Two Christmas Trees for Leo

Leo was very worried about Christmas.
Last Christmas was fun.
Mummy took him into town and they bought a jumper for daddy.
Daddy took him to the garden centre and they bought a bird table for mummy.
Then they bought a big Christmas tree for everyone. They tied the tree on the roof of the car. Daddy drove carefully but the tree wobbled all the way home.
In the garden mummy and daddy fixed the tree on its stand. Leo helped them carry it into the lounge. The branches tickled his nose. When they stood it in the corner it was so tall it tickled the ceiling.
Daddy climbed into the loft for the big box of decorations. He put the box on the carpet for Leo to open. Inside were lots of shiny red baubles and some gold and silver tinsel. Right at the bottom were the fairy lights, all tangled up on their long green wire. Mummy untangled them and daddy wrapped them round the tree.
Leo lifted the shiny baubles out of the box very carefully. He hung them on the bottom branches. Mummy hung some baubles on the branches Leo could not reach. Last of all daddy put a big gold star right on the top branch.
Daddy switched on the fairy lights. Leo clapped his hands. The tree looked very pretty. The baubles spun round and glittered. The lights twinkled like little stars.

But that was last Christmas. This Christmas was different and Leo was very worried.
This Christmas daddy would not help with the tree because daddy did not live with them any more.
Leo did not know why. When he asked if it was because he had bent the wheel on his new bike, daddy said no. When he asked if it was because he had torn his new jumper, mummy said no.
Leo thought of all the other things he had done. Mummy told him not to be a silly boy. She and daddy loved him a lot but they did not want to live in the same house any more.

So this Christmas Leo had two houses. One was the house where he had always lived. The other was the little house round the corner where daddy lived. Leo stayed with daddy one week and with mummy the next.
On Mondays he changed from one house to the other. Mummy and daddy called Monday change-over day. In the morning Leo would go to Jack and Jill nursery with mummy or daddy. After tea the other one would take him to their house. He stayed later on daddy-days because daddy worked longer than mummy.

With two houses to live in Leo wondered how Father Christmas would find him. Christmas Day was a mummy-day. What if Father Christmas left the presents at daddy’s house?
He asked mummy. She said Father Christmas was very clever. He would know where Leo was and leave his presents under their tree.
Leo wondered where daddy’s presents would be. Mummy did not take him to buy a jumper this year. She gave him a box of toffees to wrap up for daddy instead. Leo sat in the lounge in mummy’s house on the blue chair daddy liked best. He cuddled Monkey with its long arms and big stripy Fish and held daddy’s toffees.

The next change-over day he made two Christmas cards at nursery. He drew Christmas trees on both of them. He painted on some glue and sprinkled it with glitter. One card was for mummy and one was for daddy. Some of his friends made two cards as well. Leo was happy he was not the only one. He gave one card to daddy when they went to his house. He put mummy’s card carefully in his bag with Monkey and Fish.

At the little house daddy gave him a pretty plant with fuzzy leaves and purple flowers for him to give mummy.
Leo asked how daddy would get the toffees Leo had wrapped up for him. Daddy said after Christmas lunch mummy would take Leo to the Jack and Jill car park. Then Leo and daddy would come to the little house for mince pies and Christmas cake. Even though it wasn’t a change-over day Leo would stay for the night. Daddy said there would be a big surprise for him. Leo jumped up and down and asked what it was but daddy would not tell him.

On change-over day Leo took the fuzzy plant and mummy’s card to nursery with Monkey and Fish. When mummy came she had a big plant on the front seat of her car. It reached from the floor to the roof and was wrapped up in a net. Mummy said it wasn’t a plant. It was a Christmas tree with its branches all squashed up.
At mummy’s house Leo helped to carry the squashed-up tree into the lounge. They put it in the stand and mummy cut the net. The branches jumped out. Now it looked like a proper tree.
It wasn’t as big as the tree last year. It didn’t reach the ceiling. Mummy said it would look prettier because all the lights and baubles would be cuddled together. Leo asked if daddy had taken any baubles for his house. When mummy said no Leo thought daddy’s house would look sad.

