I wanted to ensure that we had made a huge fuss about Blue Bear's birthday before I told them the exciting news. It's already tough having a birthday so close to Christmas, the last thing I wanted was for his day to be upstaged. On the day of his birthday party Blue Bear came running into our bedroom and in a high pitched squeal shouted, "It's snowing outside." I thought he was kidding until I opened the curtains and saw this:
"We can go outside and make snowballs he announced as he rolled imaginary snow between his palms. I reminded him that he had his party and that if it was still snowy he could make snowballs later. Hubbie and I looked at each other and I said, "Well he likes snow so that's a good start."
A week after his party I set up a trail of clues for the boys to help tell them what we had planned.
We will get up early and get into a taxi...
The taxi will take us to the airport where we will get on a plane...
When we arrive at the place we are going to we will get on a coach that will take us up the mountain...
To a place where there is a lot of snow...
You will need these special clothes for our holiday...
They looked a bit baffled by it all if I'm honest. They tried on the clothes still not entirely sure what was going on. I tried to explain we'd be going skiing and they smiled, but still were none the wiser. I knew it had been a bit of a bust when later that day Blue Bear came home from an activity in town and sullenly told me, " I didn't go in a taxi, or a plane, or a bus up a mountain. I only went on the tram." With a stamp of his foot and a jutting out lip he sat on the bottom stair staring at his shoes. "No it's not today sweety, we're going on a different day. Sorry I didn't explain that very well did I ?" Clearly not.
He has checked with me every day since then if it's today we are going and I have to explain that we are one day closer, but it's not today. I showed them both photos of our chalet hotel and some photos of the slopes. Blue has now taken to telling people he's going to "Snowland" and Brown Bear is delighted that he's going to get to eat breakfast at the airport. In fact today he asked me, "Who is going to cook our food Mummy ?" I explained that we have chalet hosts who will take care of us and prepare food for us. He wants to know in detail what there will be to eat - these things are important after all - and how close we are to his friend Henry who will be in France at the same time as us. Not close at all as it happens.
The big reveal wasn't quite the movie moment you see on those TV ads where the kids are excited to a degree that suggests they've been consuming industrial quantities of sugar. It was pretty muted and has taken a while to unfold as they have tried to make sense of what it going to happen. Brown Bear has told me he is looking forward to learning to ski, but his questions point to an anxiety about the unfamiliar. Blue Bear is facing all new things. His first ride in a taxi, first time on a plane, first holiday abroad and first time in a kids' club. If we keep him occupied thinking about how snowy it's going to be hopefully he won't worry about all the things he hasn't done before.
Now all I have to do is everything on my to do list. Wish me luck !
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