October - Just after the conclusion of Back to the Future Part II, after the cheers when the date was shown, Rosh leaned across the cinema seats and said, "Happy Birthday Dude!". I was feeling great, this was a new way to start the next year and what a year it was to be.
November - Those that know our history with pregnancy would be shocked if I said that we had no issues through the full 9 months. November had us back an forth to the hospital on numerous occasions, all draining but positive as we left. Clare had a couple of procedures to keep Baby Sparkles cooking longer. I have kept a log of the pregnancy issues here (Diary of a new Dad) and if you need a little lift of hope in life, seeing what Clare endured for this time period and still came out smiling, she is inspirational.
At the end of December, an event I have been dreading for fear of prequel syndrome, yet looking forward to because of Mr Abrahms' direction. I attended the Force Awakens midnight screening with 100's of fellow fans. We all sat, filled with anxiety until the famous crawl began. As soon as John Williams' signature tune echoed out into the auditorium ....my full review can be found here.
Just a week before Christmas I left Vix Technology ready for a new start in the new year with Bunzl Healthcare
January - On the first working day of the month I started at Bunzl Healthcare as a Category Buyer. It's a few years since I was the new boy in the office, but the team really welcomed me and there was much learning ahead. Every day I was on mobile alert as Baby Sparkles was due at any point, the Bunzl team drew together a sweepstakes on the due date.
We were not short of a few final scares and hospital trips, even to the point of a potential early delivery, but Clare remained strong and protective of our precious cargo
February - With the Malta Marathon looming and my wife heavily pregnant, training was becoming more and more difficult. I could not go out for a full 4 hour trek around the north west when Baby Sparkles could arrive at any moment. So on my final long run of the season I asked some run buddies to join me on a 4 hour circuit around our local estate. Great friends and family supported me for a full 20 miles to which not a single step was done alone. Video here
After a couple of weeks on high alert the inducement day finally arrived. Contractions had ceased a few days earlier and everything was seemingly normal, but how long can our lives remain normal? At 4am on the 17th February 2016 we were blessed with the birth of Isabella Christina Rose....the journey to get her here was a massively difficult time, but everything was forgotten the moment she arrived. For the full story, please read here
March - With a very understanding wife and a 9 day old baby, I boarded a plane with a destination of the sunny island of Malta. It was heartbreaking, but I had done the training and Clare was insistent that I go. The Marathon was an amazing experience and one that formed some great run friends. Malta was a stunning place to visit, but I missed my little angel far too much. My lovely wife was reduced to very little sleep and needed me home to help. The full synopsis of the run can be found here.
April - In celebration of my Dad's 2nd retirement and his birthday, the whole family ventured to Withensea for a long weekend. This being Isabella's first real weekend away, we packed everything possible and more besides. Meeting her little cousins for the first time and spending quality time with the family was brilliant. As we arrived on the first day, unpacked our things and settled in for the night we were not expecting it to be our last day in this caravan. In the morning, there was no running water and we were told that due to it being bank holiday the replacement parts would not be delivered until after we had left. The resort thankfully moved us to a newer lodgings, so we repacked and unpacked again ready to settle into our new abode. What they had failed to resolve in our new location was the issue of no heating, so after a second cold night we moved to my aunties caravan (who has permanent residency on site and a fully functioning caravan!) What would have been traumatic to others turned out to be quite entertaining for us, nomadic adventures for Isabella.
We also had a lodge weekend away in Shropshire with my family. Lovely relax and a couple of runs for myself whilst everyone "ooo'd" over Isabella. Bro, Nephew and myself also did the Scunthorpe Park Run staring my 3 week 3 county park run tour
The week later we were in North Wales visiting Clare's Mum and Partner (Isabella becoming a caravan connoisseur at a very early age!) On the Saturday morning I traveled to Wepre Park for my 2nd Park Run in the 2nd Country. Whilst waiting to start, I heard a rumbling that this was the hilliest Park Run in the UK....I can confirm that this must be true!
June - Bit of a running month whilst the sun shone. Clare had found a local event in Wigan and signed me up. It was a 10k run around the sports centre, through the local trails. Being a Wigan run there were no medals, but instead a tasty pie for all finishers. Great event and one for the calendar.
