Childhood pleasures

My youngest daughter was in a dance show this week at the Dome in Brighton. It was part of the country's largest schools dance festival. Schools and dance groups from all over the city were invited to take part and most children were responsible for coming up with the routines as well. I sat from start to finish with tears in my eyes as children and teenagers all rose to the occasion and danced their socks off. There was one heart stopping moment when one little boy walked on the stage with the rest of his chums and completely froze, just stopped dead in the centre of stage unable to move. At first we thought that this was intentional and that at some point he would burst into dance and completely surprise us all. But no, as the music continued it dawned on the whole auditorium that he was paralysed with nerves - there must have been a few hundred mums and dads wanting to run on the stage and give him a huge hug.
Little Sister astonished me by her composure. She is a shy little thing but on stage she was transformed. A happy dancing little bird, truly in her element. I think she still couldn't believe that she was using the dressing room that ABBA used when they won the Eurovision contest ("but mummy it must have been that one, there were four mirrors with lights around them and we had our own shower!"). Where do they get the confidence from, it obviously helps if you're doing something you love.



At the weekend I taught her how to play patience, a game I use to love playing when I was little. I wondered if it would have the same pulling power today - it does. Every morning this week I've found her sitting on her bedroom floor with the cards around her, it might also have something to do with the wonderful set of Clarice Bean cards I bought her for being such a little trooper.



There seems to be a wave of childhood nostalgia running through blogland at the moment. Both Jayne and michele have written posts on their childhood toys and have asked for others to do likewise. On Mother's Day I went up into the loft for a while to look for my teddy. He does usually live with Big Sister but I think we had a big tidy up a few months back and he somehow managed to be bundled away - shame on me! Anyway here he is, well loved and well worn. The comfort my teddy use to give me - I use to love his cuddles and so do my children, I think Little Sister invited him to a teddy's picnic on Sunday to make up for his little trip to the attic.



When I was little there was a cabinet opposite my bed that had shelves in the middle which my mother had lined with pink material. I had a big collection of dolls on them (my uncle use to travel a lot and would bring me back a doll from every trip). If I couldn't sleep I would count the dolls over and over again. This doll was my favourite, she looks a bit battered now but I loved her. I wouldn't really get her out and play with her but would imagine her in different stories every night, I couldn't see her face very well in the dark but I knew she was always smiling at me (if you click on her photo below you can see her sweet face).



Today would have been my mother's birthday and it seems apt to be writing this post now. Up in the loft on Sunday I also spent time looking at some photos of my mum and I'm glad to say it wasn't morbid or sad but it was a quiet time filled with happy memories. Talking of birthdays, it was this blog's first birthday a couple of days ago (how could I have got the dates wrong!) and my next post will be offering a giveaway ...