Gabriel has always been very good in church. We give very little leaway in terms of noise making and so on, and this is engrained in him I guess since he can remember.
He is allowed to sit on the floor, as some other children do, and play quietly, as long as it is discreet.
Letting them play, we feel, helps the child feel from the beginning that the church is a welcoming place, not forbidding or ominous. They are, after all, little children.
There are plenty of times throughout the service, however, when Gabriel has felt the need for a real hug, to be real close to Mama. So, Mama, picks him up, a task that is now becoming more and more difficult as Gabriel is getting so big [!]. He likes to just be there, in Mama's arms. First with his head one way, then the other way. Sometimes he likes to give Mama a kiss, which never fails to make Natalya smile.
