Christmas and New Year

Christmas was very nice and special for us, as it was Maria Emma's first Christmas. We decorated the Christmas tree a few days before Christmas, despite the Romanian tradition of decorating it on Christmas Eve. In preparation for Christmas, my mum and I tried to make Gingerbread.

The results were:

some dark (or burnt), some ok...

On Christmas Eve, Santa came around and left some presents for all of us. Maria received many presents from family and friends from all over the world. Thank you very much for all the beautiful presents and cards!

Maria waiting for Santa ...

Mama Lili playing with her granddaughter

La pomul de Craciun (in front of the Christmas Tree)

Christmas Day was a relaxing day. We took advantage of a nice sunny day and took Maria and my mum to New Forest for a walk. We hiked along the Tall Trees Trail and remembered of our trips to Sequoia and Redwoods in the US. Here are some pictures from Christmas Day.

Sunny Christmas Day in New Forest

Enjoying the walk

Between Christmas and New Year, our house was full of visitors. Uncle Ed and Aunt Valerie from France, Grannie Mary and Grandpa Peter and Auntie Katie came over and we had a very nice Christmas dinner together, with lots of goodies and a delicious Christmas pudding, all cooked by Will, Ed and Peter. After dinner we opened some crackers and played our favourite game, Taboo, while Maria was very happy asleep in Katie's arms.

Maria and uncle Ed (doesn't he look like daddy?)

Maria at 1 month

New Year's Eve came very quick and our friends from Wales (Eric, Corina and Jamie) came over to celebrate the New Year with us. My mum and Corina cooked a very delicious traditional Romanian meal, while Jamie and Will emptied the beer cans. We were really happy for having them over.


On the 1st of January, a very cold, but another sunny day, we took our friends for a train ride in a nearby lakeside park.

First train ride for Maria

Will didn't take the train, so that he could take pictures of us and as usual, he reached the destination before the train did... speedy gonzales...

choo-choo...

"Hi Will" cheered and waved our carriage

After the train ride, we went for a nice walk around the partially frozen lake. Will spotted a nice landscape and showed us again his talent in taking very beautiful pictures:

seagulls on ice

Maria and a little duck