The Immaculate Labor and Delivery

Eva helped me set up our Christmas decorations yesterday- the few we plan on using this year. I plan to keep them up for at least a month, in case you were wondering... better late than never, right? Within the totes of decorations live many books about Christmas. I'd like to say they are all very Christ centered, but that's just not true. Lots of Santa, Christmas mice, Dr. Seuss, and of course Baby Jesus find their way onto the bookshelves this time of year. The books are a lot of fun, so we sat down right away and read several. I reminded Eva a few times why we really celebrate Christmas- because Jesus came to earth! She knew that answer right away.

Later in the day, I was invited back to Eva's bedroom to play the role of Joseph. Eva was laying on her bed holding her tummy, and informed me that she was going to have a baby soon. I asked what we should name him, and she responded, "I don't know. We'll see when it comes out." Then I asked, "What would you like me to do for you, Mary? Hold your hand while you push him out?" (what was I thinking??? I was not in the mood for a conversation about the facts of life... pushing babies out of our lower regions... and I certainly didn't want to start explaining any other details about babies or how we get them) Anyway, Eva responded, "No, he'll come out on his own while we're sleeping." And very matter of factly, "So, snuggle up!"

He did come out on his own. In fact after a few moments, we got up and did a thorough search of the girls' room, looking for baby Jesus. Turns out baby Jesus had somehow made his way under the bed and was actually not human flesh anyway, but was plush and sporting moose antlers.

I've decided I'm going to adopt Eva's chill attitude towards childbirth on the next go-around. However, hopefully I won't sleep so long afterward that I have to go looking for my child. And for that matter, hopefully my baby will have two legs, not four. But you get the idea...

And one more thing. I got to thinking about the real arrival of the real Baby Jesus. If pain in labor is a result of the fall (sin), then was Mary's delivery painless? I mean, Jesus was without sin, and the conception was immaculate. Hmmm, I'll ask Mary some day I think.