Join Harry Styles and his wife as they journey through life with their first-born daughter Grace (plus their other two children, Ethan & Penelope) in a collection of realistic, nonlinear short stories that will melt your heart, make you smile, and e...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
"Ooh Ooh." Two-year-old Grace is pressed up against the glass as she watches the gorilla on the other side chomping away on a nice green leaf.
"See the gorilla Gracie bug?" Harry squats down next to his daughter, talking to her about the animal she is seeing. "What do monkey's say?"
"Ooh Ooh." She grunts again making her noise for a monkey.
"That's right. Ooh ooh ahh ahh." You say to Grace, itching your armpit like a monkey would do, making Harry giggle in the process.
Grace motions for Harry to pick her up by lifting her arms up towards him. Harry picks up his little girl with ease as they walk out of the Gorilla Kingdom towards the area that has been magically transformed into a grotto for Father Christmas as his reindeer.
You and Harry love taking Grace to the ZSL London Zoo. Watching Grace interact with the different animals always makes your heart smile. Every December the zoo puts on an event where people can come and see Father Christmas and his reindeer. The area is packed with pine trees, each decorated with lights and ornaments, making you feel as if you are in the North Pole.
Grace kicks her feet against Harry, wiggling to get out of his grasp so she can see the herd of reindeer that is ahead of her. Harry sets her down on the ground, holding her hand so she doesn't get too far ahead of her parents.
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
"Wha' do yeh see Bug? Is that a reindeer?" Harry walks with Grace up to the herd. A few employees dressed as elves hand you a bag of feed.
"Look Grace! Look what mummy has!" You open the bag of feed. Reaching, in you pull a small handful of food out, putting it on your palm. Moving your hand towards the reindeer. The majestic animal bends his head, opens his mouth, and breathes his warm air on your hand as he eats his snack.
Grace's eyes are big; she pulls back towards her dad, using Harry like he is security guard. Protecting her from the big animal she has never seen before, Harry crouches down with Grace in between his legs, moving her a little bit closer.
"May I have some feed please?" Harry asks you, moving his hand towards you, palm up.
"Watch Grace. Daddy's gonna feed the reindeer. They won't hurt you! I promise." You say to Gracie. Pouring some of the feed into Harry's hand, he moves it towards a different reindeer than you had previously fed. The reindeer smells Harry's hand before taking a big lick with his slobbery tongue.
"Ah yuck!" Harry has a disgusted look on his face as he wipes the slobber on his black skinny jeans.
Grace holds her hand out to her mum. "Me!" She says, asking for some of the food. You take a small pinch of food, filling up her palm. Harry guides her tiny hand towards the magical creature.
"Go slow. Let him smell yeh, get to know yeh!" Harry instructs. The reindeer sniffs her hand, causing Grace to jump at the feeling of his warm breath against her cold hand. Harry guides her closer again. The reindeer picks up the feed from her hand with his tongue causing Grace to erupt into a fit of giggles.
"A'in!" She says, running in place with excitement. She pushes her hand towards you again, wiggling her red and green painted fingernails, unable to control her energy. The reindeer licks the food off her hand once more causing her to giggle.
Harry helps Grace take her hand along the reindeer's face, petting up and down.
"Soft, soft!" Grace says as she moves her hand down the nose of the animal.
You take out your phone, snapping a picture of your husband and daughter sharing a special moment. You squat down and pet the reindeer with your favorite people.
Grace's attention span is spent, so you and Harry decide it's time for Grace to meet Father Christmas. Harry holds Grace's right hand, and you hold her left as you walk towards the Grotto.
"One. Two. Three." Harry says as you work together to swing Grace through the air. Her giggles make your heart soar.
"A'in!!" She says through her giggles.
"One. Two. Three." You and Harry say together, swinging her high as she giggles some more.
Standing in the queue, you pick Grace up in your arms.
"Daddy!" Grace moves her arms and body towards Harry, who takes her from you, kissing her neck multiple times. "No daddy!" She says pushing his mouth away because the kisses tickle her neck.
"Grace, look! Father Christmas!" You point towards a man sitting in a big chair. He is wearing a red and white suit, black boots, and has a beard as white as snow.
"Ho Ho Ho!" Grace says, holding her tummy just like Harry taught her.
"Yes! Ho Ho Ho!" Harry says in a deep voice, bouncing Grace up and down.
The queue moves and your family is next to meet Father Christmas.
"She is adorable!" The elf standing at the end of the queue says to Harry.
"Thank you!" Harry says with a smile.
"You're welcome! Go ahead, Father Christmas is ready to meet you!!" Her voice is full of holiday cheer as she holds out her arm to point the way to the jolly old man.
Harry puts Grace on the ground. To your surprise she isn't afraid at all. She runs over to the man dressed in red and gives his leg a giant squeeze.
"Ho Ho Ho! Hello little one!" Father Christmas says to Grace, his voice rings deeply throughout the room. "Would you like to come sit on my lap?"
"Hi!" Grace untangles her arms from his leg, waving at Father Christmas with a smile. He puts his arms out and Grace climbs right in. "Mumma, Ho Ho Ho!" She holds her stomach once again just like her father taught her. This causes Father Christmas to laugh.
"What is your name?" He asks Grace.
"Grace!" Harry chimes in.
"Grace? Have you been a good girl this year?" Father Christmas questions.
"Daddy! Ho Ho Ho!" Grace giggles, still in shock she is seeing Father Christmas in the flesh.
"She is a very good girl!" You tell him.
"Gracie bug! Smile for daddy!" Harry has his phone out, ready to snap a picture of his beautiful girl on Santa's lap. "Say Ho Ho Ho!" Harry thinks he is being clever, letting a small smirk peek out.
"Ho ho ho!" Father Christmas bellows, causing Grace to let out the biggest smile. Harry takes the picture, tilting his phone to see if you approve.
"Grace, I have a gift for you!" Father Christmas reaches into his bag to hand her a small wrapped box as an early Christmas present! "Happy Christmas!" Grace takes the box from his gloved hand.
"Tank you!" She hops down from his lap, running into her father's arms. "Bye Ho Ho Ho!" She waves back to Father Christmas.
"Happy Christmas!" Harry say as they exit the Grotto to enjoy the rest of the afternoon exploring the zoo and being together as a family!
