This weekend even I felt a little Christmassy.
Yesterday we and another couple took our children to see a local production of The Nutcracker. Now, I'm not a ballet person. I can't review the production. I've no idea if it was great, or awful, or terrific given what they had to work with, or what. For me it all amounts to prancing and twirling. Granted, it's impressive prancing and twirling, with sparkly costumes. Ayuh. Two hours of it.
And how do you explain the story? I should've prepped in advance. It's completely bizarre. Who the heck would give a little girl a nutcracker for Christmas? Weird. And I guess the story of the battle of the mice goes back a long way. Rodents Of Unusual Size, Mr. Sandy whispered to me when they appeared. Indeed.
Anyway. The girls were champs. The Bean waited a full 20 minutes before asking "when is it going to be done?" She did enjoy it overall. The Peanut was more transfixed... completely still, eyes wide open, and clapping every so often. It was really fun, watching them taking it all in.
We had a really great time out to dinner afterwards. The girls and our friends' children are now old enough to sit together at one end of a table so we adults can sit at the other and actually talk amongst ourselves. It is awesome. Takes some of the sting out of their not being babies any more.
They're still young enough to buy the Santa thing though, which is cool because today we had a visit with the man himself. Peanut asked for "an Edward" (one of the Thomas and Friends engines. Santa will probably deliver on that request. Hopefully Edward will not be coated in lead paint). Bean wants a piggy bank. I think Santa can handle that as well.
I'll never forget the year Bean was 3, and all she wanted for Christmas was a ChapStick. She was delighted with the other things that Santa brought, but when she got to the ChapStick at the bottom of her stocking, she just lost it with joy and excitement. "CHAPSTICK! JUST WHAT I WANTED!"
Here's to keeping it simple.
Even I, an alleged grown-up, can't sit through the Nutcracker without squirming. I always feel inadequate when people tell me they LOVE IT! And are taking THEIR CHILDREN! Like they do EVERY YEAR! Like I never quite grew up or something. But still. Ugh. Too long; too crazy!
ReplyDeleteI loved the chapstick thing!
The Nutcracker story is a bit odd. The old dude creeps me out every time.
ReplyDeleteMy daughter is huge into Thomas the Tank Engine stuff right now. Fortunately (or unfortunately) we already have tons, since I have an autistic son and autistic kids adore Thomas. We have the wooden trains and tracks, we have the Take-Along metal trains with grey tracks, and we have the Tomy electronic ones with the blue tracks. Edward shouldn't have much lead - it's James you have to really watch, being red and all.
I laughed and laughed about the chapstick. One year, Liv just wanted new crayons. She had an entire shoebox of crayons, but they were old and she begged for sharp, new crayons. You would have thought that I gave her a million bucks.
ReplyDeleteThis year she is getting a new skate board. That was going to be her big present...until we realized that she had outgrown her ice skates.
And ah..The Nutcracker. We see it every year and for some reason Liv just adores it. I am usually fighting not to fall asleep....
At least you were not the director or dance teacher for the Nutcracker - talk about painful! LOL!
ReplyDeleteDaughter has danced for 5 years in the Nutcracker, last year as Clara, and I have to admit it kinda grows on you. Of course, her dance studio does what feels like a "lite" version of it - the whole thing is under an hour and a half, and that includes intermission. Someday I'd like to take her to the Boston Ballet version, but I'm wondering if that grandeur might burst her bubble LOL! Call it an acquired taste.
ReplyDeleteEnjoy the snow storm. Now I have no more excuses not to get off my butt and wrap the presents to send off to the West Coast.... lazeee.