Heidi has had a very active social schedule over the last two weeks, and has remained ever-cheerful during the festivities.

With the weather turning colder each day, her warm clothes and hats have been wheeled out again and regularly she peers out of her thick coat and bobble hat, quite happy and warm.

Her attempts to crawl have been suspended as she is happy just to swim on the spot for the moment, and moves rapidly around by a combination of crawling and rolling, or “crolling.” This has been kept under control by the new play pen which she is put in, so she can keep out of mischief but still play happily with all her toys.

Christmas Day saw us head up to Rachel’s mum and dad’s to Chagford on Dartmoor. My mum and dad joined us all for Christmas lunch, which included a rather nice goose. Heidi took part in the goose-eating and seemed to enjoy her spoonfuls, with her vegetables which matched ours.

She received many presents from friends and relatives, and all were gratefully hugged and gnawed. The wrapping paper had to be whisked away as she can eat a newspaper sheet in a few seconds now, and she has a habit of finding sellotape tucked away in all sorts of places. Her main present from us was a half sized rocking horse which Rachel has been carving for the last few years off and on. In the last few months Rachel has been busy putting the finishing touches to it and it looks really good. Heidi has sat on it a few times with our support, and seems fairly cool about it.

We later went for a walk up on the moor, looking down on the farm where Rachel and her family used to live.

Boxing Day saw us go up to The Square in Chagford to see off the Hunt. Again it was bitterly cold so we took refuge in the Ring O’ Bells and I tucked into a few pints of cider, whilst Heidi and Rachel sat by the fire, watching the hounds set off at 1100h.

On the 27 December, it was my mum and Dad’s 50th Wedding Anniversary. They did not want any fuss at all, so Rachel, Heidi and I went over to theirs with a lasagne that I had cooked, and had a meal and drink with them. Heidi gave the most innovative present – her first tooth appeared whilst we were sitting down! The next tooth was noticed the following day, so she has a pair of nibblers just peeping through…..
Hopefully the next few days will stay dry whilst we are at home, and the three of us see in the New Year (quietly as usual) this evening.