Christmas with a Swansea flavour

Each generation develops new practices that get repeated and before you know it a new familial custom has been adopted, accepted and anticipated with relish. For us such a 'new custom', to risk oxymorony (or maybe just morony in my case, after too much wine and fine food), is travelling to Swansea to have xmas lunch with Jan, Rob and their boys (read: 'young men' now) Nick, Liam and Alex. In the evening we have been invited to stay over for an evening party and the festivities generally end late Boxing Day afternoon after watching the Ospreys (their rugby team) whup arse on the Scarlets (my team) on TV. Angharad has sooo much fun 'cos everyone plays with her but treats her respectfully as the little independent miss that she already is. Each of Nick, Liam and Alex are fine athletes and at one point Angharad was passed between them as if she was a rugby ball. Needless to recount she loved it. A couple of pics of the event are attached. Next highlight will be Monday when we take Angharad to see her Taid (Welsh grand-dad), aunts, uncles and cousins in Rhoose. I feel tired already; not a problem for Angharad!

A lollipop in Ross

We visited our friends Deb, Gary, Oliver, Joel and Sirius this weekend. Thanks to all for a wonderful time. Angharad had her first ever lollipop, which she shared with Sirius the Scottish Deerhound. Very proud of Angharad as she was happy being just one among many and didn't demand to be the centre of attention or suchlike (even though she often was, which was a different thing entirely!). It struck Gary and Deb how much easier things seemed for Angharad at meal-times - sitting down at the 'big' table without need of special high chairs and without fear of thrown crockery. I guess one can miss such changes when being with her routinely. Pics of Angharad and lollipop and an older pic of Angharad with Sirius are attached.

A good heart

Angharad today was signed-off by her Cardiologist, Dr Dirk Wilson. Having had open-heart surgery at 16 weeks old and been reviewed regularly since, culminating in today's final annual visit, Dirk said that there are no holes left in the heart, that her lung-pressure is normal, and that she is well enough to be discharged from his care. More than that even, she isn't really at any greater risk than anyone else; for example, in terms of the pre-emptive H5N1 jabs, she isn't in the first tranche any more, just the 'child under 5' group. To lapse into the demotic for a moment: RESULT! Our thanks to all the medical and nursing and outreach staff and helpers, families and friends, who have brought our little girl to today's excellent news.