One Hoppening Easter

I know every week when we take the sacramental bread and water at church should be a reflective time (as well as before we come), but taking the sacrament on Easter Sunday seemed exceptionally symbolic today. In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, priesthood holders prepare the bread and water on trays, which are then covered with a white cloth to represent Christ's body and blood in the tomb, as He was placed after His crucifixion on Good Friday. The following Sunday, His spirit returned to His celestial body, perfect except for the scars He kept as a demonstration of His suffering for each of us. I am grateful for the new and eternal life He made possible, and appreciate the new life we see in nature.

We celebrated Easter in our little growing family with baskets of candy and small toys. Mr C just got the toys and book, as he still can't eat candy. Miss V found all of the plastic eggs, with a little guidance. We also dyed eggs on Saturday night.

Grandma and Grandpa invited us to come for dinner and an outdoor egg hunt. Miss V loved finding each one. They also surprised her with Minnie Mouse dress-up clothes and toy food. My aunt Susan also gave V a wind-up hopping bunny, of which she can't get enough. Every Easter has brought more smiles and joy as we watch her learn and experience childhood traditions. I don't want our kids to grow up too quickly, but I look forward to seeing excitement in Mr C's eyes when he understand's V telling him the Easter Bunny has come.

Miss V's First Dental Visit

Miss V, Mommy, and Daddy have been brushing V's teeth for a while, but we finally decided the time had come for her to visit the dentist. I found a pediatric dentist who takes our insurance, and he and his staff turned out to be very friendly and helpful. V wore a smiley face lead vest for the x-ray, and the dental assistant explained the process as she proceeded. Miss V is a thumb-sucker, but she knew not to put her hand near her mouth. The hygienist told her to put her hands on her tummy or by her side, but every once in a while she'd get nervous and raise her arms as if to do jazz hands. I held her hand a couple times to comfort. She got to watch Tom & Jerry on the flat screen mounted on the ceiling. The whole time she listened to the staff, and opened her mouth nice and wide or whispered, "Aahh." In the end she chose a bouncy ball as her prize.

The dentist voiced that Miss V has a beautiful smile and set of teeth. They're a little tight, so we get to start flossing in the front now, but they are in great condition. The dentist recommended we not worry about the thumb-sucking, and just use some positive reinforcement when we see her not sucking her thumb for a fair length of time. 

While they cleaned and examined her teeth, I couldn't help but have one of those moments of realization. She is not a baby anymore. She lay on the chair, answering questions and doing as the dentist requested. She is growing up, and is farther along in some ways than I realized. Oh boy, I'm going to have older kids some day, then teenagers, and someday not that far in the future my little babies will be adult children. Whoa.