“Yummy, sprinkles and fun foamies.”
“Yes,” Daddy grinned. “Fun foam in the form of whipped cream. Eat up, I think we can go hunt for eggs in a few minutes.”
I shoveled my food in like it was my last meal.
“Breathe and chew, Beck. Doing the Heimlich on Easter isn’t on my Bingo card.”
Huh? “Are we playing Bingo, Daddy?”
“No, sweet boy. It’s just a silly saying. But slow down and take your time. I promise the eggs will be fine.”
But would they really be?
“Well, Bunny,” Daddy wiped me down. “I’m happy to report you kept the mess to your face and hands and none of your food landed on your costume.”
“Whew, I’d be sad if it got ruined. Jobe worked really hard on it.”
“Yes, he did. Empty out your basket while Daddy loads the dishwasher so you can put the eggs in it. Then it’s Easter egg hunt time.”
“Yay!” I dumped the basket over and chased the plastic eggs that rolled off the table then stood by the backdoor with it and waited. And waited. And… “Daddy, hurry.”
That was naughty but Daddy didn’t call me out on it. He dried his hands and met me at the door. “Are you ready, Bunny?”
“Daddy, you know I am.” My legs were silly and hopping up and down. “I can’t control my feet’s. They want to rrruuunnn.”
He whipped the curtain back and I froze.
“Daddy,” I gasped. “The Easter bunny did all of this?”
“With some help.” He opened the door and I ran outside and right to my new playground.
“I have a jungle gym, and a swing, and a giant sandbox around it. The Easter bunny is magic just like you, Daddy.”
“I’m glad you think so. Now, you’ve got a dozen eggs to find. Ready, set, goooo!”
I ran around the yard, giggling as I pulled the eggs from their hidey spots. They were in the plants, the top of my slide, the end of the bar on the swing set. Daddy had to get that one down for me, it was too high. One floated on a raft in the pool like it was having the time of its life. They were everywhere.
“One, two,” I started counting the basket.
“If my calculations are right, you have one more to find.”
“Daddy, you’re so smart. Okay little eggy, come out, come out wherever you are.” I went through all the plants again, nothing. I flipped up the cushions on the chairs, nothing. There was only one place left to look. “There you are!” I snagged the final blue egg from the storage bin where Daddy kept the pool towels. “Silly egg. Daddy, can we make ‘tato salad and devily eggies please?”
“Yes, my love,” he smiled. Daddy had such a happy smile. “We can. Are you getting warm?”
“Yeah, it’s hot out here now.”
“Let’s get you in the new Easter shorts set Jobe made for you.”
“Yay! Best day ever! Then can I play in my new playground?”
“Absolutely and Daddy will make all your yummies while you play.”
Daddy changed my outfit and I slid into my flippy floppies and ran outside to play, kicking them off as I landed on my tushy in the sand. My new jungle gym had a slide and a fort and a rope climbing thingy, and these bars I could swing from. The sand was squishy soft, when my toes sunk into it.
This was heaven and now I didn’t have to bug Daddy to take me to the park anymore. Nope, the best park was in our own backyard.
“Oh yeah, one more thing,” Daddy said as he came outside holding a bag. “The Easter bunny forgot to set out your new sandbox toys.”
