Our First Mother’s Day

This Sunday marked our first Mother’s Day with Addison. 🙂 We spent it in Maine with my sister’s family, my mom, and my brother.

Kendra and I got each other Mother’s Day cards, which is no surprise since we are both Addison’s moms. Of course, we managed to get each other the exact same card. It’s so indicative of our relationship – we are so often on the same page, and share such similar mindsets. It gave me a good laugh.

I am not much of a beach person, but we took a beautiful walk along the Marginal Way in Ogunquit, and had ice cream in Perkin’s Cove. The weather was perfect, and I couldn’t help but snap pictures! Amazingly, with Addison in her carrier, it was fairly easy. Kendra did have to help me up a few times when I got stuck crouched over.

After we got back, we had our big kids Easter egg hunt. I know what you are thinking… but you’re probably wrong. My brother is 12 years younger than me, and nine years younger than my sister, so a lot of traditions that get phased out as the kids get older went on longer for us. Many years ago, while Ronnie was still in his teens, my mom started a new tradition for us. Candy was so old school, so instead, she started filling some of the Easter eggs with cash. Needless to say, the hunts quickly became all-out brawls between me, my brother, and my sister.

As we have added new members of the family, they have been invited into the melee. Padraig, Kim’s husband, was the first, and he has proven to be a formidable opponent. He gives everyone a good run for their money in the running for the “Most Eggs” award. Oh yes, the competition has expanded. No longer do we find candy in the eggs – my mom fills them with slips of paper that state what you have won – either cash, or a scratch ticket, each of varying values. A lot of the eggs are now duds, with nothing in them at all. This year was particularly heated, with Padraig and me going head to head for the most eggs. With chants from Eoin, screaming, “go Auntie Jen! Do it! Win!” I was on a mission to not disappoint!

We thought all the eggs had been found, leaving Padraig and I tied. However, someone spotted one in the back screen door, and Ronnie, Padraig and I charged. While Ronnie wasted his time tackling Padraig, I went straight for the screen. Somehow Padraig got his hand in the door, so I shut it on him, trapping his hand while I went through the screen to grab the egg. He retaliated by pouncing on me, and snatching it back. The younger generation loved the action, shouting out encouragement.

Of course, in the end it didn’t matter that I had the second most number of eggs. Kendra once again proved that it wasn’t the quantity that counted – with her measly seven eggs, she walked away with $22 in cash. I managed a lot of dud scratch tickets, but I did win $20 on one, and with my $2 in cash, tied her haul. This is probably one of my favorite traditions – it’s not one that we advertise, and we tend to save it for Mother’s Day because Easter is such a huge extended family event, but I look forward to it every year. I know we all do.