Easter Egg Hunts and Nosebleeds

We had a full eventful day yesterday that started before the sun rose. Ted and I woke up at 5:30am with only about four hours of sleep. We waited until the last possible moment to wake the kids for 7:15am Mass in our effort to avoid a super crowded Easter service at our usual 9:00am Mass. It was perfect and the children were surprisingly well-behaved for skipping breakfast, but we have Squinkies to thank for occupying their normal terrorizing behavior. We made it through Mass with two tantrums, several thrown toys, and most of our sanity (and the service only lasted an hour).

Before Mass we learned that our newest nephew was born at 4am. So after grabbing breakfast, we headed to the hospital to check him out. We waited with the kids, and an hour was all we could handle with children that were quickly approaching nap time (and we didn’t even get to see the little guy).

We loaded the kids into the car where Rhett took the infamous car power nap on the drive home the hospital, an accomplishment that renders the designated nap time futile and gives him enough energy to run circles around his exhausted parents

We got the children out of their church clothes and headed over to the neighbor’s for the first Easter egg hunt of the day. The kids ran wild for eggs for a while then feasted on cookies and sugary drinks before entering meltdown mode when things failed to go their way while playing with the other neighborhood children.

We made our way back home to settle the children down for nap. Rhett refused to nap and instead plated quietly in his crib for about an hour before Ted finally gave up his hopes for a nap. He was gracious enough to allow me a few extra minutes to try and get some sleep, but as anyone knows, it is impossible for a mother to sleep with the sound of children shouting/squealing. Eventually, I got up to ice the chocolate sunflower cake I was making out of peeps and a chocolate frosting (I saw it on Pinterest) to bring to my parents’ house.

We packed up and headed across town. The kids enjoyed a second Easter egg hunt in Grandma and Grandpa’s backyard where Rhett had really gotten the hang of it since it was third one he’s participated in this year. He even started hiding some of the eggs afterward.

Dinner rounded out our day which was then followed by a long drive home, late baths, and even later bedtimes. It was such an enjoyable day maximizing our time with our children despite the challenges we endured. As much as they exhaust me the reward of their love exceeds it.

Elle experienced her first nosebleed ever. She complained of her nose feeling stuffy before heading to Grandma and Grandpa’s. About an hour after getting her to bed, she came to my room slightly alarmed but more confused than anything and covered with blood on her pajamas, arms, face, and hands. I later found out it was all over her pillow and sheets too. So while trying to mask my alarm at all the blood, I matter-of-factly explained she had a nosebleed and cleaned her up and coached her though getting it to stop.

We changed out her bedding and changed her clothes after getting to stop bleeding. I was very proud of her for not freaking out about the blood. I guess she didn’t realize it was blood because she later said she thought it was brown when she was in her dark room. She had so many questions about how many times it would happen, why it happens, if it would happen again, if it ever happened to me, and concerned for her cousin saying, “I hope Hayden never had a nosebleed.”

I’m also proud of myself for handling it on my own without panicking or expressing alarm at the first sight of her since I was trying not to startle or frighten her. It is not one of those types of milestones that are generally documented, but it was definitely memorable.