The Joys of Mass with a pre-schooler.

So we went to mass Christmas eve - Midnight mass -- at 7 pm. ;) To get seats we had to arrive around 6. Then I had to keep both kids amused for an hour. Yuck. Sam goes to bed around 7 normally. Not because that is a convenient bed time for his parents but because he NEEDS to go to bed around 7. I knew the evening was going to be a challenge and it was. Before Mass began it was a huge challenge. It was less so afterwards although he certainly kept those seated near us entertained (some didn't appreciate his efforts all that much :P to them!). He did all right for what must have been interminably boring to a little boy. Kamryn did pretty well herself. They weren't quiet or composed but they did all right. Somehow we got tagged to bring up the offering. My father was working as an usher and my mother a "holy-cookie passer" (Daniel's name for Eucharistic Ministers; he calls them that to tease my mother); we know EVERYONE so not a hge stretch for them to ask us to do this but they've never asked before. Yay team. The kids did well though. We went to the back of the church at the appointed time and took our places. I carried the unblessed hosts and Daniel the wine. We each held a child's hand. They looked adorable in their matching outfits. I was of course stunning (lol) and Daniel dashing. The perfect little family. We get to the front of the Church and we pass up the offering to the priest and turn to return to our seats. Sam disolves into boneless boy and starts wailing. We can't understand a thing he is saying although it's evident that he doesn't want to go back to our seats. Daniel struggles to get him to come along and then just picks boneless boy up and carts him back to our seats. Everyone (well the less pious types) in the congregation started laughing. It was only on returning to our seats that we finally understood what he was yelling (loud enough for the people in Bethlehem to hear). For some strange reason he had gotten it in his head that we were going to "play." So he got to the front of the Church and when it became evident that there was going to be no playing he freaked. Odd boy but as I said in my last diatribe you have to love him. He's too cute not too.

Other hightlights of Christmas mass:

His loud announcement to the congregation (well it was to me but everyone got to share in his wonderful proclamation) on returning from the bathroom with Daniel that he peed.

His spontaneous but ill-placed shouts of Alleluia.

His loud questions about whether mass was over yet.

He was very cute.

Kamryn not to be outdone was gorgeous and remembered my admonitions not to role around on the floor in her new silk dry-clean only (yes, Mom is a nut!) dress.