Easter is fun again

For about twenty years, I've been pretty anti-Easter. It's not that I have a problem with it (I'm all for celebrating the Resurrection of Christ and I love Cadbury Mini Eggs), but I'm really not a spiritual, church-going type of dude. So for me, the thought of a day filled with pastels, church, eggs and ham has always kind of made my stomach turn. Consequently, as an adult, I've come to be more of a Thanksgiving fan. I'd take a gluttonous, turkey-filled Thursday over pigging out on Sunday Ham any day. And don't get me started on deviled eggs. They should be outlawed along with fish chowder, black licorice and candy corn.


But like everything else in my life over the past ten months, these feelings have suddenly changed (about the holiday, not the crappy foods I'm trying to ban). I think my awakening might have something to do with the fact that my parents made ham and turkey yesterday, but I think it's more likely because I'm starting to remember how much fun Easter was when I was a kid and can't wait for Bailey to experience it for herself. My parents still have the Easter Basket I had my entire life and I can't wait for Bailey to have it. How many kids can say they have an Easter Basket in its early thirties? I can only hope to make Easter just as exciting for Bailey as my parents did for my sister and me. It's going to be great - just like the good old days. We just need to start growing this family a little more and we can start having loud, crowded parties just like when I was younger.

Despite the ridiculous traffic we had to endure (thanks to the incompetent morons at the Mass Turnpike Authority), we had a great day at Nana and Papa Regan's house. As usual, they outdid themselves again. Turkey, ham, mashed potatoes, corn, carrots, ham gravy, turkey gravy and of course, Tom Regan's soon-to-be-famous Stuffin' Muffins. All this for four people and an infant. It felt like Thanksgiving in April. But instead of football we watched a Red Sox game and there was a fight. It was my kind of day.

As you can see from the pictures, Bailey enjoyed herself just as much as Kristin and I did. She loves going to Nana and Papa's house because she knows she's going to be doted on and entertained 24/7. Nana (like any good Nana does) spoils Bailey to death with love, attention, and CLOTHES! After yesterday, I think Bailey officially surpassed Kristin in the wardrobe department. "I just got the basics, nothing special", said my Mom as she lugged a forty-pound Kohl's bag into the kitchen. "I wanted to get some more Carter's stuff, but I didn't have time to get over to Sears."

And Papa, well Papa turns into a mushy lunatic the minute Bailey sets foot in the house. He's like Carrot Top or Tyler Perry - the guy will do anything for a laugh. But boy does he get them from Bailey. Bailey and my Dad now have a game they play that makes her crack up laughing and bury her face into the shoulder of whoever is holding her while Papa makes funny noises and pretends to scare her. It's really the cutest damn thing in the whole world.