Easter bunny seeks help...

When Tennie and I went to the toy store last week (so Tennie could buy toys for Adele and Ceci) I planned to pick up a few things for their Easter baskets. As we walked to town, I wondered how sneaky I had to be. The conversation went something like this:

I started, "So...I think I should tell you that while we are out I'm going to be picking up some things for the Easter baskets."

(Nothing from Tennie)

"What do you think about that?"

Long pause...I'm wondering if I made a mistake popping the enormous bubble that is her imiganition...pause...I'm wondering if I just ruined the joy of her childhood and should have just let her keep believing...finally, Tennie says,

"You mean YOU are one of the Easter bunny's HELPERS??!?!"

(Several years ago Ashley Serafin had an Easter party with an egg hunt and when the kids asked how she got the Easter eggs she confessed that she was one of the Easter bunny's helpers. Our girls thought that was about the coolest thing in the world - to know one of THE Easter bunny's helpers! They've talked about it every year since.)

"Yep." I simply said, not willing to snuff her burning light of creativity.

"Wow...THIS IS SO COOL!!!" she shouted at the top of her lungs, "I'm walking down the street with one of the Easter Bunny's helpers!!!"

Then, a few days later Adele came upstairs and asked Geoff pointedly, "Dad, do you promise that you and mom aren't the Easter bunny?"

"I don't make promises, Adele." (Our girls are really into promises lately.)

She pushed further, "If you did make promises would you promise you and mom aren't the Easter bunny?"

"What do you think, Adele?"

"I don't know, but I want to know the truth." (pause) "It would ruin everything if you guys were. It wouldn't be fun if you guys gave us the Easter baskets!"

Geoff seeing an opportunity to distract, and fan the weak belief in this observant, analytical little girl said, "What do you mean it wouldn't be fun? Isn't it fun to get birthday presents from us? Or would it be more fun if there were a Birthday Panda?"

At this Geoff and I laughed and she was silenced for the time being.

French children believe the church bells drop candy their candy (I guess all cultures rely heavily on imagination!) so we improvised with Easter supplies. Tennie had a little bread basket for a basket, Adele a little purse, and Ceci a sand castle sand bucket...all filled with hand-cut paper grass (oh the things we'll do) full of candy and small gifts. Geoff found a huge (1000 grams!) chocolate bunny for 7 euro at our grocery store and couldn't resist buying it (he justified the indulgence to me as "once in a lifetime", "Easter in France", "only 7 euro" yada yada). The girls were so excited about it they decided they couldn't just eat it, they had to dance with it before taking a big bite of it's ears. Adele went first and provided great drama with a tango-type dance; during Tennie's river-dance the hollow bunny's head broke off and crumbled on the floor which sent Ceci wailing down the hall because she hadn't had her turn yet. Finally she came back, cradled what was left of the head and danced a slow waltz before sticking as much in her mouth as possible. Unfortunately I didn't get any pictures because I was too busy enjoying the whole scene.