On Christmas Eve Leo hid mummy’s plant under the tree. He put daddy’s toffees in his bag. He cuddled Monkey and Fish in bed and wondered if Father Christmas really was clever. It took a long time for Leo to go to sleep.

On Christmas Day Leo woke up early. He ran downstairs without his slippers.
Mummy was right. Father Christmas was clever. There were lots of presents under the tree.
Inside a big red box was a tractor big enough for Leo to ride on. It had a yellow body with big blue wheels and an orange seat. Leo rode it up and down the lounge while he was still in his pyjamas. Mummy sat on the sofa holding her fuzzy plant and smiling.

After lunch Leo was sad to leave his tractor. Mummy said he would soon see it again. She put him in the car and off they went.
Daddy’s car was the only one in the Jack and Jill car park. Daddy jumped out as soon as they arrived. Leo ran to him and daddy swung him high in the air. Mummy gave daddy the bag with Monkey and Fish and the toffees. They both said Happy Christmas. Leo gave mummy a kiss and a cuddle and she sat in her car as Leo and daddy drove away.

At daddy’s house Leo could see fairy lights in the window. He thought they looked very pretty. Daddy smiled a lot and said that wasn’t the surprise. The surprise was in the lounge.
He opened the front door and Leo ran inside.
What a surprise.
In the corner was a Christmas tree. Not a real one but a pretty silver one with glittering tinsel for branches. It was tall and thin and tickled the ceiling. The lights on it changed colour, blue and green and red and white. Lots of red baubles hung on its branches.
Father Christmas had been very clever again. Underneath the tree were more presents for Leo. Inside a big green box was a digger big enough for him to ride on. It was yellow and orange with a red lever that pulled up the scoop on the front.
Leo put Monkey and Fish in the scoop. He took them for rides to the sofa and back while daddy ate the toffee.

Now Leo was very happy. Mummy had a Christmas tree. Daddy had a Christmas tree. Leo and Monkey and Fish had two Christmas trees.

Leo and Daddy's New House

One Saturday Leo was splashing in his paddling pool in the garden. The big sun was shining happily. Leo was very warm.
He was also very wet. His yellow swimming trunks were wet. His t-shirt with monkey face on it was wet. Even his sun hat was wet. He jumped and splashed. His hat fell off onto his boat and sank it. Leo laughed and splashed some more.

Mummy and daddy were talking in the kitchen. He could see them through the window. Leo thought mummy had a cold again. She was blowing her nose and wiping her eyes. Daddy looked sad that mummy had a cold.

Leo stopped sinking his boat. He ran indoors to give mummy a hug. His feet made wet footprints on the paving. In the kitchen he wrapped his arms round her knees. He made wet marks on her skirt. Daddy went out for a walk. Mummy took Leo into the garden. They splashed a lot in the pool. Mummy’s face was all wet.

After tea mummy and daddy and Leo all sat down on the blue sofa in the lounge. Mummy sat on one side holding Fish. Daddy sat on the other side holding Monkey. They each put an arm around Leo. Daddy said he was not going to stay in their house any more. He was going to live in a nice little house just round the corner. Leo would come and stay with him one week. Then he would come back and stay with mummy for the next week. After that it would be a daddy week again.

Leo didn’t know why daddy was going to the little house. Leo wanted him to stay with him and mummy. Mummy said everyone would be happier if daddy went to the little house. Leo didn’t think he would be happier.

At bedtime Leo cuddled Monkey and Fish. He thought about the little house. Was daddy going there because Leo had bent the wheel on his new bike? He climbed out of bed and called for daddy. Daddy came upstairs and told him it was not because of his bike. Daddy said not to worry.

