We (not Claire) Love Easter.

This year, we celebrated Easter the good, old-fashioned way – with excessive egg-hunting.  We logged three hunts over the weekend, much to the joy of AJS.  Every holiday we have had with four-year-old AJS has been bittersweet for me.  On the sweet end, everything about each holiday has been novel and amazing to AJS.  As we concluded our Easter egg-hunting on Sunday in our own backyard, courtesy of Mssr. Easter Bunny, I kept hearing squeals of “I found Peeps in the flower-pot!” and “chocolate duckies!” flying across the yard.  And when she stumbled across her very own jumbo-sized chocolate bunny, she had to stop, unwrap, and proceed with bunny in hand.  She was as excited about the last egg as she was about the very first egg.  Even as she was mid-hunt, she stopped and told me “I’m having a really good Easter, mom.”  On the bitter end (not truly bitter), I can’t help but wonder if any Easter can be as perfect as this Easter.  It was nothing fancy – the usual egg-church-Easter lunch combo – but Avery was in the moment.  I can’t make myself see things with fresh eyes, but watching AJS experience everything with an open and innocent heart makes even this tired, grumpy, 30-something lawyer feel optimistic.

Of course, our children are very ying and yang.  If Avery was very in the moment, then Claire was very right next door to the moment.  Or perhaps near-ish to the moment?  She tolerated the adorable, matching, Easter dresses (AJS LOVES matching dresses, the frillier the better).  She acquiesced to being dragged along to Easter festivities (she did love the petting zoo at one, though).  But the crowning moment was Easter morning.  We hit the backyard before the clock struck eight.  Claire locked eyes on a bunny-shaped Peep, started eating it, and declared herself finished.  With some gentle, cajoling, she perused the yard with me and her basket.  However, upon approaching an egg, she would point at the egg and forcefully say “mama” and point at her basket.  Seriously, everyone in our house is very bossy (or at least all the females).  After collecting approximately three eggs via proxy, Claire left egg-hunting in her rearview mirror.  She went to the door and started pounding on it and saying “inside.”  Is twenty-one months too young to be jaded?  Claire thinks not.

Here’s to you, Easter Bunny.  You delivered.  Some might say you got carried away.