Easter

Easter is my second favorite holiday. It's falls very closely behind Thanksgiving. Because of the food of course. I love Thanksgiving food. Wait Easter. Oh yeah, ok. I like Easter too. There's something about the time of year. Spring is so clean and new and green. The weather is usually fantastic. The clothes are fun. And I don't have to shop for gifts.

I also get to organize an Easter egg hunt. We have it every year at my parents house and invite friends and family. This was our 3rd year. The new tradition started after my Sax-Sax passed away. I have 11 cousins that all live close by and we loved Easter at my grandmothers house. After she passed away, we were looking for excuses to see each other. So we had an Easter party at my mothers house. We invited my aunts and uncles and cousins and some family friends. And now we do it every year.

It's so much fun.

But more importantly, it's the meaning behind Easter that makes it so special.

This year Rhiannon was old enough to get it. To understand the true meaning of Easter. And that made the holiday even better. We read books about Easter and when asked what Easter was about, she woud say:

"Easter is about God's son Jesus. Jesus died to forgive us of our sins. He was dead for 3 days and then he rose from the grave and went to Heaven to live with God." She liked the 3 days part of it.

A church next to our house had a sunrise service on the lake so I took Rhiannon to her first sunrise service. Snuggling her and singing "Up from the Grave He Arose" and watching the sun light up her face as it rose over the lake was so powerful. I hope she remembers it as fondly as I remember attending the sunrise service with my dad and stepmother when I was a kid.

Afterwards we went home and Daddy and Henry had breakfast cooked. We saw that the Easter bunny had eaten his carrots and chocolate chips and drank his milk (Rhiannon insisted that was what the Easter bunny wanted). We checked out the cool things the Easter bunny left in the their baskets. And then we went to church with my family.

After church we had lunch and another Easter egg hunt at my mother's. Henry really got the hang of the egg hunting thing. Not only did he enjoy finding them in the grass. He also discovered that he could steal them from his sisters basket while she was busy stuffing her face with candy.

And then dinner and Easter egg hunt #3 at Mimi and Papa's.

What a memorable and amazing holiday.

Happy Easter from the Crains!

Boys

Boys. . .

Boys throw everything like it's a baseball. I have injuries from sippy cups, toys, food hurled at like 100 mph. Ouch.

Boys sometimes like dolls. It means he will be a good Daddy right? It's pretty cute to see Henry walking around the house with a baby on his shoulder and that sweet little hand patting the baby's back. I swear he plays with Rhiannon's dolls more than she does.

Boys are sneaky. They know if they continue to throw "B" from the crib and cry for "B" that Mommy will come back in the room to save "B". Any there is always hope that Mommy will then pick baby boy up and snuggle him some more.

Boys are leaky. How do they pee this much? How big of a diaper do I need to buy? And how can you sleep that wet? And why are you so happy in the morning even when your pajamas are soaked? And why do you pee in the bathtub? Every. Single. Night. Your sister is OVER it.

Boys do not wean themselves. My girl did. My boy? Not a chance. But Mommy got bit again last week. And there was blood involved. So my little vampire got cut off. Sorry little dude. But I think 14 months is enough.

Boys like lawn mowers and tractors. And are obsessed with riding them with Grandfathers and Daddys.

Boys love their sisters. Rhiannon now comes and wakes me up in the morning "Mommy, let's go get Henry!" Now when we go in Henry's room, I'm no longer greated with "Mama, Mama!". Now it's "Ree Ree! Ree Ree!" with outstretched arms for his big sister.

My boy is now 14 months old. And I still have a whole to learn. About boys. Lord help me.