Luka has a battery-operated toy slide that three characters slide down, climb up and slide down again (with like an esacalator stair case), going on eternally in a loop. A friend of ours (Jessie) had the same toy, but with penguins and he loved it. So, I found it online and ordered it. However, I ordered him the Old MacDonald version - there are several, evidently. The litte guys that climb the stairs and climb down in this one are a farmer, a pig and a cow. It is quite amusing, but the noise it makes (the escalator) can get to you after a while (but obviously, it doesn't both the kids as Luka can leave it on for hours and not bat an eye).
When he had had the toy for a while, he started talking about "Mary, Joseph and le petit bébé Jésus." When I finally took notice, I realized he was talking about the characters for his little slide. Too hilarious. As I may have mentioned elsewhere in this blog, he is fascinated by baby Jesus. He still remembers the neighbors lit plastic lawn nativity display from last Christmas and wonders when it is coming back. Christmas will be here before we know it now, so he will be excited to greet baby Jesus there, I am sure! He also loves the songs Jesus Loves the Little Children, Jesus Loves Me, and, the all time favorite, Il est né, le divin enfant (He is born, the divine child). I am not sure where he gets this obsession from, but I guess it is a good thing to be obsessed with! :)
For whatever reason (how do little kids' minds work?), he decided that his Old MacDonald characters were Mary, Joseph and Baby Jesus. He consistently calls the pig Mary, the farmer Joseph and the cow Baby Jesus. Once for several weeks, we misplaced Joseph (the farmer) and Luka was very concerned and often asked me to find him. I was on it, but couldn't figure out what there little guy was hiding. I figured he'd turn up though and sure enough, I eventually found him behind the big armoire in the living room while plugging something in. Whew - we were glad to see him! Now, I keep a closer eye on the whole group - since they are only about an inch and half high they are easy to lose underfoot. For a while, they were kept secreted away in the little Alaska sock purse that Grandma brought him from Anchorage.
For now, we know where they are - safe and sound in the plastic Spiderman bag with Luka's "menagerie" of wild safari animals - hope they don't get scared.
