Nutcracker

I've mentioned before that I let Jonathan decide, a little over a year ago, what physical activity he was going to try. Because balance, people. Balance. He needed something physical in his life. If he hadn't made a choice, I threatened to put him into swimming lessons. In January.

He chose ice skating. He started in basic lessons a year and a half ago. And he's kept it up, even after three moves and two countries. And he's getting good, I do think. He is.

This year, for the winter school holidays, which run from the end of June through the beginning of July, the local ice skating arena decided to have a Nutcracker theme, and put on a Nutcracker-on-ice show three times a day, every day. They invited the kids from their top skating classes to be in the performance.

At about the last minute, Jonathan told me that he thought it sounded kind of fun. So I contacted the woman in charge, signed him up, and he was in. 

I'm so glad he has participated. It's been a lot of work -- he spent several hours rehearsing, basically giving up weekends before school ended. And since school let out, he's been spending about five hours every day at the arena to do the performances. He's gotten to know a few of the other kids, though, which is really great. And he's done a really good job.

Tim and I watched the performance twice today, and we are prodigiously proud of our old-fashioned-gent:

 And also our mouse minion:

He jumps. He spins.

And now he even knows the names of some of the other jumpers and spinners.

So awesome.