December 4

The two-year-olds joined the big kids today at church in practicing Christmas carols for the upcoming Christmas dinner. Hamilton loves hearing "Crissmiss keir-uhls," so we're singing Away in a Manger many times a day now. He and his little friend West did a lot of intense staring at the words and pictures on the poster as the bigger kids sang along. I'm hoping they'll grow bolder as we practice more, so they'll actually sing and smile at the Christmas dinner. Because of Hamilton's fondness for Christmas carols, I kept him in the service with me for the singing. He did love the songs and singing, though he prayed out loud along with the elder offering the prayer of confession. Just before the last song, I told him there was one more song before he'd go back to the nursery. He was agreeable with that arrangement, but as the song finished I hesitated in taking him out immediately. As I was trying to determine the best time to make our exit, Hamilton loudly said, "Mommy, no more song!" I took that as my cue.