Kellie's Lovey

Kellie has never been interested in a lovey. She used to think that stuffed animals were something fun to carry around, but she'd drop them the moment something shiny caught her eye.

When I found Llama Llama Red Pajama at Barnes and Noble, I just had to get this llama to go along with the story.

It was a self-indulgent purchase that I regretted while walking away from the cashier. But now I'm so glad I bought it because this llama is
Kellie's new lovey.

We say, "Do you want your llama?"
Following the story's rhyming text, she'll answer, "MaMa!"
and reach for her llama.

She lays it across her eyes to go to sleep at night. When she wakes, she'll reach out for it, hug it and go back to sleep. It melts my heart to see her so attached to this little llama.

Easter was a hit -

- until we pumped our previously sugar-limited toddler with chocolate.
That was a disaster I have no intention of repeating.
THEN?
We had the bright idea of going to see "Horton Hears a Who" in theater.
Can you tell we are first-time parents?
Brian was a champ and took care of our hyped-up
kidlet in the foyer and at the back of the auditorium.
I had such a headache today, my parenting patience was tapped out.

We had a little easter egg hunt that was fun.
Kellie caught on to the idea of finding eggs.
And putting them in her basket.

But then she would get confused about the eggs in the basket and find those again.

Sometimes, she'd swap an egg in her basket for an egg in a hiding spot.

She enjoyed clacking the plastic eggs together.
She enjoyed clacking the boiled eggs even more.

Kellie's Mutti sent an adorable outfit for her hunt.
(Thank you, again!)
She also sent a book about a bunny who hides eggs
and chocolate bunnies for the kids.
I assured Ruthie that we had a chocolate bunny to hide for Kellie
so she wouldn't be disappointed.
She swapped an orange egg from her basket for her final find -
the prized chocolate bunny.

Happy Easter all!