A Magical Time of Year

Leo has been captivated by Christmas so far this year, he has loved all the sparkly lights and is fascinated by anything that sings and dances, just the other day I took him into Homebase to have a look around and we stumbled across a singing Gingerbread man, which I mistakenly placed in his hands for him to have a proper look at.

What a big mistake that was!

I could not get it back off him? Not for love nor money.

As for the Christmas tree Leo insists on looking with his hands, not content with just touching he feels the need to lift all my baubles from the tree and swing them around in glee. I can never quite remember which branch all of the baubles came from so I end up re-doing the tree most days…

When Leo is sneaking decorations away he is very quick to beam me his ‘I am not doing anything Mummy’ face which usually consists of one big cheeky grin. A face that actually lets me know as soon as trouble enters his mind. I swear blind that on occasion you can actually see the precise moment Leo has decided to do something he shouldn’t, just by the facial expression that creeps across his face before he shifts into gear!

We have an animated Santa standing next to our fireplace, protected from Leo by the fireguard, but he is so infatuated that he will just head over and stare at him. It is thanks to our Santa that Leo has learnt a new word ‘Danta’ he says when he see’s him or points to our Christmas tree. For Leo ‘Danta’ is everything to do with Christmas, be it lights, Christmas Tree’s or the big man in Red himself!

I took great joy this year presenting Leo with his Advent Calendar, half expecting him to instantly know what was inside. He looked at me baffled and could not understand what the big deal was about some cardboard with Winnie the Pooh on. So with Leo’s initial deflated reaction I began to open up door number one, and behind that door was something that Leo couldn’t get to quickly enough. Chocolate.

As soon as he realised this alien object housed chocolate he was suddenly very enthusiastic and interested. In fact after he had his first chocolate and I took it away to keep safe for tomorrow, Leo followed me and watched as I put his Advent Calender on top of the kitchen cupboard. Now Leo has taken to walking into the kitchen and pointing up to his Advent Calender and shouting to let me know that he wants it!

On Christmas Day he had an extra big door to open, my mind was pondering the size of the chocolate behind… Leo was stood beside me getting all excited and bouncing up and down, only for me to open it up and find…stickers. Now when I have promised my little man his Advent Chocolate stickers really aren’t going to cut it, so Mummy had to sacrifice hers. But at least little man got the treat he was promised!

I don’t know what we are going to do now Advent is finished!

All of Leo’s Christmas presents were lined up in the dining room prior to wrapping, which actually happens to also be Leo’s play room and I am having to accept that this year is the last year I will get away with leaving things in obvious places, as of next year they will need hiding before an older wiser and more experienced toddler gets his hands on them before the big day.

Even now at such a young age Christmas is a magical time for my little man, even though he is too young to understand how Santa delivers toys to all the girls and boys throughout the entire world in one night, he is still feeding off everyone around him and loving everything that Christmas brings to the table. He defiantly knows that something is going on, something out of the ordinary and I am sure he can feel the magic like static in the air.