April 7, 2009
Tortured
On Sunday we went to our church to have breakfast with the Easter Bunny. It’s an event that St. Bronislava’s puts on every year and we’ve attended for the last 3 years or so.
Dawson has always been afraid of holiday costumes. Santa terrified him until last year when he realized it’s just a guy in a suit. But the Easter Bunny freaks him out. (Actually, any costume worn by an adult in which Dawson cannot see the person’s face is horrifying to him.)
After we had our pancakes and sausage we stood in line to see the Hoppity Hop, and Dawson started clinging to my leg. When it was our turn he screamed as though he was being murdered. The crying ensued and he was gripped so tightly to my shirt that I started to laugh nervously.
Other parents watching this spectacle began to laugh or maybe they were pitying me.
I honestly didn’t believe Dawson would carry on this way. I figured he’d outgrown his fear, now that he’s the ripe age of 4 1/2.
Boy was I wrong. Grandma and Auntie Rachel tried to persuade him that it was just a girl in a Halloween costume. Dawson didn’t buy it.
I told him he shouldn’t be scared, because he is going to be a big brother soon. He looked at me and said, “I don’t like the bunny and I’m not a big brother yet, so I’m not going over there.”
I should have just let it go, but I wanted the annual photo for the scrapbook, and I was determined to get it.
The photographer snapped the photo of my son, red-faced and crying, clutching to me. I’m just waiting for my copy to arrive and I’ll post it here. I’m such a mean mom, forcing my kid to visit the Easter Bunny.
In the meantime, here’s a photo of Auntie Rachel and Grandma with The Scary Bunny:
Notice Dawson is clinging tightly to Rachel’s shirt.
I think I’ve scarred him for life.
