It has been some time since I wrote about Little G and Small. Much has happened since then. For Little G and Small, growing up has happened. Small is 3 and fighting a rear-guard action against all attempts to make him eat vegetables. Little G is 5 and at her local primary school.
Reception whizzed by in a flash for Little G, and now here she is in Year 1 ~ or 'Key Stage 1' as it is called. She reads exceptionally well, but thanks to the *wonderful* National Curriculum, has no literary appreciation of what she is reading. 'What did you like about that story?' I ask after we've shared a wonderful Michael Morpurgo book about a robin. Pause. 'I saw some digraphs and trigraphs,' she says.
I will be undermining the curriculum at every stage, believe me! But that is for later on. Right now, Christmas approaches and it is time to prepare for the school Nativity Play. Last year, Little G was one of 30 innkeepers, with the rest of Reception. They wore an assortment of tunics, the ubiquitous striped tea towel head-dress and sang a jolly song about there being 'No room' at the inn, bad luck!'
This Christmas however, Little G has been selected to be Mary and we are all at peak pride. In the week, her costume arrived from school: a long pale blue dress with sparkly bits, a head-dress and a cape. If you discard the head-dress and cape, the costume can double hat as Elsa's costume from Frozen.
The ensemble was also accompanied by a Baby Jesus doll. Little G has practised holding it in such a way as not to worry any new mums in the audience. When she isn't practising, Small, who has taken rather a shine to the doll, likes to shove it down his jumper and pretend to give birth to it. That's how we roll.
We have tickets for the first performance. So next Tuesday, L-Plate Granddad and I will take our place in the school hall with other parents, grandparents and family members to watch Little G's second Nativity Play. And it will be funny and brilliant and heart-stoppingly wonderful, all at the same time. Because it always is.
Nativity 2 ~ believe your journey.
Our little G was a lamb in the Nativity last year. Yesterday we went to see her as the “Posh Innkeeper” while the substandard Mary held the baby by its leg. Our Small who is nearly 2 clapped vigorously & called his sister’s name. He wants a baby doll for Christmas.
ReplyDeleteI just love their efforts .. I remember You Must Be Mad having a pushing fight with the angel standing next to her , the whole audience was riveted!
DeleteI'm sure little G's roll as Mary will go down in family history! The pinnacle of my grandson's nativity play's appearance was as a wise man with my jewelery box as gift - opened at the wrong moment it gave tinkly rendition of Swan Lake. My granddaughter brought the house down as a scruffy and bolshie shepherd - I don't recall such a character in the bible! Thankfully neither of them appeared in subsequent nativity plays!
DeleteNativity plays are hilarious....for the audience.
DeleteWonderful, Carol. I can imagine you will be bursting with pride once small has given back the baby :)
ReplyDelete