More like the Thiefster Bunny

Jonathan, Alex and I went to Rock Point for Easter with Grandma and Grandpa. I brought the Paas dye kit and mom boiled up a dozen eggs. Fortunately, we had a gallon of vinegar meant for crab boils, so we didn't have to go driving to the store in the unseasonable snow. Jonathan really liked dropping the tablets into the cups and watching the colors fizz and bubble. Auntie Iz added the water and we brought out the eggs. As each egg went in a cup, we used the dipper to check on its progress every fifteen seconds or so. There was a lot going on, so we were able to distract Jonathan and let the eggs get really brightly colored. Finally, we would dredge up a neon egg and Jonathan would declare emphatically "That's done!" We set them in the little box to dry. The kit came with some stickers and Jonathan made sure every egg had some. He placed them all in his Easter basket and after he went to bed, Mom and I hid them all over the room.

When he woke up the next morning, I told him the Easter Bunny had come and hidden all his eggs. He was a little confused and wanted to see Grandma and Grandpa and have some juice. Everyone had gotten up early to make sure to witness Jonathan's egg hunt, including Aunt Doreen and Uncle Danny. So it was a big crowd that greeted Jonathan. He saw his empty egg basket and everyone was encouraging him to go find his eggs, which were balanced on various shelves and ledges in plain view. Jonathan picked up his basket and went behind the couch. He looked at me with a few tears in his eyes and I could tell his feelings were really hurt. I said "Oh sweetie, it's okay. . ." and he started to bawl. We showed him where one of his eggs was sitting on the bookshelf but he was having none of it. Finally, Grandpa fed him some applesauce and Grandma cuddled him to calm him down.

He was in a bit better mood after that and gamely picked up his eggs. His interest was piqued when, at our urging, he opened the CD cabinet and found an egg. He decided that was a much better place for eggs than a basket, and transferred over his collection. Unfortunately, most of the eggs rolled right off the shelf as soon as he walked away. They'd fall to the floor and Jonathan would say "Oops! Smash!" and go put them back. It was a dozen well-loved eggs that finally were put aside to allow breakfast to begin.

Later in the day, Auntie Iz tried to get him to part from one particularly disintigrating specimen. They walked over to the trashcan and she held it open, telling Jonathan it was time for the broken egg to go bye-bye. He threw it out, but remorse hit directly afterwards and he started to cry again. He needed some more cuddles, but eventually decided he liked throwing out the broken eggs. Amazingly, two of them survived for a trip home in the basket to show Daddy.

And in an Alex update, the baby is growing amazingly. He's wearing a nine months size in some of the smaller brands. I am hoping he will give up one of his late-night feedings soon. Alex is all grins and coos these days, especially after he's filled up his diaper and gotten it changed for fresh. Jonathan still gets most of the smiles, but he was happy to twinkle a little at Aunt Doreen this weekend as well.