The Easter Bunny Must Really Want Easter!
Happy Easter to everyone!
This Easter was the first Easter where Rebecca, Xavier and I were all together and Xavier was "egg hunt aware."
Last year, Rebecca was out of state attending Squadron Officer's College. Last year was also the year the epiphany of the Easter Bunny and egg hunts occurred to Xavier. The video we have of last year's hunt is rather cute.
In fact, Xavier reviewed the videos a couple of times during this past week, I suppose to study last year's hunt and improve on any mistakes.
As last year, we got Xavier to clean various rooms with the statement "The Easter Bunny will not hide things in a messy room. He does not think you will find anything in the mess." It's like having a Spring Cleaning house elf suddenly appear and enthusiastically want to clean.
As we wanted to attend the early service (at 08:45), we had to rally early to have the hunt before church. Xavier asked that we get him up "really early." That meant 06:30. I was surprised, we did actually get him up; he was not already up on his own.
This year, he began his hunt with experience under his belt. As he climbed out of bed, he asked where his basket was. Coincidentally, his basket sat next to his bed with a Lego kit, a book and other small items filling it. The basket was not there when he went to sleep. He had been concerned the Easter Bunny might not show up if he had not been good enough (I don't know where he got that one; it's not something we would ever espouse).
But his Easter Basket showing up in his room already loaded with gifts egged him on! He grabbed it and with experienced dispatch, headed out of his room and into the rooms we cleaned yesterday.
Along his route, he discovered eggs in places we had not cleaned, but were tidy. He found eggs in places high and low; treats under cushions; clutches of jellybeans behind doors and in shoes; chocolates in his Lego structures.
Though not as diverse as last year's finds, there seemed more goodies, and in more inventive places. "The Easter Bunny must really want Easter this year," he exclaimed more than once.
Christ is Risen!
I Feel Like A Grown Up
Hello to all.
After months of talking about it and shopping, we finally bought Xavier a booster seat for the car to replace his infant/toddler seat. The problem has been, though Xavier has gotten long enough to graduate into a booster, he hasn't matched the weight limits, and shoulder seat belt positioning has been a concern.
Still, months ago Xavier grew too long for the five-point bucket. His legs and feet interfered with the driver's arms and elbows, no matter which car he sat in.
Our first effort to actually buy the booster (we had cash in hand and went to a store with the intention of purchasing one), did not turn out well. They were out of stock on all but the floor demo of the model we wanted. So, we bought a Lego kit and some gardening supplies instead.
Rebecca found a booster with all the required/desired features at another store several days later and bought it.
We installed it that evening and Xavier loves it! He can buckle himself in and unbuckle himself. He gets into the car by himself and closes the door (if you try to help him, he barks at you "I can do it!"). He can roll down the window to get "fresh air" in the car; this he likes to do when pulling out of the garage.
He shows it off to his teacher every day (his teacher assists the kids getting into their cars; it greatly helps the traffic congestion and provides greater safety for drivers and children).
After getting home from school the first day he used the seat, he went into the house and gathered some toys. He brought those toys to the car and placed them in a seat pocket. Now he can entertain himself and—most importantly—he can reach his toys himself while in the booster seat.
Also, these past two weeks, Xavier has been claiming he has a loose tooth. The jury is still out on whether it's loose or not, but he believes/hopes strongly it's loose.
The combination of the loose tooth, the big-kid booster and the new freedoms it offers brought Xavier to voice this conclusion: "I feel more grown-up now."
Of course, we only budgeted for one booster seat this month. We put it in the vehicle which ferries Xavier most often: the 90.
I loaded Xavier up in the 60 this past Tuesday to take him to swim lessons (the 60 still has the toddler bucket style seat in it). The drive to his lessons takes about fifteen minutes.
For fifteen minutes all I heard was "Daddy, I hate this car seat", "Daddy, you need to buy another booster seat." "Daddy, you need to put another booster seat in this month's budget." (Yes, he said budget). "Daddy, can we get another booster today after swim lessons?" "Daddy, when are you going to get a booster seat for the 60?"