Tis the most wonderful time of the year

3rd Dec - Best Laid Plans and Cold and Flu

Today was the day I was supposed to meet my two cousins and my aunty in Bath at the Christmas Market. We have made it an annual thing for the past few years and I really enjoy it. It's something I look forward to. And I did today, but it didn't go to plan. I have come to the conclusion that very few things do with a baby...

Theia hadn't been well yesterday. She had a runny nose and a chesty little cough - bless her - and she'd been cuddly and needy all day with my husband. We gave her some milk and medicine and popped her into bed hoping that she'd get a good night's sleep. We weren't sure if we'd take her into Bath. The market is always busier on the weekends and this was the first one in December, that, added to the stuffy nose, and we were undecided. However, that decision was made for us by Theia herself, who woke up at 23:00, 01:00 and 02:00 extremely grisly. She was completely inconsolable. As was I by the end of it... She did go back off the sleep eventually, thanks to my husband and a whole heap of crying. We woke up late.. too late to drive in and get a car parking space. And Theia was still stuffed full of a cold, so the plan changed to me going in by train and Guy staying at home in the warm.

So, off to the train station we go. Guy had very kindly offered to drive me there. We get to the car park and see that the queue for the ticket booth was about 40 people long and the platform was already heaving. There was no way I was going to make the next train. Guy suggested/offered to drive me in instead. Theia was dozing in the back and quiet so off we went - again. By the time I finally got into town it was 12:30. A far cry from the 09:00 we have planned.

The market was rammed, getting anyway was a struggle, it felt like I was in a crowd of mindless zombies, all travelling in the same directions, meandering along, oblivious to anyone in a rush.... grr. I spent the first 30 minutes pushing and shoving my way through the aisles looking for my cousins. But I got some lovely big hugs for a hello in the end.

The cousins and aunty got in on the coach at about 09:30 so had already been around the stalls and weren't really game for heading back into the madness so we went for coffee and a walk around the normal shops; I bought to cutest bobble hats for Theia!! It was great fun seeing them and lovely to catch-up, but I did feel a little disappointed that I didn't get to enjoy the market at all - I love the market. I wanted to peruse, and drink mulled cider, and munch on roasted chestnuts!!

So the market was a pretty big bust.

Guy and I have decided to go in during the week; when Theia will enjoy it more. I will take an afternoon of work and we can spend it walking round the stalls, take a picture in the snow globe (it's cheesy but I love it), and sip on hot chocolate.

Colds and flu suck. Don't they. But I guess it's the time of year. They seem to go along with winter, like presents go with Christmas. Guy is so tired at the moment - drained is probably more apt - from looking after Theia all day, that he's finding hard to get into the Christmas spirit, and I have to admit it I'm finding it more of struggle as well, possibly because I find myself thinking of my dad more and more.

We did get the lights on the tree tonight, so it's just the baubles left. Most of the other decorations are also out. Our "elf on the shelf" is sitting on the mirror and our advent candle is down to 4, ready for tomorrow. I even got to read Theia a bunch on Christmas stories this evening - including "Twas the night before Christmas". And to top it all off we finally opened the Winter Punch and got a mug full of the warm yumminess. Tomorrow we'll pack the boxes away again, finish of the Christmasifaction, and hopefully we can start to relax into the festive period.