Growing up in a Catholic family, of course I always knew the true meaning of Easter -- Jesus' sacrifice -- his crucifixion and glorious resurrection to save us all from sin. In 2011 when I was recording a Song a Day all year on Youtube, I wrote a song for Good Friday called "Sacrifice". "You sacrificed everything for me. You gave your life to set us sinners free. I don't deserve it but you've given me the key to join you in Paradise for eternity. I'm sorry I'm frail. I'm sorry I've failed you. Forgive me, I love you. I know not what I do. I am so grateful for the way, the truth, the life, for your love, your sacrifice."
Sacrifice -- an original song by Ann Marie Pincivero. Here's a link to the video:
Like Christmas, Easter is a religious holiday yet it winds up being a pagan/non-denominational holiday for treats and gifts as well. (Christmas, literally Christ's Mass, is the birth of Jesus and yet it has become largely a consumer holiday focused on Santa Claus and presents.) Our family, like many other families I'm sure, celebrated both the Christian and pagan aspects of the holidays over the years. Easter is also a time to celebrate Spring, new life, renewal as symbolized by eggs and bunnies. As a kid I looked forward to getting a chocolate bunny every Easter. The hollow ones with the candy eyes were pretty but the solid chocolate ones had a lot more chocolate to eat. I remember always starting with the feet and feeling guilty about eating bunny's cute little face! Michelle is too young for chocolate bunnies or Easter egg hunts at this point but I wanted to get her into the Easter spirit so I picked up a pair of pink bunny ears at the dollar store. The huge pink bunny was Michelle's before she was even born -- it was one of her gifts at the baby shower last June. She loves her pink bunny. Sometimes bunny even joins her for a hopping fest while she's jumping in her Jolly Jumper.
I'm excited about Spring. Winter has always been my least favourite season and this winter has been one of the coldest and snowiest in a long time. If you've been following my blog then you know I've been in hibernation mode, staying in a lot. (As mentioned in posts like Homebody and Hibernation I even started ordering groceries online from Grocery Gateway to avoid going out at all.) Once the weather is nice I'm looking forward to spending a lot more time outside, going on walks with Michelle. There were a couple of days where it looked sunny so I ventured out with her only to find that it was still freezing cold and I nearly got frostbite on my ears, nose and cheeks. I kept thinking "I'll be glad when it's Spring!" It will also be nice to open up the windows and let the fresh air in. The only problem is that when Michelle has one of her tantrums and screams like a banshee (when she's tired and cranky and doesn't want to be changed for instance) I just hope the neighbours don't think I'm killing her! One time when I was on the phone with my Mom and she heard Michelle screaming on the change table on speaker phone she said that I'm liable to get complaints from the neighbours once I have the windows open. Without air conditioning, keeping the windows open is a necessity through the warm weather. Of course Michelle will be a little older by the Summer and hopefully much more well-behaved. She'll be an absolute angel by then I'm sure! 
Michelle is getting much more mobile. I can't believe how fast she can move just doing her little caterpillar crawl. She pulls herself along, mostly by her arms and gets from one end of the room to another in seconds. Now I have to keep the basement door from the living room closed just in case (much to Ali's chagrin. Ali used to be able to come and go as she pleased. Now she has to wait at the door for me to let her down to use her litterbox.) I have put socket protectors on all the outlets, removed the breakables and put pillows to block the entertainment cabinet under the TV (because even though she has a soft blanket covered in toys she will crawl past it all to get to the cabinet under the TV and touch the word SONY. Everytime she gets near it I'm afraid she's going to bang her head on the glass doors. So I finally just stuck pillows in front of it.) I still have to childproof the kitchen but I'm torn between moving everything dangerous from the bottom cupboards to the top (which would be a huge undertaking and may not even be possible -- they may not fit in the smaller cabinets up top) or just tying the lower cabinets closed so she can't open them. I figure I'll usually be in the kitchen anyway to keep an eye on her. I have to put the baby gate up too so she can't venture up (and more frighteningly down) the stairs. It's times like this I wish I lived in a bungalow. It's scary having ceramic tile and hardwood floors as well because I know as she learns to walk there will be a lot of falls. She is starting to attempt pulling up on the ottomans and my legs. It's only a matter of time before she's stumbling around on her own.
Michelle is turning 8 months old this weekend as well. I still can't believe it. Time is going way too fast. She'll be a year old before I know it. I'm having so much fun with her these days. Her personality is really starting to come out. Her sense of humour is more developed and I love making her laugh. She understands a lot more and gets excited when I guess what it is she wants and get it right. I love when she gets so excited she shakes and clenches her fist (she does it a lot!) More and more I'm starting to see her as a little girl, not just a baby. I have a ball playing with her (even when it's breaking my arms and my back!) I'm looking forward to all the things we can do in the coming months, getting out more in the nice weather. Going for walks in the park, heading to the beach. It's exciting watching her grow. Each day wondering what she'll do to surprise me. Lately she likes sitting under her little Ocean Wonders Kick and Crawl play gym. She rubs her head on the material and her hair stands on end like when you put your hand on the ball at the Science Centre. I love my funny girl. I'm so grateful to be on this adventure with her.
Happy Easter! Even tho I use to be a winter lover, now I can't wait for spring. Life seems easier when I can get Elena outside in the fresh air!!
ReplyDeleteHappy Easter! Yes I love Spring. It was a nice day today so we went for a walk. It's supposed to be even warmer tomorrow. Here's hoping. :)
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