The Easter Bunny

Yes, it's May and I'm posting about the Easter Bunny.  Why, you ask?  Well, because Evan is terrified of the Easter Bunny.  Still.  And for good reason.....

See, the week before Easter, I took Evan to Target and made the mistake of trying to purchase items for his Easter basket while he was with me.  Rookie mistake #1.  Since Evan will only ride in huge shopping carts dressed as cars, he refused to ride in the tiny red cart at Target (not cool, Mom). 

While he RACED through the aisles and I frantically followed him with the cart, he came upon the Toy Story toy display at Target.  Within arms reach was the pizza truck from Toy Story.  Evan grabbed it off the shelf and refused to let it go.  I figured there was no harm in him carrying it around the store since it calmed him down a little so I could do some shopping (Rookie mistake #2).  I also thought that I could sneak it out of his grip before we left the store (Rookie mistake #3).  I was proven wrong on all accounts.  As I pulled the toy from Evan's arms (imagine trying to pull open a locked door - impossible), Evan broke down (justified since Mom was pulling the best toy on earth from his arms).  I tried negotiating with him, promised him candy, TV, a puppy, a car when he's 16, everything, but nothing worked. 

When I finally got the toy loose, I put it on a shelf and made a run for the check-out.  Evan climbed out of the cart while I was pushing it, onto the floor, and crawled on his belly, screaming, all the way back to the aisle I left the toy in.  At this point, I threw in the towel and told Evan he could have the toy, but that the Easter Bunny would hold onto it until Easter.  All the parents reading this have been there before, so I don't feel like I need to explain why I gave in to my 2.5 year olds tantrum.  The best part is the other parent who complimented me for not giving in and leaving the toy on the shelf (despite Evan's tears), and then that same parent seeing me paying for the toy at the check-out. 

Evan continued to ask daily where his pizza truck was and when the Easter Bunny would bring it.  I avoided the question, because my plan was to return the truck (it was $40!!!).  He would say things like "If I'm a good boy, the Easter Bunny will bring my pizza truck?"  Or "Why does the Easter Bunny have my pizza truck?"  To top it all off, Evan never even got an Easter basket from Erik & I on Easter.  It was a rough sleep night for Evan that night and we were so exhausted the next morning that I totally forgot about it.  By the time I remembered, Erik and I were in the Emergency Room for the finger drama that came later on Easter.  Yep, we're horrible parents. 

Since Easter, Evan continues to associate bad things with the Easter Bunny....such as:
- "If I'm not a good boy, the Easter Bunny will take my toys away"
- "Where's my car mom?  Did the Easter Bunny take it?"
- "Daddy, if you're not nice, the Easter Bunny will take you away."
- "Lucy, stop barking or the Easter Bunny will take your treats!"
- Or if I mention that I'm missing something like a shoe, sock, whatever, Evan will say "Maybe the Easter Bunny took it." 
- At the grocery store (tonight) when we can't get one of those huge carts, Evan will say "Maybe the Easter Bunny took the cart away."

I won't lie...when Evan says these things, Erik and I turn our heads and do our best to hide our laughter.  It really is funny in a sick, parenting way.  And yes, we know that we have to let the Easter Bunny redeem himself and show up at our house with a giant pizza-truck-filled basket at some point before Easter comes next year (I fear that if Evan sees the Easter Bunny again, he may react violently). 

If for some reason Evan continues to fear the Easter Bunny, I had to document why (so that in his therapy sessions in 20 years he can reference this blog from his crazy mother). 

Cheers to the joys of parenthood!