In the morning there were suitcases in the hall. Daddy put the cases in his silver car. He came back and gave Leo a big hug. He didn’t hug mummy. Daddy drove away. Leo waved but daddy didn’t look back. Leo thought daddy was going to work even though it was Sunday. He thought daddy would forget all about the little house and be home at teatime.

Leo played all morning with mummy. They had spaghetti hoops for lunch. Leo loved spaghetti hoops. In the afternoon it was sunny and they went to the park. Some of his friends from Jumping Jacks nursery were there. Leo climbed up the slide with them. He whizzed down so fast he bumped onto the grass at the bottom. He slid down again and again until it was time to go.

Daddy’s silver car wasn’t there when they got home. Leo couldn’t see it anywhere. He looked out of the window until it was dark. Daddy’s car didn’t come. It didn’t come the next day either. Or the next. Leo was very sad. He missed daddy a lot.

One morning mummy put Monkey and Fish in a new blue bag she had made. She put Leo in her little red car and they went to nursery. Mummy said today was change-over day. After tea daddy would take Leo to the little house to stay. Leo asked if she was coming too. Mummy shook her head and blew her nose. She said she would see Leo in a week. Then she drove away in her little red car.

Leo took Monkey and Fish out of the bag and sat in the corner. When the other children talked to him he cuddled Monkey and Fish tighter. He didn’t come out of his corner for lunch, not even for spaghetti hoops and sausage.

After tea the door opened and daddy came in. Leo dropped Monkey and Fish and ran across the room. Daddy gave him a great big hug that squashed Leo’s tummy. They put all Leo’s things in daddy’s silver car and drove off.

Daddy didn’t drive home. He drove to a street Leo didn’t know. They stopped outside two little houses joined together. Daddy said the one with the green door was his new home. He opened the door and they went inside.

Daddy showed Leo the lounge. It was very small and had one brown sofa and one black chair. Beside the window was a table with two chairs. In the corner was a small television on another little table. Leo thought the lounge was not as nice as their real one. He said the sofa was not so comfy. Daddy said it was only borrowed and not to worry.

Daddy showed Leo the kitchen. It was small too. In their real house mummy put Leo’s paintings on the wall. Daddy said there was lots of space for Leo’s paintings on the door. There was another door in the corner. Daddy opened it and they went into the garden. It was very small. In the middle was a bird table just like the one they had bought mummy for Christmas. Daddy gave Leo some birdseed to put on it.

Daddy said there was a surprise for Leo upstairs. Leo scampered up the twisty stairs in the corner of the lounge. The little room beside the bathroom was Leo’s new bedroom. Inside was a lovely big bed that looked like a car. It had red sides with black tyres painted on them. On the bottom of the bed was a number plate that said LEO 1. Leo loved his new bed. He climbed on it and bounced up and down. Daddy laughed.

Beside the bed was a red chest of drawers. Leo opened the top drawer. Inside were some of his t-shirts and socks. In the next drawer were some of his trousers. On top of the drawers was a picture frame with a monkey on it. In it was a photo of mummy. Daddy said he could kiss mummy goodnight every night. Leo loved the photo. He gave it a kiss.

Leo took the photo downstairs with him. He stood it on the table and sat on one of the chairs. Daddy gave him some new crayons and some paper. Leo drew a picture of his new bed. When it was finished daddy stuck it on the kitchen door. Then they sat on the brown sofa and looked at the birds eating the seeds until bath time.

When Leo was warm and dry in his pyjamas they went into his new bedroom. Leo climbed into his new red bed that looked like a car. Daddy tucked him in with Monkey and Fish. He said the little house was just the right size for them.

Daddy sat on the bed. He told Leo a story about a boy who did lots of lovely things with his daddy. They went to the zoo. They went to the park. They went to the swimming pool. Leo thought it sounded fun.

When daddy had finished the story, he hugged Leo goodnight. Leo gave mummy’s photo a goodnight kiss. He snuggled down with Monkey and Fish. He went to sleep thinking about his bed and the little house where he and daddy were going to be very happy.