This year, there was no early morning puffy eyed, pyjama clad beasties tumbling into our bed, ready to check if they could find any tell tale bunny paw prints around the house. Nope. None of that. I could say, it was because one small beasty kept us all up till past 1am in the morning with her shenanigans (“But its fffun to play in your bed,mama!”. (Yes, 1am – what in the effing eff?). But no, it was actually because, our newest and most darling little nephew was being baptised this easter.What a special baptism to be held on Easter. What a special Easter!
Meaning early morning treks called for ripping poor littles from their sweet dreamland state. Something I hate doing, but being god-parents meant that there was no way we could be late.
So after sneaking the Easter Baskets into the car unseen, packing in all the crafting and colours needed for Easter festivities of later, hoping we forgot nothng, as well as cooking up a decent story about why there are no easter eggs to be found in our home this year, we were off. By the way, I learnt my eldest is all about the details. Like, how did the Easter Bunny organize with you? Did you phone him? (No he crept into my room last night while making his plans – he knew about the baptism.) Well, how does he look? (It was dark, I couldn’t see much.) Well, didn’t you take a photo? You always take lots of photos of everything. (No, sorry,he was in and out so quickly – he had such a busy night ahead of him, he really couldn’t wait for me to find my camera.)..probe.probe.probe….All the bloody questions that one had. That probing mind was on me like bloodhound. But I think I was casual and genuine enough in my responses to keep the mirage of magic going for a bit longer.
On another note, as always, it’s an honour to be called to stand as god-parent. And for this little schmunchkin, we felt no less!
This lil’ guy has four god-parents. Which may seem like a lot, but then that’s only because you haevnt heard of my other niece who has, I think, in excess of 5 god-parents!
Anyhoo, the whole bang lot of us were there in church – taking up rows and rows of pews, that were all nicely marked as “Reserved:family”. Just my one bro and his large brood turned around at the church doors, as they felt it was too late to enter. And yet, those rows were still brimming with siblings and cousins, and aunts and uncles. Oh, my favourite!
And what was quite evident, is that its our children’s favourite too! In fact, while we were recapping the day’s events, Parker’s exact words were, “mama, I love too many cousins!”…Me too my girl. Me too. If you’re no stranger to my blog, then you know I have a thing about big families – it’s a special kind of magic.
This is just a glimpse into my mom’s home after church that morning BEFORE the bustle started and rest of family came over.
This year, was a bit upside due to the baptism, so everything was backwards. Especially since we had to trek super early all the way to my mom’s church. Family brunch post church was first, filled with sorts of these kind of goodies:
I had all the intentions of making an Easter cake, but I know my limits as a preggo. There is only so much time and energy in this body of mine. And I have pay-as-go airtime on these feet of mine. So surviving the baptism on my feet, and being able to last the egg hunt and crafts with the kids, was more important than rocking up with a pretty and seasonally-perfect cake. These are the things Im learning about motherhood: choose your battles and learn to survive another day.
Then a massive lunch that followed, what felt like, only 10 minutes later. This included an amazing fish braai that my eldest brother, Louis did. My brothers are really such whizzes when it comes to food. And to work some of that off, we had our annual Easter Egg hunt in my mom’s garden.
What was uber cool about it this year, was that, the older nieces and nephews took the egg-hiding torch from me and went and did it for their little cousins. Which was simply fantastic – not only heart warming to see these teenagers and young adults happily and proudly do this for their cousins- just as it was done for them years ago – but also I could totally chill out, and put my preggy feet up a bit.
Mike and my brother sorted out some wind down drinks and snacks outdoors thereafter– because we had an unseasonally hot Easter! And only then did we paint eggs. (which is usually the very first thing we do after Easter Brekkie)
As mentioned in the last post, Im loving the egg dyeing techniques ever since last year, as it’s so much simpler and easier in all aspects. And also the kids are mystified by this magic process of swishing eggs around only to have to them emerge another colour. In fact, they may have loved them too much to the point where I was not prepared. Firstly because, I forgot the shit load of boiled eggs at home (the ones i had prepared the night before, so that I could rock up like that fully prepared mom) – now guess who had to eat all those? And then I didn’t really quite expect so many littles to turn up for Easter.Or more importantly, to still be interested in this activitiy. So I had to boil a whole bunch of more eggs at my mom’s…..TWICE! because they couldn’t get enough of it. So there’s me, frantically boiling eggs, wishing the laws of physics would miraculously bend to rapidly speed up boiling point. Luckily, they were patient enough to wait, and also luckily I have nephews with huge appetites, and penchants for eggs. So none of it went to waste.
Lessons learnt – dont forget the eggs at home, and buy them in bulk next year!
Thereafter, it was a whole lot of relaxing, and family timing it up. We are yet to do the Easter Baskets (which is usually he very first thing we do on Easter Morning), because I knew there was no way I could do a basket hunt for my two girls, with all the other smallies eagerly wanting to join in too. So we’re going to hang back and wait for another morning to do it. EB is running a little (super) late this year, and I think that’s ok. Even EB needs a break some time. But I’m so keen for them to get cracking on those books in the basket, I’m not sure if I can hold out for much longer!
Anyhoo, I was pretty much bushed by the time 6pm had rolled in. I have no idea how my mom still managed to do the whole day of hosting – so effortlessly- and then to still take on the cousins sleeping over at her place. I mean, she’s on her way to 80, and still the super woman she always was! Either way,I was grateful to her, as I had been ill the whole past week, despite being on holiday and in desperate need of some solid sleep.
Mike and I didn’t play, we got home and into jammies faster than you could think. And ready for a night of pure unadulterated…sleep. But then, as you know it, we started thinking of the kids. And worrying. And feeling bad for leaving them (Parker explicitly explained that she prefers to sleep where we are. And needed me to explain what I had to do that she couldn’t come home with me…urgghhhh talk about mom guilt. But that’s a post for another time.) So, in the end, racked with guilt, we didn’t get the sleep we had hoped for, but still woke up happy to be alive, with each other, and with our souls brimming with quality family time of the day before…and ready to pick up the kiddums again. We’re such suckers!
Either way, I hope your Easter was peaceful, magical, colourful and warmed by the joy of loved ones around you.
X
What a wonderful family Easter – so special with a Christianing and all that fun!
Thanks, catjuggles – yes, its always lovely with bang lot of us together at my moms.
And extra special this year too.