Christmas Reflections 2024
Dear Friends,
Merry Christmas to you all.
As you may imagine, with a nearly one year old constantly furniture surfing around the house, our brains are a little fuzzy and we sadly seem to have missed the last post for Christmas cards. We hope you will accept this message with our seasonal greetings for you and your families, we wish you peace, love and good health. If you wish to read on, for the first time ever, I've written a short summary of our year.
Jo, Ollie, Rennie and Gustav the cat. xxx
P.S. yes that is me in the Santa suit.
21-12-2024
Our 2024 started off with the most beautiful gift, our baby boy Rennie, born at the Norfolk and Norwich hospital on the eleventh of January. As many of you will know he was the result of two rounds of IVF and almost six years in the making. He has changed our world forever and we have loved watching you, our friends and family, meet him through the year.
He has grown into a bold and boisterous boy. The name Rennie is supposed to mean 'small and mighty'. He is, however, not small (over the 90th percentile for weight) and was 8lbs 10oz when he was born but mighty, yes, perhaps, if stuffing as much banana in your mouth in one go is a sign of might.
Jo has been on maternity leave for nearly the full calender year and has taken the opportunity to make new friends and build on those we made through our antenatal classes. A particular highlight was the discovery of the 'singing mummas' in Norwich a great initative to provide an inclusive space for mothers whilst exposing the children to song and music.
We took our first family holiday in June. Adopting the well versed mantra of "make the child fit in with your lifestyle". I booked a youth hostel in a secluded cove on the Yorkshire Coast called Boggle Hole. What I didn't realise was that it was only accessible on foot, down half a mile of track, across a footbridge and then up a series of stairs to the accomodation. Jo was remarkably stoic about the whole thing but perhaps she was just too tired to argue with me. Needless to say once there we had a wonderful time and had beautiful weather.
We visited Robin Hoods Bay, Whitby and even managed a trip to a posh restaurant.
Earlier in the year and contrary to many peoples advice, on becoming a new parent, I launched my company: Oliver Wilkins Horticulture, designing, building and maintaining gardens across the county. Despite a fair amount of stress, I think I can say it's been a success. I met some lovely clients and have designed and built new gardens from Norwich to the Norfolk coast. However the main pleasure has been the ability to spend more time with my family, helping out in the mornings and taking time off to go shopping or having breakfast at the local pub...which I do more often than I should. Not to take credit for Jo's amazing parenting, which I still could do more of, who knew I could sleep so well through screaming?
We had an amazing Naming Day for Rennie in the summer where we saw so many of you. I made a speech and to my surprise Jo sung a rendition of Sweet Child of Mine. Afterwards, we spent a week with my parents at Centre Parcs and we returned again later in the year to meet my brother's new baby, Theo, born on 31st of January. We're so hopeful the two boys will become close as they grow up.
Rennie's Naming Day
At this time of year we also think about Jo's dad John who died nearly two years ago on Christmas Eve, his headstone has just been put up and we only today left flowers on his grave. We also think about our friend Sarah who would have loved to meet Rennie but died on the 27th of December last year. On a positive note, myself, Jo and a group of friends donated a tree to Sarah's memory, planted outside Norwich castle. We're excited to see it grow and hope her daughter Bee will visit it as it matures.
And so we march on into 2025, sleep deprived, a house falling to bits (why did we buy another old one!) and a bit like the movie, Dazed and Confused. Importantly though, with a real sense of optimism and excitment for the future. There is something oddly invigorating about the chaos a baby brings, hopefully we will get a chance to share it with you soon. In the meantime here's some more Rennie:
