Easter Musings

One of the most exciting things to me about becoming a mom is introducing Sam to all the fun holidays and celebrations throughout the year and years to come.  Though I've yet to purchase any scrapbooks or memory albums, I've got a big collection of things to put in books and one specific scrapbook I want to put together is a "Book of Firsts."  We'll have a lot of those this year!  And next up is Easter...

Perhaps it's silly to go nuts over an Easter basket for a little munchkin that spends the bulk of his day doing nothing but sleeping and pooping... but hey, I can't help myself!  But what do you put in an infant's Easter basket?  I mean, it's not like he can eat a chocolate bunny (though Momma can totally help him with that).  I was thinking books and maybe a couple of toys. But then earlier this week, Sam and I were on a date with my friend Pam and her newborn and we walked into Pottery Barn Kids at Lenox and it was like a beautiful Easter explosion!  Sure, I'd seen all this stuff in the catalog, but it didn't really do much for me till I saw it in person.  (This is why I try not to shop.)

They had lots of cute basket options and all kinds of goodies for filler, but I especially fell in love with the whole Peter Rabbit collection.  And though it's a lot more than I'd pay for a comparable basket at Hobby Lobby or wherever else, I'm totally smitten over this bucket...

I can't find it on their site, but in store they had a mini bucket and a large one.  I could be sensible and get the mini one for my little mini man. But sometimes sensibility goes out the door when I look at those sweet cheeks! I mean, seriously, just look...

Exactly.  So now I'm all inspired by the Peter Rabbit theme.  It's just so sweet and timeless.  Plus, I can only justify buying this bucket if I can get another use out of it.  It will look so great on Sam's bookshelves in his nursery (yes, getting those pics up soon - promise!).  Makes for a great looking toy bucket and I'm always keeping an eye out for fun things to go on his shelves. 

So then to fill it... definitely some Peter Rabbit themed goodies.  Which PBK has a ton of, but I will *probably* refrain from getting any of it there.  Sure, a lot of it is their exclusive collection, but not the books.  Um, unless you happen upon a clearance deal or great coupon, don't ever buy kids' books at these stores!  Make a mental note and then run to Amazon or another bargain book dealer.  Kids' books are seriously so stinking expensive.  So yeah, I've already been adding some stuff to my Amazon wish list while I'm pulling ideas together, including this...

Yeah, that won't exactly fit in the bucket, but I love it.  So it may have to just sit beside the bucket.  The Easter Bunny often had "extras" outside my basket, so I'm confident he still does this.  And there are like a million little Peter Rabbit stuffed animals out there, including this sweet one that plays a nursery rhyme...

Pam and I also strolled around in Anthropologie while at the mall and I found these GREAT flash card sets for kids.  It'll be a while before Sam is ready to actually learn this stuff, but the colors and pictures are so darn fun.  Eric Carle, of The Very Hungry Caterpillar fame, has several box sets of gorgeously illustrated cards for kids.  And they're really good quality - like similar to board books as far as thickness and glossy appearance.  Anthropologie had a few of the sets selling for full retail at $14.95, but I found the same thing on Amazon for about $10 (and hello, free shipping and no sales tax).  Yeah, so I'm pretty sure he's getting a set of these...

Lastly, I think I will find a little Bible to include in the bucket.  You can never have too many life manuals, and Easter is about Jesus after all, right?!  Can't wait to start putting it together!  Oh and then wrapping it all up in cellophane with fabulous ribbons... OMG too fun.  We'll be lucky if we get an unintentional smile followed by a fart from Sam after seeing his first Easter basket, but it'll certainly make my heart swell!

And speaking of my dapper little dude, I've been on the hunt for the perfect Easter duds for him.  I know it's still a couple of months out, but so far I'm pretty unimpressed with the selection for boys out there.  Easter to me means PREPPY and COLORFUL.  Sans dinosaur and truck images.  Love those, but not on Easter.  So, I think I finally found "the one" at Baby Gap...

Also saw these sandals at Old Navy a while back - how stinkin' cute?!  Hopefully it will be warm enough for this ensemble.  You just never know.  But that little Gap romper is on sale this weekend, so I may have to go and snag it.  If you're looking for cute Easter looks for your little one, Baby Gap by far has the best selection I've seen yet (especially for little girls - swoon!).  I've looked at Carter's, Osh Kosh, Gymboree, Target, BRU, Buy Buy Baby, and Old Navy... and none of them had anything that got much more than a "meh" from me. Gymboree had a few cute things, but ugh - too $$$ for me.  I'm cheap.

So yeah... getting awfully excited about Easter Sunday!  We haven't made it back to church since Sam arrived, but I think we will give it a go Sunday week.  Not ready to put him in the nursery (he'd be old enough but Momma's not ready!), but he should do just fine in his Baby Bjorn or Moby Wrap.  He LOVES being held or carried.  Such a sweet boy. :-)

Back soon with nursery photos and my maternity favorites...  Until then, TGIF and have a fabu weekend!