Hippity Hop

It was a hippity hoppity Easter, it was. I'm not sure it could have gone any better. Come on...85 degrees, sun was shining...it was a perfect Easter day. Can you beat that?

We woke up to baskets and breakfast - chocolate pancakes, sausage, bacon, cinnamon rolls, and my best friend - coffee. Daddy spoils us. And chocolate pancakes may seem way too sweet, but they are surprisingly subtle. Love them just the same.

Daddy showing Christian the rattle from his Easter basket.

Lola and her basket and her bumbo seat and her baby smiles!

We made it to church, late as usual. But we made it!

Speaking of church, I was watching the 10 o'clock news today and it was such an amazing site to see so many people around the world attending their respective services at their respective churches - troops over sees worshiping in a make shift chapel, popes in foreign lands presiding over their congregations, and even a pastor preaching the word while standing atop a pitcher's mound to a stadium of people. It was so connecting to feel that not only did our family attend services, but so many people around the world were doing the exact same thing at around the exact same time. On such an important day, Christians around the world collectively prayed and sang and gave thanks and remembered what actually defines us as Christians. It was awe inspiring. It was...moving.

After church we headed to Gramma's for swimming and food. This was Christian's first swim since last summer at Hacienda. Now, Christian's been super moody lately, pretty much for the last week or so. So I was a little worried he wouldn't like it. Nothing to worry about! He did so well!

He was so relaxed. He just floated. I could have stayed in that pool with him for the rest of the day and into the night. His whole demeanor changed. And, might I add, it was so much easier without his trache. I mean that was one of the things we had to watch out for last summer. It's not like we put him in the water past his neck, but, still, we didn't have to be as careful.

And then his mood afterward was so much nicer than it's been. I think just experiencing this afternoon in the pool with him has made me want to start taking him at least once a week - either to our local therapy pool (which is kept at 92 degrees) or to my Gramma's house (which mostly feels like a lukewarm bath in the 85 degree range).

Oh yeah, Lola had her first swim, too. She was not so happy about that. But she's a princess so that's to be expected.

We then ate outside in the warm, late afternoon amongst crying babies that needed a nap and family laughing as they teased each other back and forth.

It probably didn't seem like I enjoyed myself as much as I did, running back and forth between Lola and Christian, but it was a great day with great memories. In fact, I couldn't even be sad or reminiscent about last year. I admit I was nervous about swimming again with Christian, but it went so well that I can't wait to take him back.

Going to church as a family, dressed up in pressed shirts and frilly dresses.

First bathing suits and first swims with baby hair that smells like sunscreen and baby skin that smells like pool.

Food. A lot of food. And family. My most wonderful family.

And this day?

It was Easter today. We didn't have time to do an egg hunt or even dye eggs this year for that matter. But we have family, we have Christian, and we have many days just like this ahead of us.

A lovely Easter it was.

Frilly dress Nana Magdalena made.