November 17, 2008

Hi everyone! Well, as you can see from the picture above, Charlie had a wonderful time at the Finding Nemo show! He really didn't have a clue where we were going, and even when we arrived at the arena he didn't guess.
The show was brilliantly done, and he was so pleased to see all his favourite characters - especially Bruce the shark, and the anglerfish. (In fact, the thing he's holding in his hand in the picture above is a plastic anglerfish with pointy teeth and flashing lights... what more can a five-year-old ask for!)
We had such a lovely weekend up in Birmingham - the hotel was very posh, and presented Chas with a cuddly toy seal when we checked in, which was a really nice touch. We've also officially launched ourselves into Christmas, because there was a big Christmas market in the centre of the city, with all sorts of interesting things to buy - and a big carousel, which of course Charlie had to try out!
He also spent several happy hours wandering around the big Bullring shopping centre, around all the toyshops and bookshops, to spend some of the money and vouchers he was given for his birthday. He really is such a lucky little boy.
There's no more news really at the moment - we're just ticking along merrily. Christmas festivities start properly at school on December 1, when Charlie, along with all the other children in Reception, goes to collect the school Christmas tree. And once we hit December 1, that's when Charlie's social calendar REALLY starts hotting up!
He's really hoping we get a decent snowfall this winter - he was seriously put out that we didn't even get a flurry last year! In fact, Pete's found a rather fab place up near Birmingham, called a SnowDome, where they have 'proper' snow, so you can go sledging, snowballing and even skiing, along with meeting real reindeer, Father Christmas AND Sooty and Sweep, who are still big favourites of Charlie's... so hopefully we'll find a weekend to slot in a visit before Christmas. It'd be so lovely for Chas to see more than a few random flakes of snow!
Anyway - I'd better fly, because it's time to pick up Charlie from school! Thought you might like the picture below... never mind Finding Nemo - we FOUND him!!