Easter and the Easter Bunny

With Easter creeping around the corner and just a week away, I have been thinking a lot about Easter and the Easter Bunny. I have a serious issue with the whole concept of LYING to my kids that a big furry bunny comes and brings them gifts. And YES.... I feel the same way about Christmas and Santa Clause.

These holidays are supposed to be centered on Christ and I want my kids to know that from the start. I feel that when you bring the Easter Bunny and Santa Clause in the mix, it totally takes the focus off of Christ and the meaning of the holidays are lost.

I have really had this dilemma going on in my head for a long time now. Now that Brooklyn is getting a little older, I feel like I need to figure out and come to a conclusion on how I am going to treat these holidays. Do I tell them that Santa Clause and the Easter Bunny aren't real and be truthful with them from the start and hope that they don't ruin it for other kids and their parents, or do I lie to them and feel bad that the holiday focus isn't where it should be. I feel really strongly about Easter and what the holiday is about and I really don't think I can do the Easter Bunny charade. My fear with this choice is am I taking the fun away from my kids? Will these holidays not be exciting for them since they don't have the thought that someone is coming in the night to bring them fun stuff?

I really feel stumped on what to do. I feel like that with either choice I am doing something wrong.... Lie to my kids or take the excitement out of the holidays.

What are your feelings on this? What do you do?

Our Sunday

Yesterday was seriously one of the best Sundays I could have asked for. We have had such a difficult time with Sundays lately. Our church starts at 1:00. Brooklyn's nap time is at 1:00. After we had Kenidi, one of us would stay home and the other one would go to church. Well, we decided that since one was staying home, Brooklyn could stay home and take her nap during church. Last week we all went to sacrament for the first time together and had a very rough time with Brooklyn. She did NOT want to be quiet or sit still so I stood out in the breezeway between the doors and held her. I refused to let her down and walk around because I don't want her to think that she can act up and go out in the hall and play. Then we took her home to have her nap since she was so tired.

This week, I was going to be prepared.... We got her down on a nap around 11:00 (woke her up earlier), I made some copies out of a coloring book, brought my old colored pencils, brought some books and few toys and it was the first time that we didn't have to go out into the hall once! She LOVED the coloring pencils!... not to color with, just to hold and carry. Not only did she make it through sacrament, but she got to go to Nursery for the 1st time! We were so excited for her and she loved it. Then to top the day off.... Kenidi went down for bed right when I wanted her to and she slept for 10 HOURS!!!!! We had the perfect schedule going yesterday and I REALLY hope that we can do it every Sunday.

It was very nice to all get to go to church together and to be able to go to all of it. It was still a little crazy with taking Kenidi and juggling Brooklyn but that is definitely expected with little ones. It takes me a while, but I have been able to kind of figure out the best way to do things with Brooklyn and she has been acting so much better.... definitely still has her moments, but they are few and far between compared to how she used to be. I might actually be able to survive Sundays now.

Moms are SUPER HEROS!

James has been gone for over a week (with the short stop home between 2 locations), which means that I have been home by myself with my 2 little girlies. I was very nervous for him to go... I wasn't sure how I could handle doing EVERYTHING by myself.... Wake up and nurse Kenidi, get Brooklyn up and fed (and myself in there) and get all 3 of us bathed, clean the house and cook dinner, find some ways to get out of the house so that we weren't all couped up inside the whole time he was gone, go to scouts (with the 2 girls), get Brooklyn down for the night, pick up her messes, do the dishes, take care of a fussy baby and wake up in the night if needs be (and adding in 8 nursings in the midst of all of it)..... BREATHE

You know what? It hasn't been as bad as I thought it was going to be. Women do it all the time with even more kids and so I am definitely convinced that woman are SUPER HEROS!

I have to admit, my house has probably been the messiest it has ever been this past week, Brooklyn has thrown quite a few tantrums & pushed my buttons a few times, and I haven't gotten as much sleep as I would like...... but I still feel ok with being by myself and I'm not ready to rip my hair out like I thought I would be by the end of it all.

Isn't it amazing how a child can make a mess in every room, throw their food around, scream and throw tantrums when they don't get their way (even in public and embarrass you) and still completely own your heart after all of it! I have had some very difficult moments with Brooklyn this past week, and when all is said and done, I look into that girls eyes and I absolutely love and adore everything about her. She really can be the funnest and sweetest thing alive. I really hope that in those difficult moments, I can have the patience to react in a pleasing manner instead of snapping in frustration as I have done a few times before. I am so afraid of doing something that will make her feel like she can't be herself and ruining who she truly is. I hope I can learn how to parent her best in those situations when her energy is hard to control (e.g. church, being in someone else's home, public store or restaurant.... anytime she needs to sit still for a period of time).

James comes home late tomorrow night (one day earlier than we thought) and I am pleased to say that I have made it through the past week and don't feel like I need to dump the kids on James and run away for a while..... (that is what I kept telling him before he left) I miss him though and am ready to have him home for a while.

Professional Pictures

Is this not the most precious picture you have ever seen!?!?!?! My friend and neighbor, Haylie Lyn, did some pictures of Kenidi 2 weeks ago and I just got to see a small sampling of them on her blog. Check out the rest of them on there.

http://haylielynphoto.blogspot.com/