Christmas was only a day away and the adults in the house were tripping over each other. The turkey was still frozen, the dog was chewing up Christmas ornaments, and no one could find the Tupperware lids.
One-year-old Madeline crawled over to her six-month-old cousin, Eva. “Why are the adults in such a dither?”
Eva, who was stuck in “tummy time,” stared at the over-stimulating design of her play mat. “You’re asking me? I have no idea, but I’m starting to see a pattern here.”
Madeline sighed. “Eva, we really need to get a life. I’m totally bored with this wobbling chime bird. I say we do something fun.”
Eva looked up. “What did you have in mind?”
“Well, I could pull your hair, you could scream, and then one of the adults would come running. Maybe they’d give us something decent to chew on instead of these lame toys.”
“Then I get to pull your hair?”
“Yes, but you HAVE to let go when I scream.”
“Oh, okay.”
With their plan in place, Madeline reached over and yanked the dollop of chocolate brown hair on Eva’s head.
WAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!
The babies’ wonderful mothers, Allie and Cassandra, dashed over from the kitchen, fearful their girls were poking each other’s eyes out. The dads didn’t even notice because they were much too busy planning manly things like hunting buffalos to smoke on their grills. But they were devoted dads, tossing their girls around without causing too much brain damage.
“Now sweetie pie, we can’t pull Eva’s hair.” Allie picked Madeline up, moved her across the rug, and gave her a stack of wooden blocks, riddled with teeth marks.
“Blocks? Really?!” Madeline smacked two together, pretending to be entertained as her mother went to peel potatoes.
Meanwhile, Cassandra eased her daughter onto her back so she could grab the playmat’s lime green frog. “Time to practice your fine motor skills, Pumpkin.”
In truth, Eva had no idea what her mother was talking about, but she spit up, burped, got the hiccups, and smiled anyway. Reassured, her mommy left to dice onions for the stuffing.
Madeline waited until the adults were occupied, then crawled back over to Eva. “Let go of the frog, Eva.”
“I think my grasp reflex is improving.”
“It’s time for you to pull my hair.”
“Oh, right.”
WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!
“Eva, let go of my hair!”
WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!
(Sound of adult feet running across the floor.)
Aunt Alisa swooped in to loosen Eva’s grasp of her cousin’s blond curls as newlywed Aunt Eleanor applied a tissue to Madeline’s sopping wet face. Ever attentive, Tyler, Eleanor’s new husband, stood nearby with a box of tissue.
Madeline caught sight of the tissue box, then smiled sweetly at her newlywed aunt and uncle, hoping to distract them.
Aunt Eleanor had stars in her eyes. She looked dreamily at Tyler. “Do you suppose Madeline is remembering our wedding day, how wonderful we looked, how inspiring our ceremony was, how divine the caked tasted, and how the sun shone so brightly?”
Madeline almost snorted. “Are you kidding? I was freezing! It was 42 degrees!” She noticed Eva drooling. “Eva remembers.”
“No, I don’t. I wasn’t even born yet,” said Eva, which was entirely true.
As the adults returned to the chaos in the kitchen, Madeline’s eyes took on a strange glow. “Eva, meet me under the couch!” She grabbed the box of tissue that her uncle had forgotten and happily scurried out of sight like a little mouse with a huge chunk of cheese.
“But I can’t crawl yet.” Eva called out.
“Then roll, Silly,” Madeline responded as she joyfully pulled tissue out of the box non-stop.
After a few wrong turns, Eva finally joined Madeline, who was now stuffing her mouth with tissue. “Here, try some,” she garbled.
From across the room, the grandmother happened to notice four little feet sticking out from under the couch. Her heart swelled with joy—her family was together, the dog hadn’t thrown up yet, and she had babies in her house again.
Little hands, little feet—she couldn’t help but think of another Baby born so long ago.
But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid.
I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people.
Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you;
he is the Messiah, the Lord.
This will be a sign to you:
You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”
Luke 2:10-12
Great JOY indeed!
May that JOY be yours this Christmas and always.
