Worst Mommy, Best Easter

Spring Break was the week before Easter.  You'd think that would have given me plenty of time to get everything Easter- related done.

Not so.

Matt loves to tell me that I have very strange timing on my projects.  It's not unusual for me to decide that something totally unnecessary - like the finishing of a throw pillow, or touching up wall paint - needs to be done an hour before we have guests arriving.  When I haven't gotten ready yet.  I don't know why I do it.  It's a strange compulsion.  I'm aware of it, but I can't stop it.  Hence the term "compulsion".  

Anyway - I decided that Tessa's bedroom redecoration would be best done over Spring Break.  I reasoned that it needed to be done now - so I can begin planning her Birthday when I'm done and still have plenty of time.

In hindsight, it was (of course) poorly timed.

Asher is an angel of a child.  He plays nicely by himself, doesn't make big messes, naps everyday without trouble and does what he's asked (for the most part.)

That's when Tessa's at school.  When Tessa's at home, he's like a different person.

Hyperactive, messy, noisy...

Tessa herself is - while sweet - incredibly demanding.  She asks for something about every 90 seconds.  Not kidding.  She talks non stop - and expects active discussion from me.  She bounces ALL the time.  On the floor, on the furniture, off the walls.  

Her bedroom redecoration should definitely have been done while she was in school.

I spent all week working on it.  I got very little done.  But I still kept plugging away, because once I've decided I'm going to do something, it's getting done.  Come Hell or high water.

Back to Easter.

We didn't decorate eggs.

Isn't that the saddest thing you've ever heard?

I looked up egg dying/painting techniques online, so we could make some really cool designs this year.

I poked holes in raw eggs and blew the insides out (much harder than it sounds!) so we could paint hollow eggs for the grandparents, aunts and uncles.  

I hard boiled several eggs to color for ourselves, but then I left to run errands and forgot to put them in the fridge, so they ended up sitting out for several hours and had to be thrown away. Nice job, right?

In the end, not one egg was dyed at our house.

I made Tessa an Easter dress about a month in advance.  It was one of the most complicated I've tried, and it took some serious time on my part.  It turned out WONDERFULLY - even if I do say so myself.  She looked beautiful in it.

In my Tessa-dress-frenzy, I completely neglected to find anything for Asher to wear.

What?  I forgot to dress my baby?  The angel child who I more often than not consider my 'favorite'? 

(I'm kidding.  Sort of.  After all - he doesn't talk back.)

Yeah.  I bought him a sweater vest the day before Easter.  

Last worst-mommy thing...

I didn't take any pictures of my gorgeous babies.  I dressed them at 9:30 in the morning and put them in their jammies at 6:30 that night, and in all that time I never once had them sit on the couch and smile pretty for the camera.  And I really regret it.

Despite those things, Tessa told me it was the "Best Easter EVER!"

I think having some insider-knowledge about the Easter Bunny was sort of thrilling for her. Also, we got her a doll stroller, which she's been wanting for ages and which I've been denying her (for very good reasons which have all proven valid in the 3 days since she got it.)  

We had my parents and Becki and Colby here for Brunch on Easter.  Tessa LOVES having people over, especially her Nana or her Grandma, who she can trap in her bedroom with her.  Nana and Grandpa gave her a dress for her Easter present (Asher got a truck and trailer.)

After everyone went home, she and Asher got to lay in mommy and daddy's bed and watch a new movie they'd gotten for Easter (Lilo and Stitch) for rest time.

In the afternoon I curled her hair (Tessa loves having pretty hair in general, and adores curls) and we went to Grandma's house for dinner.

After dinner Grandma had an Easter egg hunt all set up just for Tessa and Asher.  We also had an adult Easter egg hunt.  After, Sandy had a game in which we all won prizes based on what we found in our eggs.  Tessa and Asher got lots of fun little toys - rubber duckies for the bathtub, pinwheels, and plenty of candy.

That night when we got home Tessa got to watch the new Barbie Thumbelina movie, which she got in her Easter basket.  The movie came out March 17, a date that Tessa had engraved on her memory.  I bought it that day - which I always do with the Barbie movies.  They are worth every penny, imo.

Then I put it in the kitchen cabinet, to save for the weekend.

Except Tessa never asked about it.  I don't know why.  It's the first time she's ever forgotten about something she was THAT excited about.  Anyway, I was able to keep it clear until Easter (almost a whole month!) without her ever asking about it.

When we put her to bed that night Tessa told us it had been the best Easter ever. 

It's nice to know that even if I forget one of the most important aspects of a Holiday (honestly, I feel awful about the egg-coloring thing) it can turn out better than ever before for my sweet girl.