Well, Peanut’s first Easter was nowhere near as relaxing and low-key as her first Christmas was.  In fact, I’d say it was downright educational.

Hubby and I had been talking about making a trip up to my parents’ place in upstate New York for months, but had been putting it off, first because Peanut was too little and hadn’t had her full course of preemie shots (hence, we stayed at home for Christmas) and then later because we both found ourselves unable to take a few days off from work in mid-March.  The stars finally aligned for Easter, so we headed north and learned an important lesson: Peanut is a very good, very easygoing baby when she’s in her comfort zone.  When she’s out of it… hunger strike.

We drove up to New York on Saturday morning and spent the afternoon relaxing at my parents’ house.  My grandmama and my aunt M came over, as did some close friends who wanted to see the baby.  (My high school BFF had already met her, the weekend after she was born, but she was in an isolette then and she’s a very different kid now.  Peanut loved seeing her Aunt J again.)  We colored Easter eggs – my mom made sure hubby, Peanut and I each had an egg of our own – and had a delicious dinner of homemade shrimp bisque and salad with strawberries and Burrata.

On Sunday morning, Peanut woke up to discover that the Easter Bunny had been by with two baskets for her.  (The sand pail is for the beach this summer – it came with a stuffed bunny, sippy cup, bubbles and a pinwheel, which the Easter Bunny delivered with Peanut’s Nana acting as middleman.  I put the white basket together on behalf of the Bunny and filled it with a carrot rattle, a sherbet-colored stuffed bunny from Auntie Em, and bunny-themed board books – The Runaway Bunny, Snow Rabbit Spring Rabbit, Peter Rabbit’s Easter Surprise, In My Meadow, and the insanely adorable Bunnies for Tea, recommended by Katie, who is a genius.)  Since Peanut was on an incredibly loud hunger strike – screaming at the very sight of her bottle and taking maybe half of her formula at each feeding – hubby and I skipped church to stay home with her.  It was the first time I’d ever missed church on Easter and I was sad, but Peanut couldn’t go and I knew she needed her mom.

For Easter dinner, my parents invited my other grandmother – so Peanut got to meet both of her great-grandmothers this weekend; how lucky is she? – and our family friends to share a feast.  We had a delicious cold spread with way too many of my favorite foods – smoked salmon, pickles, deviled eggs, fruit salad – and our friends brought an amazing cake to finish off the evening.  Peanut wore a cute little pink and green dress and tolerated getting passed around for awhile before melting down and spending the rest of the evening clinging to me.  (Not gonna lie, I don’t love the meltdowns but I do enjoy clingy baby.  It’s nice to be needed.)

I’m glad that we made the trip, especially because one of my grandmothers isn’t really up for traveling so if we want her to see Peanut, we have to go to her.  But I don’t think we’re going to be traveling again for awhile!  Peanut really didn’t appreciate being taken out of her element – and I think she really missed her Auntie Em, or at least, she missed the routine Auntie Em enforces with military precision – and it was a trying weekend for all three of us.  Still, we packed the weekend with lots of family time, and that’s what counts.  And when we got back to Virginia, the magnolia trees had burst into bloom.  It’s spring!