Texting the Easter Bunny

We had a low key Easter this year. I realized the day before that I had neglected to purchase an egg dying kit, so Nick and I went shopping to get one. An hour and three stores later, we came home empty handed. So, we just used food coloring, and were pleasantly surprised to find that food coloring works much better than those silly kits. So now I don't have to worry about wasting that money every year. The night before, we put together the Easter baskets, filled the plastic eggs and ventured out in the cold night to hide them all. The next morning Elijah was up at 6:30, Nick at 7:00. So much for sleeping in. After the baskets, the second thing Nick noticed was the plate of eggs we had colored the day before, and he was rather distressed that the Easter bunny hadn't hidden them. I suggested that EB had hidden eggs with candy in them, but Nick was INSISTENT that EB is supposed to hide the eggs we left out as well, and he recounted with great clarity how EB had hidden all the dyed eggs in the living room and playroom the last time he was here . . . two years ago. (Last year we were out of town staying at a hotel on Easter Sunday). His memory scares me sometimes. We had in fact hidden the eggs in the house that year because it had been raining. So, we distracted him from his dismay with the egg hunt in the backyard, with a visit from Grammy & Papa, with a movie in the afternoon. And when it was time to get ready for a bath, Nick says "But Mom, the Easter Bunny hasn't come back to hide the eggs yet! When is he coming?" He was fairly upset about it at this point. This is part of living with Aspergers - routine and structure are of the utmost importance - any deviance from the expectation is met with great consternation. Thank God for modern technology. I said "I'll text the Easter Bunny right now, and I'm sure he'll come while you take your bath." So I sent a text message, and I let Nick see me type and send it (to my girlfriend), and he was quite relieved. Robert managed to corral all three of them in the bath, and closed to door while I made quick work of hiding the colored eggs around the living room and playroom. My very confused girlfriend called me just as I was going into the bathroom to signal Robert, so I enthusiastically greeted her with "Hello Easter Bunny! You did? Oh thank you Easter Bunny!" So the boys got out, got on their PJs and came out for one last egg hunt. Nick was so happy and excited. I just love seeing the look on his face at times like that. At his age, so many children have figured out the myths of Easter Bunny and Santa. Not Nick. He still believes wholeheartedly. I am hopeful he will hold on to that innocence for a couple more years, because it is such a wondrous thing to see, when children light up over their belief in the impossible. It's the very foundation of faith - believing without a doubt that which you cannot see. I hope that they never let go of that ability to believe - in anything.

Here are some pictures from the first egghunt: