And no, I'm not going to give a pronunciation guide. If you thought Gaelic was ... different ... OK, let's leave it at that!
Anyway, it's Christmas Evening, Lil'Moo's out for the count, and Christine's cooking up a storm in the kitchen, so it's time to kick back with the Wychwood Plum Duff and report on Lil'Moo's first Christmas...
Really started a couple of weeks ago wen she met Santa at Day Care. She handled the idea of sitting on the knee of a strange man in dressed all in red really well, the jaw only hitting the floor when she got a present - and that was only to make sure she could fit it in her mouth for a good tasting. (She started teething a couple of months ago, so everything but everything goes in there for a good dribble and rub.)
Next up was C Eve, when we all went to Llandaff Cathedral for the Festal Service of Nine Lessons and Carols. A special treat, on two counts - first, we were seated in the Lady Chapel, where the choir processes from, and therefore where the solo starting the whole thing is sung from, and second, because Lil'Moo got to play with anything she wanted to keep her quiet - by that time all she wanted to do was sleep, so glasses, button, hymn sheets, everything was fair game to keep the noise down. But we made it all the way through, and there's something very John Masefield about hearing a Welsh cathedral choir at Christmas.
Then was last night, the first night she's really given trouble in going to sleep - it's quite impressive that a nine month old already has the idea that Christmas Eve might be an exciting time...
However, she did sleep through to 8 am, so we've still got the trick of the stocking at the end of the bed to deflect the 4am start.
She thought it was just another day, until about 30 seconds after she flew through the curtain to the living room and clocked the tree (which went up after she went to bed) and all the presents. Cue three hours (interupted for breakfast) of wripping, wrapping and chewing. To be fair, presents got as much attention as paper and boxes, and everything went in her mouth!
The day then disappeared somewhere, between feeding, sleeping and playing; we did manage to get out for a walk after lunch, but we've delayed our dinner, Doctor Who and Wallace and Gromit until we have a little quiet...here's hoping the programmes are up to the goose dinner...
Whatever you're up to, we wish you a Merry Christmas, and we promise Santa's Little Helpers will be more organised and on time next year!
