A Very Pepper Christmas

We had a lovely one.  How was yours?

I must admit, I was very excited this year.  It’s Evie’s third Christmas, but the first one where she knew enough to properly engage in the festivities.  She’s now very familiar with the idea of Santa, his reindeer and all the goodies that they are associated with, and was very keen to ensure that Saint Nick and his furry friends wouldn’t go hungry (or thirsty….ahem.  Santa may have been a wee bit tipsy in Hunters Glen this year!).

‘Twas the night before Christmas, and all through the house…Pepperlings were stirring, roughly every two hours!

And, of course, it was our Henry’s first Christmas.   He may not have a clue what on earth was going on last Tuesday, but it was such fun to see how thrilled he was by his big sister’s excitement.  He didn’t even bat an eyelid when, as quickly as he could open his amazing new toys, Evie would snatch them away and proclaim them “MINE!!!“.   I guess he was just as happy to chew on the paper, while grinning like a loon at the hilarity of life – no change from every other day, then.

Everything is just rosy in Henry’s happy little world.

The Pepperlings are at such a great age for Christmas – Evie’s old enough to be excited, but not yet so excited that she would be up and hoping to get to her stocking at 4.30 am, and Henry is just happy as long as everybody else is in his sight, and giving out occasional cuddles.   And there is plenty of paper to chew on.

It was so cool to have Evie come into our room in the morning, and see her face light up as we reminded her that it was Christmas.  She had no expectations at all, so her delight at the sight of all the gifts under the tree was just lovely.  There were so many exclamations of “Oh, wow!!”, I just wish we had filmed her – because, obviously, I know it won’t always be this way.  I’m well aware that “Oh, wow!” will, before long, be replaced with “Oh.  Um.  Thanks.”.

But until then, I’m just going to bask in her oh-so-contagious joy, and share with you some photos of our lovely, peaceful Pepper Christmas:

Oooohhhh, woooowww!!!

Evie & Daddy opening presents. Henry…eating paper.

Pretty in her Christmas dress… (did not last long)

Best. Present. Ever!

Two new hats!

All this? Pour moi?

NO, the other ball, pick the other ball!

Dazed and quite clearly confused – wrong ball, Henry!!!

Wow! Oh, wow!

Cool dude(tte)

Wow!!

She was a scootergirl, she said “see you later, Mum”…

Boxing Day was, of course, a different story.  “Oooh, where’d presents go?”, was Evie’s first question on descending the stairs on Wednesday morning.  Thursday wasn’t much better.  By Friday, we were almost driven insane by the whining soundtrack of disappointment at the breakfast table.   But tonight, Sunday, I believe we finally had an epiphany.  As I tucked Evie into bed, read her a (non-festive) bedtime story, and made sure Iggle Piggle was in situ, she asked “Mummy?  Where’d Santa go?”.  I replied that Santa had gone back to the North Pole to rest, that he had been very, very busy, and now he was tired and needed to sleep, but he would be back to see her next year.   She seemed pretty satisfied with that, and as I backed out of the door, it was with these sweet words echoing in my ear, “Bye bye Santa, bye bye reindeer, bye bye Christmas tree, bye bye presents!”.

Yep, I may be thirty-<COUGH> years old, but I can’t deny it – I can’t wait for 25th December 2013!!

I spy, with my GINORMOUS eye….

All these? For me?