Never again!

Remember last week about this time when I was talking about how the Easter egg hunts around here are way too big, and that's the very reason I had one at our house?

Well, I was crazy enough to get sucked in by a couple of friends to go to one of the egg hunts at a park in town. One of the friends couldn't make it. And the other got there too late for the hunt. Mainly because by the time she got there, she had to park on the other side of the park. And the park is big.

So Biscuit and I were there, waiting with all the other parents and kids. And it was weird.

They marked off a section of lawn, then walked around and threw out plastic eggs and little bags of candy. No hiding, just strowing.

 

See all those people standing outside the ropes? Well, it was like that on all four sides of the marked off area. And the closer it got to 11 a.m., the tighter the crowds got to the ropes. Biscuit and I were standing behind a family, but there was a perfect little hole for him to go through to get onto the field. 

But when the announcer said, "Two minutes to go!" these two women shoved in front of us with their two little kids. And this is where I struggled.

I want to set an example for my son. And everything I do and say in front of him is setting that example. That's not a conscious thought I have very often, but when things happen, like two rude women shoving in front of us at a kids' egg hunt, I have to think before I react.

What I wanted to do was say something rude and shove right back in front of them.

What I actually did was think some really rude thoughts and moved over to get Biscuit in a better position.

"Mom, they broke in line, and I can't get some eggs," Biscuit said.

"Yes, they did break in line, but we moved over a little bit, and I promise, you'll get onto the field in time to get some eggs."

I hope the women heard that they had been adult and mature enough to break in line in front of a small child. Of course, they didn't seem like they would've cared whether they were called rude or not.

Anyway, the announcer said at least 50 times that no parents should be on the field. The area was roped off and safe, and it would've been great if everyone had followed the rules.

But they didn't. Of course they didn't. Because that would've required common sense and a little bit of sanity.

So Biscuit was picking up eggs and slowly moving across the field. I snapped a few pictures of him, and then I saw the mass of parents invading the field. It was like a wave of grownups moving in from the right side. They covered the field, and I lost sight of Biscuit.

My heart started pounding, and my eyes were darting all around. So I joined the hoard and went out onto the field. I didn't have any other choice. I couldn't see my boy.

I was panicking. And I'm not ashamed to say it. I started calling his name, but it was so loud, there's no way he could've heard me.

I finally glanced up, just in time to see him getting ready to duck under the ropes, in the exact spot we started.

"GRIFFIN!" I hollered. He turned around and smiled at me, proud of all the eggs and candy he had picked up.

"Mom," he said with a little bit of exasperation in his voice. "I was coming back to you."

He had kept his bearings and knew where he was and where he was supposed to come back to.

"I'm sorry I moved," I said. "All those parents went out on the field, and I couldn't see you. I was so scared."

"I'm okay, Mom," Biscuit said. "And I got lots of eggs."

"Yes, you did," I said.

This was fine. Little kids on the field, picking up eggs.

This was the beginning of the parent invasion.

But in the end, Biscuit scored plenty of eggs and
candy. And he didn't seem the least bit fazed by it.

After the hunt was over, Biscuit and I went over to buy tickets to ride the merry-go-round and train. When we got to the ticket booth, there was a sign that said all the rides were free.

And the lines were LOOOOONG!!!

We rode the merry-go-round first. And dang if we didn't run into a rude parent there, too. This woman was standing in the middle of the aisle, blocking the way for me to put Biscuit on a horse.

"Excuse me," I said. "Can I set him up on this horse?"

She stared at me and didn't say a word and didn't move.

I looked at Biscuit and said, "Pick your feet up." And holding him like a javelin, I pointed his feet straight at the lady and walked forward. She gave me a glare and finally took a step back. But I got Biscuit on the horse. There was a bench right behind Biscuit's horse, so I sat down there and had a nice ride.

We hit the train next. Biscuit loves the train. And it does take a pretty little ride around the edge of the lake.

Biscuit said he had a good time today, but it would be fine by me to not go to one of these things again.

I told my friend to go ahead and save the date for the Saturday before Easter next year because we'll be hunting eggs at my house!