Easter Prep

Elliott is doing a better job napping by himself during the day.  I nurse him to sleep, then hold and rock him until he is deeply asleep.  Then I can put him down.  The other day he slept for almost 2 hours by himself.  Yesterday he needed some rocking every 20-30 minutes.  That's still better than Spencer, who took his very first nap by himself at age 2 years- 1 month.

This morning was momentous because it was the first time since he was a real newborn (like less than 2 weeks old) that Elliott just fell asleep by himself without us holding and rocking him.  I actually marked it down in his baby book because, by comparison, the first time Spencer ever put himself to sleep he was 2 years- 4 months old.  Michael had Elliott in the rock n play in the bathroom while he took a shower and got ready.  The sound of the shower and exhaust fan just knocked him out.  We left him in the bathroom for 30 minutes to nap.  Ha!

Anyway, with all this independent napping Spencer and I have more opportunities for a little one on one time.  We've been doing lots of arts and crafts, reading and hide n go seek.

On Thursday we made an Easter Bunny Garland.

We did the backs with stickers and cotton ball tails.

The colors are not exactly what I would have picked, but Spencer was dang proud once we hung the whole thing up.

On Friday we made Easter Footprint Chicks.  Michael helped with Elliott after he got home from work.

We got out all the Easter decorations yesterday and when I opened everything it reminded me that Easter is actually in 2 weeks and I don't have a basket for Elliott yet.  Spencer was 6 months old for his first Easter and I did not get him a basket or give him one gosh, darn thing for that matter, but we're giving Elliott stuff this year more for Spencer's sake. Holidays are important to him and he is very concerned that Elliott actually participate in holidays.  He gets that from me I think. 

This is Spencer's basket that we got when he was 18 months old.  Every year we use the same one and fill it with little non-candy gifts.  He gets enough candy hidden around the house from the Easter Bunny.

I thought he was so big and grown up that year.

Early this morning, like 4:00 am, when I was up nursing Elliott, I was sitting in the dark thinking that it was too bad I couldn't buy a matching basket to Spencer's, but in green.  It's been 3 years since I bought it, I couldn't even remember where I got it and I doubted I would be able to find a new one.

I went to Michael's Arts and Crafts for stuff unrelated to Easter today.  And wouldn't you know it, I found an almost exact match to Spencer's basket in green. It was the only one they had.  It's almost like I conjured it by imagining it.  Maybe I'm a witch.  Spencer's basket is a little wider and Elliott's is a little deeper, but they definitely match.

I just couldn't be more pleased.