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Thursday 10 January 2013

Seeing in the New Year


My parents came to stay with us for a week after Christmas and were here to see the New Year in with us. The four of us were sat downstairs with our drinks waiting to hear Big Ben ring in the New Year when we realised that we weren't the only ones awake in the house. Tom seemed to be indulging in a bout of insomnia during the Christmas holidays and had been lying awake quite late most nights. On New Year's Eve he excelled himself by still being awake at nearly midnight. Since he was awake anyway, it seemed a shame not to include him in the festivities, so he was allowed a rare treat and was invited downstairs to join us. You can see from his face that he rather enjoyed the experience!

For the first time in his life, Tom got to hear Big Ben toll in the New Year (an absolutely essential part of any New Year celebration for the English. The New Year doesn't start for us until we hear the first toll of the bell) and he really enjoyed the fabulous fireworks they had in London. Ever the thoughtful little boy, a few minutes into the display he asked if we could record it "so Lily can watch it too." He enjoyed listening to Auld Lang Syne and we opened the front door 'to let in the New Year' and opened the back door 'to let out the Old Year', a tradition I've always been fond of. I loved introducing Tom to all these New Year traditions...it was so much fun to be sharing them with him.

Mark's mum rang up just after midnight to wish us a Happy New Year and was rather surprised to get to wish it to her grandson too, not least because Tom never usually talks to anyone on the telephone. It was obviously an evening of firsts! We let him have some lemonade and a couple of chocolates before tucking him back into bed, where he stayed until very late the next morning.

The cuckoo clock on the wall is showing the time as just before midnight! 
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