Sunday, 5 February 2012

Ski Holiday Claviere, Italy, Jan-Feb 2012

Mummy, Daddy and Granddad all took me away on a ski holiday to Claviere in Italy.  It was great because Granddad was able to come with us at the last minute when Mummy managed to phone a hotel direct and get him somewhere to stay.

It was all very exciting with an aeroplane ride, a coach ride and then going to a nice hotel with lots of other children and grown-ups to play with.

I went into the Pepi-Penguin club for munchkins from 0830 to 1400 each day as they don't make skis and boots small enough for me yet.  I played with lots of toys, had snacks and a lunch each day and even did some painting.

It was a lovely week but it was very cold with temperatures down well below minus 20 Celsius on some days.  It never got above about minus 14 at all!  On one afternoon Daddy and Granddad got very frozen on a high chair lift to Eagle Rock and when they got to the top it was so cold that their skis stuck to the snow and they couldn't move!!  We all had to wear our very warmest clothes.

Mummy went into ski school and did very well, so she can come down pretty much any run now.  She helped the children in her group deal with the cold as they found it very hard to last for 3 hours.  Daddy and Graddad met Mummy most days after ski school and they all came to the hotel for lunch and to collect me from club.

There was fresh snow in the week so Daddy loved having a go in the powder snow, which is the best of the best skiing.

Granddad is a great skier and kept going all day long, even in the cold.  I think he will still be skiing when he is 100!

The mountains looked amazing and the snow was soooo deep.  It hung on the trees all week and it looked like a winter wonderland.

I was a little character and when I found my confidence I was tearing about in the lounge, where the adults and other children soon got to know me.  I was very good at all but 2 mealtimes, when I got grumpy and bored.  I ate with the grown-ups at 1930 which was a bit late for me.  I was a bit of a night monkey and didn't want to go to bed most nights...it was much more fun jumping on Mummy and Daddy's bed.

I went out in the snow a few times, but not too much as it was so cold.  I was a bit bewildered by it and wasn't sure what to do.  I loved being towed in a little sled though.

Finally, Daddy was very pleased with his Fuji X10 camera, which still worked after being in his rucksack
at bitter temperatures all day.  Daddy says he didn't have time to be too artistic and creative with his photos as it was hard to get any shots before his fingers froze!!

This is Granddad dressed to do battle with the cold!

Mummy & Granddad on the bridge to our hotel, which is the grey building behind

The view from our balcony

Granddad on a red run at the Monte De La Luna

Daddy loves this derelict old ski lift

Black run down to near the hotel

Claviere in late afternoon from the black run

Daddy loves this tumbledown hut too

Mummy's ski school

Mummy getting her certificate from Fiore, her instructor

Yes, it was that cold!

That ski lift again

Its very attractive at Monte De La Luna and that big mountain is 3300 metres (11000ft) high

Here I am on my sled

I got towed along over some bumps which were great

Mummy made sure I was dressed to the nines as usual!

I was well-known in the hotel by the end of the week as I loved running around the lounge
This is me in our nice bedroom

If there is something to monkey about with I will find it!  Here its the TV remote control

Daddy looking like an alien

The ski school at awards time

Snow and more snow!

Snow grows on trees apparently

Fun in the snow with M&D

This is a bit like a sandy beach but colder 

Monday, 2 January 2012

A bit of Christmas and New Year

Its new year and my second Christmas has gone by so I have been alive in 3 separate years now, even though I'm still small.

I really love this walking idea.  Its fun but it also gives me two free hands to carry things and get into mischief.  If Mummy and Daddy take me out of my pushchair I often don't want to go back in!

Here are a few last shots of Christmas.  I like playing with tree decorations!  Here I'm looking at the small tree we have in the conservatory.


Nana made a lovely Christmas cake and gave Mummy some very bright flowers which she loves.



On New Year's Eve  Mummy and Daddy took me to a neighbour's house where we were invited for a little party.  It was great with so many people to play with and a dog that I just couldn't help following around, plus a rabbit which was very cute and soft but not quite as interesting as the dog!  I was constantly walking all the time from 8pm until 1245 in the morning when we went home.  Mummy and Daddy said I was fantastic and the best of boys because I was so good.  People loved having me and played peekaboo with me.  The kind people also put on a firework display which I loved.  I  wasn't scared of the bangs and even got to hold my first sparkler.

On New Years Day the weather was yuk but we went to Moors Valley, played on the swings and crooked house, then went for a coffee and a walk.  I insisted on walking all the way from the visitor centre to the car afterwards.











Sunday, 25 December 2011

Christmas 2011

We are all a bit busy this year with Daddy working Boxing Day and being called out on Christmas Eve, Auntie S and Ruru working on both main days.

On Christmas Eve we went into Ringwood and saw Santa.  Its a special visit as all the children take a little gift they have wrapped and give it to Santa so he can deliver it to a little boy or girl who is less fortunate than me.  It was nice with lots of music and Santa arrived on a carriage drawn by big shire horses.

We have had a lovely Christmas morning which started with me getting into Mummy and Daddy's bed for a play before going for breakfast.

We then opened our presents and I had some lovely things, so thank you everybody!  I have really got the hang of opening presents now!  Daddy took some photos and video of me of course.

I was very excited and have been in hyper-drive all morning!  Daddy took me to the convenience shop on my trike as we needed milk and then I played again with my new things.  After that JB and Auntie S came round and brought me some more presents...I'm quite liking this Christmas idea!  Daddy gave me lunch while Mummy was cooking but I still wouldn't sleep.  Daddy then took me for a long walk with JB and I eventually fell asleep after a long fight against it...as usual!!!  I don't like to miss out.

The grown-ups all had a big dinner that was very nice indeed and I ate all my lunch and dinner too.



This is me giving my present to Santa on the stage.  Mummy had to carry me

Santa left in a hurry as he had a lot of work to do!

I had a ride on my rocking Rudolf this morning

This is my bag of animals that came with the farm!



Mummy LOVES her new nightie


Mummy got me a lovely Brio train made of wood that she got from a special toy shop in Winchester

My new farm has a big bull and lots of other animals

Sunday, 11 December 2011

December 2011

Its the lead up to Christmas and I'm getting a bit excited by all the stuff going on.  There seem to be lots of lights everywhere and colourful things in the shops which I try to grab when I'm being pushed along in the trolley.

Today Mummy has been putting up the Christmas tree.  Daddy took some photos of me dressed in a Santa suit on my reindeer rocker that Mummy got from a baby sale.

I have spent a lot of time at Nana and Granddad's house in the last couple of weeks and love going there.  I don't get upset or grumpy when my Mum and Dad leave me there and if James is staying over that is even better!

I'm walking quite well now and I saved my walking for the exact day that Daddy returned from Mexico, when I walked from the kitchen to him when he was unloading his bag in the hall.  Since then I have walked a lot and the other day I walked all the way from Nana and Granddad's study to the kitchen.  I love walking and have a big grin when I do well.  I'm also pushing my walker and the Buzz Lightyear wagon around the house.

Daddy took me to Messy Play and Twinkle Toes sessions at the Hub in Verwood last week and we had a lovely day.  I was very good and enjoyed doing all the playing and musical things.