Abracadabra!

As satisfying as it is, there's something a little bit mean about performing "magic" for your children. It's not so much that YOU perform magic for them; it's when they try to replicate the same trick for you. Let me give you last nights example.

J was doing his favourite pouring of water from one jug to another whilst in the bath, sloshing it everywhere except inside the bath itself as usual, so I decide to do a trick for him. There are several small plastic animals for bath time, 3 of which I put in the bottom of the jug. I then fill it up and doing the most obvious distraction, remove one of them. Anyway, I slowly pour the water out of the jug and, hey presto, izzy wizzy let's get busy and all that nonsense, one of the animals has disappeared!

His little face is a picture - utter amazement at where it might have gone! While he's looking gobsmacked into the bottom of the jug, I drop the missing animal into the other jug and, slowly filling it up with water from the tap, he sees the tiger materialise in the water from nowhere.

He's thrilled!

"Can I try that", he says. I duly pass him everything and he goes through the motions perfectly, remembering all the actions I performed in the correct order.

He stands up, grinning from ear to ear, pours the water out and looks into the bottom of the jug, sees the tiger hasn't disappeared and looks at me, the smile slipping from his face in an instant.

"Oh", is all he can muster, his shoulders dropping.

This I find hilarious and roar with laughter, head on the side of the bath. I can hear him laughing in the background and I look up and cuddle him even though he's soaking wet. Of course, as he has gotten such a laugh from me, he immediately tries the same thing again and although it is never as funny the second time, I hug him again, all the more for trying to entertain me again.

Don't worry Poops - even Ali Bongo had to practice!