Away a the Manger

Last night we took Alden to see the live "activity." He loved everything about it. He cried so hard when we had to leave to go home because he wanted to play with Mary, Joseph, and Baby Jesus. We told him he would see them today at the Christmas Pageant at church. He was okay with that but asked if we could play "activity" when we got home.

A: "Mommy, you can be Mary."

Dad: "Who can I be?"

A: "A wise man."

Dad: "Can I be Joseph? I am already Joseph."

A: You can be Joseph and Mommy can be Mary.

Mom: Thank you Alden.

A: (addresses sound asleep Spencer) Baby Spencer, you can be Baby Jesus. Baby Spencer is going to be Baby Jesus.

Dad: What are you going to be?

A: I am going to be the camel.

Alden is not one to forget something you tell him while he sleeps. He remembered the days events as soon as he woke up this morning. Here is a recap of Alden today:

"Alden, let's put on your shoes and go to breakfast."

A: "I don't want to go to breakfast. I want to see the activity." (We heard this from 7:00 am until 10:30 when it started)

After persuading him that Baby Jesus and Mary and Joseph were not awake yet, we get him to breakfast. As we leave breakfast we mention that we are going to go to church.

A: (cries) "No! I don't want to go to church. I want to see the activity! I want to go to the manger."

We convince him that the nativity is at the church. We tell him that he has to be quiet in church because Baby Jesus is sleeping. Have you noticed that when you are in a quiet church and your child makes one single sound it sounds like the loudest noise in the entire world and you just know you saw the entire church turn around? If not, you have never been to a Christmas pageant with Alden.

The following, every single sentence, was shouted out at the top of his lungs for everyone to hear. And, yes, the entire church did turn around every time. Scene: The priest is reading the Christmas story and the children of the church are pausing in between to act out the dialogue and sing a little song.

"An angel appeared to Mary..."

A: "Where's Mary?! I can't see her!

Mom/Dad: Shhhh!!!!!

A: "Where's Mary?! Where'd Mary go?

Spencer: (Finds my iPhone and changes up all of the apps. Then, moves on to the church bulletin. Drop it. Pick it up. Drop it. Pick it up...)

"The shepherds were watching their flocks by night"

A: "What they looking at?

Mom/Dad: Shhh!!!!

A: "What are the shepherds looking at?

Spencer: (Bored with church bulletin. Eats Mum-Mum cracker. Wipes Mum-Mum cracker on Dad's pants. Dad doesn't see)

The wise men travel off the stage...

A: The wise men. Where they going?

Mom/Dad: Shhh!!!

A: Where they going to?

Spencer: "Ba-Ba-Ba-Ba"

Mom: (Put paci in Spencer's mouth)

Spencer: (Drops Paci)"Ba-Ba-Ba"

And, at that point, we decide we have disrupted the entire service enough and leave before the "real" part starts with the Eucharist and Morning Prayer. Alden seems content that he has now seen the Baby Jesus in the manger. Now, perhaps, he will stop asking, "Where's Jesus? Where'd Jesus go?" But somehow I think we are going to have to explain why the manger and the camel and the angels aren't still at church Sunday morning.