Happy Easter!

There are many perks to having kids.

A never-ending source of kisses, cuddles and declarations of undying lub (as in, "I lub you berry much, Mumma")

Endless opportunities to laugh at the oddities of the world, such as the amazing timing required for a baby, a toddler and a child to poo simultaneously (thereby necessitating a bottom-wiping festival).

A fairly safe bet that you will not one day be relegated to a nursing home, but instead be instated in a granny flat behind the home of one of them. After all, you cleaned up their dribble...it's only fair if the favour is returned...

And a second chance at being completely involved in the magic of Santa, the Easter Bunny, and the Tooth Fairy.

I'll be very honest here and admit I didn't think much about this last point when we brought Jack home from hospital. I was a bit too submerged in nappies / breastfeeding every two hours / sleep deprivation / cranky hormones to realise that I had, in fact, become the mumma. Which meant I had also unwittingly donned the Santa hat / EB ears / TF wings.

So in addition to the joys of having small kidlets, we also have enjoyed five years of Christmas morning magic and Easter Sunday goodies. And isn't it so much fun watching your babies experience the fantasies of childhood?

When we woke this morning, Easter Bunny had strewn carrot tops all over the house. He actually must be quite a messy fellow - they were draped over door knobs, on books in the bookshelf, over the baby safety gate...and the leafy fronds were broken off everywhere!! The first thing our kids did was gasp at the mess (I was a bit proud, actually - does this mean they're used to a clean house?? Really??) Even the Mouse pointed at the floor from her lofty height in my arms and exclaimed with a frown, "zfge,klemnkdngbss!!!" (yes, she actually did!)

And then Jack spied a tiny weeny egg nestled in the crook of the couch. And then another on the kitchen island. And with squeals and skips, Jack and Phoebe ransacked the house searching for little eggs. They found them amongst the books, on a shelf of the change table, behind doors, on the piano keyboard, in the ironing basket...I think Easter Bunny had a lot of fun strewing eggs all over the house! Not to mention the Ben 10 egg for Jack, the *PINK* My Little Pony egg for the Ballerina, and the teeny red egg in its' own bucket and spade for the Mouse.

Although Jack was the main instigator in finding the hidden eggs, Phoebe was breathless with happiness. She kept saying again and again, "Mummy, the Easter Bunny came!!!! And he knew I wanted a pink egg! And it's in a cup of tea just for me! And Jack did get a boy's egg! In a cappuccino cup! And Maisie did get a red egg just like Jack's! And I got a pink egg! And Easter Bunny only comes to good children and I was a good girl! And I love you, Mumma!" I think she was pleased with her egg.

Maisie walked around for a good half hour carrying her egg, still in it's box. Even though she won't actually get to eat it (I'm lax with number three, but not quite ready to let her eat chocolate yet!!!), she had a lot of fun picking it up, putting it down, picking it up...it was a great game, for sure.

All three kids have just finished a big bowl of fruit salad for morning tea. I think the food rules stipulate that this will negate the ill-effects of eating chocolate after breakfast? I'm sure it's written somewhere in the Jenny Craig handbook where it says broken biscuits have no calories...

Happy Easter from Team O'Toole!! We hope you have an eggscellent day!!! (I had to get that in somewhere...)