The Easter Bunny/Tooth Fairy double booking

The Easter Bunny/Tooth Fairy double booking
17 April 2013

My alter egos have double booked me. 

I suffered from a bit of a schedule clash just the other day.  A real conflict catastrophe.  Jeez!  And I've spoken to these guys before.  There is no grey area.  My instructions were very clear.  No.  Double.  Booking.  EVER!

But I suppose that's what you get from dealing with fictional characters.  They don't always play by the rules.  For them it's all mystery, intrigue and excitement.  They're pro's at bending the rules.  I guess anything goes in Lala land.  But as for me?  I'm shattered!

The poor Easter Bunny, shines but once a year.  Only once!  But no!  That Tooth Fairy diva, simply had to go and butt in.  Quite rude if you ask me.  Especially given the fact that she honours us with her presence a few times a year.  Still her fragile ego demanded recognition on the Easter Bunny's watch.  Though truth be told, the child who lost a tooth doesn't even believe in the Tooth Fairy anymore.  But the illusion had to be kept alive for the one child that still does.  The internal politics are mind boggling.

And so, on the night before Easter, when the whole family was fast asleep, I found myself sneaking around the house with a huge basket of Easter Eggs clutched in one hand, a headlamp torch on my head to aid visibility, a bottle of baby powder in the other hand (it creates the most believable bunny footprints ever!), as well as twenty bucks in my pocket for that pesky tooth that fell out.

Now Amber and Luke are quite obviously way beyond the age of believing.  It goes without saying.  But Cole - he is completely sucked in.  He nearly poeps in his pants with excitement.  Though for him, the excitement is filled with equal portions of fear as he is quite scared of the Easter Bunny.  And normally on the night before a fictional character comes to visit, he sleeps with either Luke or Amber.  Or alternatively, he gets them to sleep with him.  And the night before Easter?  Well, that one was a whammy for him.  The Easter Bunny AND the Tooth Fairy, all in one go.  Pretty huge in his opinion.  And so on this occasion, Luke was his comfort.  So sweet, that Luke at fifteen still indulges him so kindly.

On the days before Easter, Amber, Cole and I indulged in some Easter crafting.  We decorated the house with all of our Easter goodies, and great excitement and anticipation was felt by all.  Mouths watering already, because of all the chocolate soon to follow.  Many discussions were held about how the Easter Bunny would enter the house.  How big he really is.  Would the dogs not bark?  What if the dogs scared him away?  Surely the house could not be armed, how would he come in then?  Daddy even pretended to phone him, to notify him in advance that the dogs would be locked up and the alarm disarmed.  We were waiting and ready for him. 

I must however admit, to being the biggest sucker of all.  I cherish my moments as the Tooth Fairy, Tooth Mouse, Easter Bunny and Father Christmas.  The period of childlike belief is far too short.  And what with Cole being my youngest, I fear that my night time prowling will soon come to an end.  I will miss all the hoopla and fanfare once my tenure is over.  The joy it brought to them and me has been great.  It often reminds me of my dad.  He had a saying which he used often, “You are never too old to have a happy childhood”.  It was something he lived by, as he was just a really big kid.  And as for me?  My second childhood is proving to be just as much fun as my first.  And I am thoroughly enjoying the difference of perspective from a parent’s point of view.

And thus, predictably, when the kids woke up on Easter morning, apart from the visible proof of Easter Eggs right through the house, there were bunny footprints galore.  As is the norm, the kids armed with their various baskets and bags, thoroughly enjoyed the hunt.  They do every year.  The whole house is common ground – everyone collects and we divide them up afterwards.  Except for their bedrooms.  Their bedroom eggs are just for them.  This is also the place where the most footprints can be found.  The garden was not left unscathed either, and even now, my outside stoep still bears evidence to bunny paw prints.  But by the time I hit the garden, I had run out of baby powder.  And so instead I used flour (I end up doing so every year), and given our spells of rain, the foot prints have now turned into a gluey goop and will take ages to eventually fade.  I suppose I could wash or brush them down, but I it would erase too much.  Cole still comments on them.  And so I’m getting extra mileage for my effort.

The irony in all of this, is that in the end, Amber forgot to place her tooth in her shoe.  And so I ended up leaving twenty bucks in an empty shoe.  Clearly I was robbed and got seriously short changed.  I paid for goods in good faith that I still have not received. 

Which reminds me, best I get it from her.  Ask her to pay up, keep her end of the bargain, and hand over her molar.  Because if I don’t, chances are I might get conned and end up paying for it again.  I’m hardly keeping track of how many she has lost.  For all I know, her milk teeth are all a thing of the past.  And I’ve been paying for the same bloody tooth again and again.

Kids!!!

 

Cole ransacking his room for eggs - bunny footprints everywhere

 

Berry proudly showing off her loot

 

Cole following the footprints in the garden to try and find eggs

Amber and Cole hunting away

 

A very delighted Cole - check the paw prints

 

This is from a few years ago - Amber's bedroom

 

The hunt is on

 

The front garden

 

Luke and Amber on the lookout

 

Just to give an idea - this is from an occasion when the Tooth Mouse visited Cole - the Tooth Mouse calls on boys, whereas the Tooth Fairy, calls on girls.  A letter from the Tooth Mouse, R20 in the slipper and evidence of the milk and cheese being consumed.

Girls - they simply are different - this is the loot Amber set out for the Tooth Fairy a few years ago

 

And her reply letter in return.  The twenty bucks rolled up neatly in the little pouch, and the snacks have been scoffed.

 

All girlie-fied yet again for a different tooth