356. Twist and… SNAP! (I enlisted his help to prepare the Brussel sprouts ready for Christmas Day. Buying them on the stalk was a complete indulgence, but it was good for him to see how they actually grow.)
357. Wrapping (The Boy had some help from me to wrap Daddy's present, and then wrote who it was for and from on it. I love seeing him writing independently.)
358. The stockings were hung by the chimney with care… (Our traditional Christmas Eve was great fun this year: making and decorating the gingerbread house, watching Polar Express in the pyjamas that Edward the Elf left as a present when he returned to the North Pole, making reindeer food and sprinkling it, hanging up our stockings from the mantelpiece. We always finish with 'The Night Before Christmas' as a bedtime story.)
359. I Got It Right (Showing a photo of The Boy opening a present with a gleeful face would have been too obvious. This is Mr. TBaM opening up his present; a scooter which he has wanted for 18 months.)
360. Cheese (Mum took us out to a beachside Italian restaurant for lunch on Boxing Day rather than her standing in the kitchen cooking for two hours! It was great to have something different and to sit as a family, thoroughly enjoying each other's company.)
361. Builder (The Boy and I have very excitedly been constructing a castle from the Teifoc brick set that we gave him for Christmas. We've made a few errors – like forgetting to put the doorframe in – but have really had good fun doing it together.)
362. Crashed Out (My final week wouldn't be complete without a sleeping Boy photo!)
363. Tiger, Tiger (Father Christmas brought The Boy face paints and he asked me if I'd paint his face. He's never had it done before and I was amazed at how well he sat while I did it, then he spent ten minutes roaring at himself in the mirror. However, I've just discovered how hard it is to get off; he still has yellow in his eyebrows two days later!)
364. Little Chef (We've been having major issues with The Boy's eating ever since he was sick at his aunt's wedding seven weeks ago. It's almost psychosomatic in a way. On Sunday he'd refused to eat his scrambled eggs because of the colour – it's one of his favourite meals – and had made himself vomit as a result. On Monday we went shopping for his choice of tea and he helped me prepare it; result as he ate it all!)
365. Splat! (The day started in the same way that everyday has for the past week; torrential rain and drab, grey skies. I felt a bit down in the dumps but resolved to don our waterproofs and go to the beach. However by the time we got there, the sun was shining, the sky was azure, and it was actually quite warm. As the tide was far out beyond the end of the pier, we ventured down onto the beach and trotted down to the water's edge; over pebbled, fine golden sand, rockpools and squelchy mud. This is where we had a great time making huge footprints and gloopy noises. I turned around to take a picture of the pier, heard an "uh-oh" and whipped back around to see this. Thank God I'd put his waterproof trousers on him!)
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You really do take the most beautiful pictures – I especially love the one of Daddy laughing with the boy looking on and the little tiger growling in the mirror!
Can't wait to join in for more fun in 2014 xxx
Aww what a happy week. I love the ones with the present opening 🙂 thanks for hosting another year!! 🙂
What really comes across here is all the fun and all the smiles: everything Christmas should be. Thanks for hosting this year and for all the hard work that you put into the linky.
Love the photo of Mr TBaM's happy face and the one of the tiger Boy 🙂 Thanks for a great year xx
I can't believe I didn't thank you for always visiting and commenting as well as hosting the linky. I really do appreciate your hard work and look forward to sharing another 365 with you 🙂 xx
such beautiful, tender and colourful photos filled with fun and love. a pleasure to see. i especially love the one of MTBAM excited by his big boys present! I too bought sprout trees and let Burton help me which he really enjoyed doing. the boy makes a cute tiger but my fav of him is the final one sat in the mud!
thank you for hosting and see you again next year (on sat!) x
Looks like you had a great Christmas. Love the face paint photo!
Love the sat in the mud one, grown up enough now to laugh and not cry. It has been great watching The Boy all year grow and develop, and the fact he can now write parcels independently shows how much he is growing up.
Mr TBAM looks over the moon, thanks for sharing that picture.
Christmas traditions, great things to start, and we carry them on to the next generation as I am sure you will.
I had never seen sprout trees till a few years back, my mum always bought horrible nasty frozen things.
Look forward to the next year.
I love the photo of Mr Tbam opening his present, it must have been good. You have taken some really beautiful photos this year and the Boy has grown up so much in the year. Happy New Year to you xx
What a lovely week & today's photo is particularly cute. Thanks for hosting 365 & a very happy new year to you x
I love the tiger face! Wishing you a very Happy New Year x
A wonderful collection of memories to end your year especially the muddy finish! Thank you for you ever generous support and for hosting this fantastic project. Here's to the next 365 days xxx
Quick comment before I go and join the OH for a whisky for New Year! Lovely photos – I love the sprouts and the smile on your little elf – oh and the one on the beach. Thank you so much for hosting and for all your encouragement. I am seriously thinking about carrying on as some weeks it is my reason to carry on blogging (may have to think of a theme though). Happy New Year to all your family xx
Looks like you have been having a great Christmas. Thank you for hosting this linky – it's been the only one I have stuck with all year! I look forward to seeing The Boy's adventures in 2014!
LOVE that last photo, what a terrific Country Kids moment!
I adore the look on the face of Mr. TBaM. Epic
Congratulations on another fabulous year and thanks for everything you do to keep us motivated and honest
A fab selection this week.
It's good for children to associate where there food comes from. Sometimes you have to be crafty to get them to eat. Letting them choose is a good idea.
Love the tiger face and the squelchy beach one.
As always, fab photos. My favourite is the Christmas day one and I love how you've none gone for the obvious one of The Boy opening a present. ( I struggled for mine as Aaron took some great ones but I couldn't use them!)
Looking forward to seeing your next 365 photos xx
What amazing photos to end your year off, i love your husbands face and his Christmas jumper, spot on!
Thanks for hosting and i am wish you a healthy and happy 2014 x
Where has that little boy disappeared to? He is so grown up now and looks like he's turning into a little star. Love Mr TBAM opening the present. My favourite is the Tiger Tiger photo it's so stunning and almost as if he doesn't know you're taking a photo.
I have to say you're photos at the beginning of the year were amazing but I can see a massive improvement
I love the photo of The Boy with his face painted looking in the mirror 🙂
Beautiful photos as usual! Love the pic of mrTBAM opening his present! The joy on his face!!
Thanks for hosting 365 and always popping by to comment!