Sunday, March 23, 2008

Hippity Hoppity Easter and the March Hare



Woke up at six this morning, donned my ears and made my way down to the peds floor where kids from zero to seventy-two were receiving all kinds of goodies from the Easter Bunny. Last night, all the staff were given bunny ears (no tails but still the closest I'll ever get to the Playboy kind).

Scored a donated Easter basket for Atticus and then promptly forgot it. Walked through the door with rather large pink ears atop my head and the little boy did a double take before coming over to greet me. When I announced I was a bunny, he was a good sport about it and promptly responded by wrinkling his nose and performing his bunny sniff.

Big Momma and Daddy, John, Atticus and I high-tailed it over to one of our favorite local breakfast joints called Toast where they always serve a fine cup of coffee. The bunny ears brought us special treatment today.

Atticus continues to become more and more verbal and more and more assertive with his increasing verbalization. He wants what he wants when he wants it. Thankfully, he is still easy to distract and divert with a quick "I'm going to GET you!" This boy loves a good chase. This week, he's been particularly enjoying giving high five and then being too slow on the down low. Somehow missing your hand makes him chortle with glee. He's begun to say "yeah" ever so casually and may be seen simultaneously to be shaking his head "no" (a tortured youth is ahead of us, no doubt).

Firsts for the week include:
  • lunch with the boys Vigo and Dagueneau (names surely complementary to Atticus) from Romp 'n Stomp
  • sharing a Thomas the Tank Engine toy at the local Barnes & Noble
  • riding a merry-go-round at the mall
  • first exploration of his new chariot and subsequent purchase of a tandem bike (!!)

Perhaps the most memorable (?) first was the Danny Boy marathon at AJ's cafe in downtown Ferndale. AJ himself was featured on NPR promoting his attempt to land a spot in the Guinness Book of World Records with 50 hours of Danny Boy. We stopped by on Saturday when things were in full swing, the place was packed and the voices were mostly able to carry a tune. Big Momma and the boy made a return visit on St. Patty's Day and spent a couple long hours listening to at least a few atonal contributors (we have it on film) at least one of them toothless. When the toothless woman with a face that would stop a clock came over with a "Kiss me, I'm Irish" greeting for Atticus, he'd clearly had enough. But not before he and Big Momma were interviewed by a CBS reporter. Even Governor Granholm stopped by the festivities missing the A-team by mere minutes...

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