Baby Jesus

Today we got out our Nativity set and Clara was instantly obsessed. We have been talking for a week or so about baby Jesus' birthday which is coming and she talks about it all the time. So as soon as we got the set out, she picked up baby Jesus and started cuddling him. After awhile she told me, "Oh! He needs his mama!" Before long she was walking around with Jesus, Mary and two lambs in her arms, along with Baby Joy. I told her it would be better to sit on the couch with them so they didn't fall and break. Next time I look, she had added Joseph, a shepherd, a camel and a donkey to the mix on the couch. She sat for a long time just holding Jesus and talking to him, and even passed up helping me make muffins (one of her favorite things!) so she could hold Jesus instead.

 

Conversations with a two-year-old about Jesus are interesting, to say the least. In addition to sharing her food with the holy family Clara had some serious questions she wanted answered. At one point she asked me, "Baby Jesus have shirt, mom?"

"No, he doesn't have a shirt on."

"His mama have shirt?"

"Yes, she has a shirt on, right here."

"We can get one of my shirts so he can wear it."

"That's very sweet of you, but I think your shirts would be too big."

"His mama need get shirt for him."

"Yes, that would be a good idea. Would you like a blanket for him?"

"No, he's okay right now."

Upon heading to the bathroom: "Baby Jesus have bum?"

At nap time: "Baby Jesus have milky from his mama? Just like I have milky from my mama?"

I didn't let her take Mary and Jesus to bed with her for nap, but they stayed next to her crib and the first thing she asked upon waking was "Where's baby Jesus? I get out and hold him?"

As she was walking through the kitchen with Jesus and Mary: "(quietly) In few weeks it will be baby Jesus' birthday. It's coming soon. (louder) I tell him Mom, I tell him 'bout his birthday!"

She has also wanted to listen to nothing but Christmas carols all day, which she calls "Jesus music." Whenever a new song comes on that she doesn't know she asks, "What they singing 'bout Mom? This song 'bout Jesus when he was born? This 'bout Jesus' birthday?"

Seeing Christmas through the simple, adoring eyes of a child is a precious treat!