fascinated with baby Jesus

My grandmother bought me this humble nativity set when I was in high school; I even took it to college with me. While Mary and Joseph are beautifully crafted, there was no matching baby Jesus. My Nana sent me a temporary baby jesus who has actually been "temporary" for about 15 years. I don't think I would even want a replacement now, despite his hard plastic body, black-dot eyes and bright red mouth.


Over the years I had tried to make toothpick mangers, but they did not last the packing up year after year. When we got out the Nativity two weekends ago, my aunt helped Bentley fashion a manger out of torn pieces of raffia. Bentley's fascination with baby Jesus began. We had read her stories from her Jesus Storybook Bible and when we would arrive at the New Testament story of His birth, she enjoyed (and still enjoys) pointing out the drawings of baby Jesus. But now to have a "tangible" baby Jesus! She is excited!

While her other animals receive numerous timeouts and even spankings on occasion, Jesus has rightly avoided the timeout chair. Instead he enjoys Bentley hugs, kisses and rides around the house in my great grandmothers miniature antique iron-cast pail. When she carries him around she announces that baby Jesus is sleeping and speaks softly to him. I love that despite his somewhat creepy appearance, for Bentley, just knowing she is holding baby Jesus is enough for her to not be taken aback by his hard plastic look and beady black eyes.


p.s. It has been interesting trying to explain Mary and Joseph's presence to Bentley. She understands Mary is his mother of course, but trying to explain that actually God is his daddy and that Joseph, well, Joseph is, let's see, Mary's husband and helps her raise Jesus, is a bit of a daunting concept for a 2-year-old to grasp. As Drew puts it, "How do you explain the Immaculate Conception to a 2-year-old?"

you know you have a 2-year-old when...

... even Poinsettia bear and Rosie are getting timeouts.

bedtime anecdote

Drew and I heard "Mommy!" coming from Bentley's room. Drew went in there and Bentley said, "I take it off." She was in bed, covers up to her chin with her PJs AND diaper on the floor at the end of her bed.

o Christmas tree

Christmas Tree Adventure 2010... enjoy Bentley's change of expression at the chainsaw.

Coming Home...

I was going through Bentley's baby clothes to wash for welcoming her baby sister, Emery, when I came across Bentley's "coming home" outfit and paused. It was stained... a lovely shade of yellow around the collar. I couldn't resist smelling it. While I had planned for Bentley to wear this when she came home from the hospital for the first time, she spit up so much in the hospital that this outfit was soiled before we made the drive. Even still, I had chosen this particular outfit for her to wear home with the matching hat (which she did wear home).


I decided to use her outfit as part of her Christmas gift. I am saving the hat to put with her baby book, but thought I would transform the layette into a little pillow for her.


I made Bentley's profile from a photo I took of her shadow against a wall this fall during our family trip to Omak to celebrate Drew's Grandpa's birthday.

I knew I had to include the little birdie somehow as I have a feeling this will be Bentley's favorite part of the pillow.

The front is actually warm organic batting that you would normally use inside a blanket. I just loved the soft texture.

The back is a rosette-type synthetic, but super soft material... I just adore this fabric, I had to go back and buy some for Bentley's pillow after using it on the blocks I made for Emery.