After looking forward to the Devonport Santa parade all week it was very disappointing to wake up to torrential rain. Not to be deterred we dressed in our waterproofs and headed out to join the rest of Devonport in the soggy village centre. Being aware of my legendary patience you will perhaps be surprised to know that after no more than two minutes of waiting for the parade to go past I decided enough was enough! We scarpered for a coffee emerging half an hour later to find the rain harder than ever and Santa already paraded. We joined a few brave souls watching the Navy band where Charlie was in her element bopping to the beat... buoyed by the fact she had been allowed to wear not only her treasured Wellington boots but her new mac as well.

I still find it amazing and very scary how quick Charlie is to pick things up. Today I found Charlie standing on her tip toes on Harry's Eames chair with car keys in hand [dad please note she didn't hide them in a shoe!] pointing and pressing buttons with the key aimed at the car! She must have seen me do it to lock the car a couple of days ago and remembered the sequence.