Wherein I am outed as the Easter Bunny

Like all good things, I suppose this too must end...

I thought we were going along just fine. B. has never questioned the Easter Bunny. He has blissfully enjoyed his chocolate rabbits, cheap toy chickens that lay jelly bean eggs, Whoppers until he is sick to his stomach-you get the idea.

Oh sure, he probably heard rumors at school. Kids will talk. I am sure he thought to himself, "Hmmmm.....could it be true? Could Mom and Dad be behind it all?" But this kid has got it goin' on. He knew he had a good thing and he wasn't going to screw it up. Consequently we have had 11 good years.

Along comes T. Now T. is fully as smart as his brother was at that age but there is one thing T. hasn't figured out yet. When it comes to the Easter Bunny you just keep your mouth shut and play along.

My dear boy gets up early. I know this. It's not a big surprise. I dutifully set my alarm for 6:15 Sunday morning. I figure that will give me a good 40 minutes before any child wakes up. But NO. T. hears me moving in my room and gets up to go to the bathroom. I knew he was awake at that point but it was still pretty dark in the house and I thought I could pull this off.

While he is in the bathroom I run out of the house as quietly as possible and start hiding eggs. All the time I am thinking, Gotta hurry, gotta hurry, gotta hurry. Then I start thinking, How am I gonna get in the house? How am I gonna get in the house? How am I gonna get in the house?

I get the eggs hidden away and quietly slip back in. I think I have pulled it off. Victory! Whooo Hoooo! One more year of the fantasy.

Alas, it was not to be...

After we go out and hunt the eggs C. takes me aside and says that T. saw me through the window hiding the eggs. NO!!!! We go through half the day and T. doesn't say a word. Finally he comes in and wants to tell me something.

"Mama, I saw you hiding eggs."

"No you didn't."

"Yes I did."

"Well I was just helping the Easter Bunny because he was running late."

"Huh-uh. I saw you."

"You're crazy. (yes, I know it's despicable to call your kids crazy but it can be an effective diversion-of course not this time...) I just had to help the Easter Bunny."

"You're the Easter Bunny."

"NO, I AM NOT!"

Somehow we make it through the rest of the day and as I am tucking T. into bed Sunday night the last thing I hear as I head out the door....."Good night, Easter Bunny."

"Good night, T."