At a local coffee shop last week a darling little girl was having breakfast with her mom and grandparents. I marvel how well behaved kids are these days at public coffee houses etc --- my lifestyle with mine 20 yrs ago did not include hanging out somewhere, buying fancy coffee's and croissants. One - we could never afford it, two -- they just would not behave in that environment. 

It was a treat for me to go grocery shopping alone. Yeah big treat.

This little girl had a plastic baby jesus in a manger. She carried it with her gingerly as she was forth and back to her family table and it was strategically placed on her left as she ate. Every so often she'd give it a little affectionate tap.

It reminded me of the plastic baby jesus in a manger we had growing up.  My sister and I were 22 months apart. I had two additional siblings as well but the one closest to me I always had to share with. We all know how a childs mind can be - I really didn't like sharing with her.

When I was 5, we three girls had to share that dang jesus. Ceremoniously my mom would unearth it and put it on her bedside table. I remember " visiting" it. In my mom's room most things were forbidden - like don't touch...period. I remember a wanting for that baby jesus big time. It belonged on my night table. So as I would visit it and not touch it,  that would just drive me crazy. I remember this like it was yesterday.

Eventually baby jesus would make it to the living room. Seemingly then it was fair game. Mind you it was the size of my thumb and just an ugly plastic thing,  but somehow it's significance reigned. I emphatically remember sneaking down the stairs in the middle of the night to snatch that baby, I'd go back upstairs curl up in my bed stick my favorite thumb in my mouth and nestled in my hand was jesus. I felt triumphant. I was in kindergarden.

My sister would wake up and take that jesus right from my hand while I was sleeping. The nerve of her! Then she'd hide it. The "where was baby jesus" antics would begin.  I remember being mortified and determined. My mom would scream where is baby jesus and eventually who ever hid it would have to put it back in the living room. The discussion of taking turns was then had. I don't know why I thought I should be the only one to have that baby jesus, but I did. It was the "I'm oldest and I deserve more thing"  When it was my sisters turn she would parade around the house all day with the thing - she'd place it next to her on the table while she was eating, she'd carry it in the car, she's place it ever so on HER nightstand. It took every part of me not to take it and reclaim it.  I couldn't stand her having it.

When it was my turn I was equally as "I have baby jesus - you don't"

The reason I even bring this up is one final memory with regards to baby jesus and that was who got to sleep with him. I have a distinct remembrance that somehow the turns were not fair and me weeping and shouting outloud in only a way a 5 yr old could

....But it's MY turn to sleep with Baby Jesus

These days....I just think that's hysterical.

As a parent I think if she had 4 baby jesus's it might have solved the concern.

Now that I think about it I wonder where that jesus came from. Was it passed down from generation to generation? Was it a gift? Was it her baby jesus?

I just don't know.


flickr plastic baby jesus image credit


K a r e n     H a n r a h a n
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