A week later Clare, Isabella and I were up in Ayr. We had been here a couple of times in recent years, but normally staying in log cabins (see previous Years in Review). This time, for convenience and price, we had opted for a travel lodge. The reason for us being in lovely Scotland was to meet up with John. I had ran the first 9 miles with him on the Malta Marathon and he told me that every year he organises a 5 mile fun run and I should come along....so I did. Before going to Colmonoll, I partook in the 3rd Park run in the 3rd country in as many weeks, The Colmonoll Fun Run was one of the most picturesque runs I have had the pleasure of doing, even though the climb up to the vista point was one of the biggest climbs I have ever done!
Later that month I was down in Enfield with work and remembered someone else from the Malta Marathon lived in the area. I contacted Lynne and James and asked them if they would be up for a little meet and run....silly question, Lynne is always up for a run. Great to meet these two wonderful people again and a lovely run along the canal was just perfect for my time away.
July - My days of being a student were over and I had passed the
Photography college course with flying colours. I had learnt so much with the experience and made some good friends in the class as well. I feel like my knowledge of taking a picture and how to manipulate images has definitely improved during this course and I would love to put this into practice
Photography college course with flying colours. I had learnt so much with the experience and made some good friends in the class as well. I feel like my knowledge of taking a picture and how to manipulate images has definitely improved during this course and I would love to put this into practice
More solo travelling for me leaving Clare and baby at home, but this time they were happy not to be joining me. I was off to a galaxy far, far away to partake in Star Wars Celebration Europe. A couple of really long days, but worth every second. I cannot wait for this event to return to the UK so I can take Isabella next time (I know she will love Star Wars by then! sorry Clare) For the full details of this event, please see my blog entry here:
August - Clare seemed to be pushing me with the running throughout the year and signed me up for a virtual event in August. This could be done at any time and any distance as long as a full 100 miles were totaled for the month. Clare worked out a plan for each run and fitting them around our social lives I was off. 3 miles here, 7 there and some 10 miles for fun and finally a 14 miler to top it all off. This was a great event to do and not as easy as I had originally thought. The medal was a beaut though
Clare and Isabella had a little week down in North Wales to break away from the same four walls. This was good for her and Isabella to bond, whilst also spending quality time with Granny Sue and Grandad Kev. With all my travels through work and dragging Clare around for all my runs, it was the least I could do to encourage her to have a week away as well.
To close out September, Isabella was on her first real week away with the family. A week in Anglesey with Grandad D and Grandma Deb. A quaint little cottage near Cermes Bay and blissful jaunts around the isle it was just what our little family unit needed. Time to relax and enjoy our time together as the last few months had been a little hectic. The holiday breakdown can be found here:
October - To start my final month of my 36th year, which will always be known as "wedding month" from now on, my Auntie T'lind and Barry got married at Leeso Castle in Liverpool. A fantastic day with great food, great celebrations and great family and friends. The wedding breakfast will go down as one of the most tastiest wedding meals ever (even topping our own) with an Antipasta starter, Chicken Parma Ham main and the most indulgent trio of deserts to finish (although I remember only having 2) was perfectly divine. The evening entertainment was made even more perfect by my new found tradition of blessing the crowds with the fan favourite (see Sing in a Band), although this was followed by cousin James doing his rendition of Tom Jones,
The weekend before my Birthday, our little family headed to Whitehaven for a lovely long weekend away. Clare had put far better planning into my birthday celebrations that she had experienced with hers (with everything being open for one!). We had booked into a premier inn only a mile away from Whitehaven where Clare had reserved a couple of tickets for a Rum Story museum. I was unaware that this little coastal town had a large Rum Factory, and after sampling a couple of tots we had to bring a bottle home with us for Christmas.
In to the final few days of my 36th year, and so much has changed and as I look back on the year I can that this has been a great one. In previous "Years in Review" we had so much heartache thrown into our lives and as such we had to really try and see the positives in life. Isabella has changed all that and brought so much joy to us as well as family and friends. Everywhere we go and see now has new meaning and new adventures, I cannot wait to show her the world and what it has to offer.
As I awoke on the morning of my birthday, I had a job to do, this would be like no other birthday. Today I was putting together the skills I had acquired in my photography course as I was the principle photography at Clare's Aunties wedding. A thoroughly enjoyable yet intensely stressful job, but it is another tick on the bucket list blog
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