Christmas 2006

Hello,

Christmas is upon us again…..this year has gone so quickly, and hear I am, writing another years Christmas letter. 2006 has been, yet again, another busy year for the Mulvany’s. As you will see from the enclosed photo, we had another baby this year: Alexandra Gillian was born on September 21st after an incredibly quick labour. Olivia quickly started calling her Lexie, and this of course has stuck. She is thriving and is adored by us all. She is a very easy baby, and feeds and sleeps beautifully. So I am finding three under three less crazy than I imagined, thank goodness.

Olivia is now nearly three, and is quite adorable. She is funny and articulate and affectionate. She is besotted with her baby sister, and it warms my heart to see them cuddling with each other. Olivia is still enjoying “school” and goes for 2 full days a week at our local child care centre. She has also been taking swimming lessons and has graduated to the “Turtles” class.

Charlie is now 18 months and is delightful. He is walking, and stomps around the house trashing everything in his wake: typical toddler, but he gets away with murder as he is so charming about everything. He is not showing any signs of talking….he seems to realise he can get what he wants by grinning and chuckling, as well as the fact that he is very independent. He had a terrible bout of chicken pox in October, but was stoic and remarkably cheerful throughout, bless him.

Andrew has now been in a new role at a new company for about 6 months and is thoroughly enjoying it. He works hard but still manages to get home in time for bath time for the children, so they eagerly await the sound of him arriving home at six o’clock!

I had a fantastic trip to the UK this year, for the wedding of my brother Thomas, which was lovely. I took Charlie with me and he traveled beautifully, and cut his first teeth without much hassle whilst we were away. It was great to spend time with Charlie, Bev, William and Katie, and of course to be able to see Thomas and Diana get married. I didn’t manage to catch up with as many friends as I would have liked, but it was only a short trip and complicated by having an infant with me!

Tragically, my beautiful eldest brother, Bill, died at the end of November. We are still finding it very hard to come to terms with. As such, I went to Kalgoorlie at the beginning of December, with Lexie, to attend his funeral. Whilst it was a terribly sad occasion, it did give me the opportunity to spend some time with Mum, Charlie, Claire and Tom, as well as my lovely cousin Kate, who came over from Hobart.

Christmas this year will be spent in Rostrevor, with Lissie, along with Andrew’s sister Alison and her family, and Andrew’s parents, so we will have a chaotic time I’m sure, but I am looking forward to it.

I am not sure what 2007 will bring for us. A year of peacefulness, I hope.

I hope this letter finds you well, and that you have a lovely Christmas and a safe and happy 2007.

Lots of love,
Lucy xx