Our singing elf

Pulling faces after the show

Sometimes a mother's heart just fills with happiness and pride. I had one such day this week, when I attended a morning show of Year 2 Christmas production in Number One Son's school. I had missed the evening show the previous night, since I had to be in London for work (and to collect my new passport from the embassy). However, there were not so many parents in the morning show, so it was lovely for all that Number One Son had one parent in two different shows. Some other families had clearly the same arrangement.

Number One Son was not a major character in 'Ralph the Reindeer', but his continuous development was clear for everybody to see. He was miming making toys with the other elfs and the child playing Father Christmas and he was singing all the time - something he would not do a year ago. It was not a talking part - he was not one sitting in the front of the stage narrating the story - but his performance had made Archaeologist Husband to praise the show and that morning it made me smile after complaining grumpily in Facebook the choice of the early show. It was so lovely that it made my day. Seeing Number One Son's mother in the country also seemed to make the teaching assistants happy.

Our Beaver ready for Aladdin!

Because of the evening show, Number One Son missed the Beavers' Christmas party. Luckily, the scout group also had a trip to the local panto organised, so on this Saturday he could join his friends one last time this year. He had actually seen the show - of course, his school organised the trip to the same Aladdin - but he had loved the flying carpet. This time, there was also ice cream on the offer. His elf hat got a second outing in a week. Plus he got excitingly a lift from my friend, since Archaeologist Husband took the car and has taken his turn in travelling. First he headed to Martin Millett's book launch in Hayton and early in the coming week he will join his fellow Bradfordians in the Theoretical Archaeology Conference. Yes, in Bradford. Where he will be joined by his bestman. Now, how red will his eyes be on Wednesday when he comes back...?