usually I'd run around catching up with chores and getting organised for supper but today I'm sitting down with a magazine, a cuppa and a little mince pie treat that came free with my veg box. A hundred million puzzles are wrapping around my head this week, the coming festive season and how to get the most out of our family time together whilst still keeping everyone else happy, my possible return to part time work next year and the ifs and what's and maybes of moving................so a reminder to think less and chill more is very very welcome.