Easter Egg Hunt

April 3rd, 2010 by: cheyenne

Feeling rather perky tonight: the monkey sacked out two and a half hours ahead of schedule after a day of activity and sugar, in addition to missing her nap. We took her to the park for a neighborhood easter egg hunt. We got there like 15 minutes ahead of time and were maybe the third toddler there (they had 0-3 and 4-6 year old sections). During that 15 minutes a million other toddlers and parents showed up and crowded around the area where multi-colored plastic bisected eggs were unceremoniously sprinkled across the lawn. We had practiced at home hiding and finding easter eggs so we were pretty sure Ronin would clean up.

[The battleground.]

When the whistle blew, the toddlers were pushed forth by the parents (one guarding the kid, the other wielding the camera) so that each came with his own entourage of caretakers. We had assumed that they would just let the toddlers stumble out and fend for themselves but apparently not. We followed Ronin out into the melee.

[Ronin and Nigel ready to go out and kick ass.]

[Mass confusion.]

Let’s just say that the action was quick. Ronin was clearly confused and we had to essentially tell her to pick up each single egg she saw and put it in the bag. Or rather, “Here’s a green one! Let’s put it in the bag!! Oh, well, um… here’s a pink one! Let’s put that one in the… Oh. Ronin! GET THIS ORANGE ONE RIGHT HERE!! QUICK!!” She managed four eggs, which was fine because each one held 2-3 chocolate treats and she ate every single one.

[Mmmm. Chocolately.]

After that we decided we might as well O.D. on The Fun and head to the zoo, where we happen to have a membership. One year ago I would have never believed that I would have ever gone to the zoo again but here we are, practically on a first-name basis with the African wild dogs and the sun bears. Anyway, we went to the zoo where they had easter egg hunts every 1/2 hour or so throughout the day. It was about as bizarre. The eggs were not hidden at all but scattered around on the grass and STILL she had trouble figuring out what she was supposed to do. Maybe we confused her in the beginning by actually making her work for her eggs.

[Another mouthful.]

She ate another bunch of candy and we headed home. She refused to nap and wanted to hide eggs the rest of the day. I filled the plastic eggs with such fantastic treats as raisons, bunny crackers, and cashews and she begrudgingly ate them (mostly).

She fell asleep quickly tonight on the fourth round of Curious George Goes To The Zoo. (Not as depressing as the first CG book but creepifying in its own right.) Makes us wonder if it’s better to deny her a nap in order to have a peaceful evening or let her sleep if she needs it and suffer the consequences come nightfall. Very, very hard call.



6 Comments on “Easter Egg Hunt”

  1. Julie says:

    Was there a flipside though? Did she wake up at 3AM? I have eggsactly the same trouble with easter egg hunts myself. I’m glad they don’t have them in my country…

  2. Ginger says:

    Priceless! So fun for Ronin! Amazing what childhood activities we rediscover with kids. It’s fun to watch them have fun. Just wish you had sunny and 72 degrees like we did…ha ha!

  3. Peg Bowden says:

    Oh yes—such fond memories of Easter egg hunts in the backyard. You kids would never find one or two eggs, and 3 months later there would be this horrible stench under a bush and voila!!…there would be a half-eaten egg.
    I am still flabbergasted—-a “membership” at the zoo?? Who woulda thunk? It will be in the 80’s today—and the wildflowers….omigod. It is a vision. Love, Oma Peggy

  4. joshua says:

    I never would have believed I’d become a zoo member either. We would go on the occasional $2 day and Ronin absolutely loved it. It’s a good thing to do when I’m having a low energy parenting day and can’t think of any other way to entertain her. She gets really excited on the way over and starts running for the polar bears as soon as we get there. If we’re lucky the polar bears will be swimming which is really cool to watch.

  5. cheryl says:

    I was wondering what Easter looked like to you three. I don’t think you ever went to a mass Easter egg hunt, Joshua, but you enjoyed hunting eggs wherever we happen to be. I think I would be as confused as Ronin. :) Hey, did you share your Peeps? We arrive home this evening.
    Love, mom/grandma cheryl

  6. Kresling says:

    When I did the Rohner Park Easter egg hunt, age 6, my aunt told me to skip the lame real eggs and concentrate on finding one of the few plastic eggs containing a prize. I did and as a result found no eggs at all. I’ve since come to realize that it was a metaphor for my life, although this hunt isn’t over yet.

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Cheyenne Weil, Joshua Coxwell