Winston goes to the mikveh

I was waiting to write this post until I could take a picture with LO and Winston. However, I hear that there is someone who is a little unpatient looking for a new post from me. And since I have all of 7 readers, I wouldn't dare lose him. So...here's a "placemark" picture for my post. I'll update the post with LO's picture later.

After all of the adoption paperwork for LO went to China, all I had to do was wait. For anyone with a child, surely you can understand that this waiting is much like being pregnant except for the fact that the whole process takes longer than 9 months. (Oh and another benefit is that I didn't have to gain a million pounds to have her.) Sometimes the wait was unbearable for me (pun intended) and my sister did her best to help me deal with it. One day she brought me to Build-A-Bear Workshop and we built a teddy bear for LO long before we even knew who she was. We named the bear Winston after my grandfather Z"L.

LO has never been all that attached to any of her stuffed animals but recently she has decided that Winston is her favourite bear and that he has to go everywhere with us. On the way to Hebrew school yesterday we had the following conversation:

LO: Mama, is Winston Jewish?

Me: Well, um...I guess he is since you are his mother and you are Jewish.

LO: But he didn't come out of my belly so he can't be Jewish until he goes to the mikveh.

Me: (Trying very hard not to laugh) Um...well I guess you are right. Since he didn't come out of your belly he will need to be converted.

LO: (looking at Winston) Winston, don't worry, you can go to the mikveh and it's not scary and then you can be Jewish just like us! Mama, can we ask the Rabbi when he can take Winston to the mikveh?

Me: Sure we can ask him.

This of course led to this conversation:

LO: Can I bring Winston to Shabbat with us?

Me: As long as he doesn't make too much noise during services you can bring him.

LO: Will he have to wear a kippah?

Me: Well he's a boy so he will have to wear one.

LO: Ok, can we make him one?

Me: Yes - we'll make him one.

LO: How will it stay on?

Me: We'll figure out a way.

LO: Ok, but don't sew it to his head, it might hurt.

Me: I promise, we won't hurt him.

So, I actually did speak to the Rabbi (and no, he didn't think I was meshugganah). He said he would have to look up the blessing for converting her bear but it looks like Winston will be going to the mikveh.

Is this kid Jewish or what? (I'm kvelling.)