Easter 2012

This year, Sina was old enough to actually go out to do an Easter egg hunt.  She could have done it last year (although she wasn't quite walking yet), but we were late to the post-wide egg hunt and missed it all together.  Last year = mega-fail.  We were determined not to make the same mistake this year and actually made up for it!

The Easter bunny visited us twice on Easter morning!

After returning from our trip to Prague (which I'll blog about sometime this week), the adults (we spent the weekend with the Finch Family) stayed up until the wee hours of the morning stuffing zillions of plastic eggs for Sina and Madisen (their  4-year old daughter) to find first thing in the morning.  We also laid out their Easter baskets.

Imagine their surprise to find all kinds of eggs right in their rooms and all over the house when they woke up.  Sina went and grabbed the first egg she saw after I lifted her out of her crib.  As she grabbed the second and third egg, she said (still groggy from waking up) "more! more!".  When we went downstairs she loaded more eggs into one of her Easter baskets with her daddy's help.

I say one of her baskets because she actually had two--one my mom had sent her (this Hello Kitty one) and another one I'd purchased her and loaded with all of the goodies that my mom and Great-Grandma had mailed to her, as well as all the stuff I'd amassed for her.  You really can't tell here, but this basket was overloaded with candies, a stuffed bunny rabbit, Hello Kitty and Dora-shaped eggs, flashcard sets, books and stickers. 

Thanks so much to our families for everything.  I think it's safe to say that this girl is soooooo LOVED.

Madisen was nice enough to let Sina borrow a set of the butterfly wings she'd received that morning so that they could flutter about the house together.

The Finches had some friends over for an amazing brunch.  We had blueberry french toast casserole, a hash brown casserole, baked ham, deviled eggs, fruits, and other desserts.  Yum!

Sina actually managed to wear a dress that day, thanks to Mattie.  The weather forecast called for cold weather, so I didn't bother packing her a dress.  Mattie insisted that I put Sina in one of Madisen's old dresses just so she could blend in :) I really should put Sina in dresses more often because she was the cutest little thing.  I couldn't, however, get her to sit still in said dress to take pictures, but I did my best.  Here are a few pics of her, Madisen and Mackinley.

Sina and Madisen

Look at those big feet!

There's always time to read a book!

Figures that one of the cutest pics I have of her in the dress is in the kitchen.  I think she was looking for a snack :)

When she wasn't looking for a snack, she was playing with the magnets on the refrigerator.

Another favorite.  I should show this picture to people when the few of them try to tell me that Sina looks more like Malu than me.  Are they blind?  This photo screams mini-me!

Sorting some eggs.  We had to take those eggs and re-stuff them for later on.

Sina absolutely adores Mackinley (and babies in general).  It's so cute to see her get in their faces to say hi to them and then caress them so gently.  I'm so thankful that the folks at school taught her early on to handle babies with care.  This will definitely come in handy when she becomes a big sister...whenever that may be :)

Sina, Malu and Madisen, also known as the Scooby Doo Gang.  I can't remember who is what character when they play, but I think Malu is Fred.  I would have made him Scooby, but hey, it's not my game.

Sina and Daddy.

I hate that I didn't get a picture with her that day :(

After brunch, we went over to another house to do another Easter egg hunt.

There were five kids total, but enough eggs for fifteen.  Since it was cold out, the eggs were hidden indoors.  While the other kids (all were older than Sina) ran furiously around the house to pick up eggs, Sina was more preoccupied with the toys.  Malu and I simply scooped up five or six eggs for her and just let her be.

I'd say that all in all, Sina's first official Easter was a hit!

Thank you God for blessing us with so much, especially wonderful times with wonderful friends, and love and support from our families across the miles.  Thank you also for the gift of salvation through the death of your Son, Jesus Christ. 

He is Risen!  He is Risen indeed!