Friday, December 7, 2007

Nativity

We have three nativity sets in our house this Christmas. One is a candle holder. I chose it. It sits far above Abigail's reach. Another is a music box. It contains all the characters in one large molding of ceramic. It sits on an end table. I want Abigail to be able to listen to the music and talk about what she sees. The last is a ceramic set given to me by my grandmother. It contains separate castings of all the main characters in the Birth of Christ story. Because it did not come with the cave like stable, the figures are arranged on the buffet around the advent wreath and in front of the advent calendar. Abigail can reach these. Again I planned it that way. I want her to ask questions and to be able to relate to the story in her own two-year-old way.

But I didn't expect yesterday's events.

As I was talking to my mother, Abigail scooted her mini-chair up to the buffet to get a better look. She commented on the baby Jesus' nakedness and admired the livestock. I am a phone-wanderer, and as such, I wandered from the dining room not giving a thought to the adventures Abigail is capable of taking toys on.

As I wander into the living room, though, I see the Holy family--Mary, Joseph, and Jesus--and the angel-keeping-watch ready for a ride on the Sit'nSpin. Needless to say the family was removed before certain destruction. Perhaps it was my warning not to spin them around that took the fun away, or perhaps it was already nap time in Abigail's estimation. For that was what happened, the Holy Family wrapped in a fleece dog print blanket spent the remainder of the day sleeping on the living room floor. The angel continued keeping watch from the vantage point of the seat of the Sit'nSpin.

Breathing a sigh of relief, I wander to the kitchen. (I would like to say to put something away, but I can't in good conscience say that.) But I turn, round the table, and am nearly run over. Apparently the nativity livestock--cow, sheep, and donkey--needed a trip to town. Abigail had loaded them onto the seat of her walker/bus and was pushing them into the kitchen. With the warning to be extra careful, she took her livestock to the town which exists in our back entryway. And there they stayed for the rest of the day. Some livestock shopping trip!

We returned the figures to their rightful places before the day's advent activities. None were worse for the adventure, and Abigail did relate the to Christmas story in her own two year old way. Perhaps when she is three she will just move them around as she tells the story. One can only hope.

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