When did Jesus get trumped by the Easter Bunny?

DIAPERS

So I'm a Catholic and Buttercup is being raised as one, too. Mr. L is not, but he knew it meant a lot to me to both get married in a church and to have our babies baptized, so we are doing the "one religious parent and one who doesn't give a damn" thing.

Basically, Mr. L. says his rule is that Buttercup can stop going to church with me the moment she says she does not want to go.

Fine with me, I said. Only my rule is that she is mine and God's until she is eight years old. I was baptized and made my First Communion, and so will she. After that, she may not have to ask Daddy to save her from Sunday service if Mommy's drive to follow family traditions dies off the day after Buttercup hangs up her Communion dress.

Sad, but very possibly true.

As for Easter and Jesus, let me first say that I do go to church on a semi-regular basis. My mom and I had gotten into the habit of going every Saturday until my dad died, and then we spent quite a few Sunday mornings at St. Anne's in Mexican Town for the funeral and for the subsequent memorial masses for three Sundays in a row, so we have upgraded ourselves from the Holiday Catholics we once were.

And while I dragged us all, over-dressed baby in tow, to Easter morning mass, I was giddy with excitement to get back home and have Buttercup play with the Easter basket I decked out for her with books and stuffed animals.

And then when my family showed up, and each dropped a wrapped gift or stuffed animal into her little hands, I suddenly realized why my parents never bought us anything....we already owned every toy imaginable!

Seriously, my 9 1/2 month old baby got more toys for Easter than I think is religiously appropriate, but then again, I think my childhood Easters were exactly the same.

Future note to self: Do NOT buy ANYTHING for Buttercup next year...the stuffed animals are already conspiring to take over my home!

(Okay, okay, maybe just one little thing! But that is it!)

Getting to the bottom if it...

DIAPERS:
...of the pile of the crap on the floor, I mean.
So far, we have:
* put up shelves in Buttercups's room that have been taking up floor space
* cleaned the bathroom
* actually made the basement look decent
We still have to:
* Do everything else.

And our little Easter shindig? Yeah, well it went from 15 people (which is just a portion of my side of the family and the in-laws) to more like 30.
And people wonder why Buttercup's first birthday is going to have a guest list about 100 names long...

Why? Why? Why? (Banging head on wall...)

DEADLINES:
Work is currently completed.
If it wasn't Easter weekend and I wasn't cleaning and running last minute errands like a mad woman, I'd be celebrating by not depressing myself trying on pre-preg nice clothes to wear to church on Sunday and just buy something new in a bigger size and cut off the tag so I could pretend it was my pre-preg size.
That would make me feel better.
*Sigh*
But back to the deadlines.

*I currently have a pretty cool contest running on The Ruff Ruff Review. If you've got a dog and like free things, this one's for you.
*I'll have more Baby Gooroo posts as of Sunday night after the flock leaves and the baby passes out for the night.
*And I just received my Ergo Baby Carrier for review in the Metro Parent monthly Five Fabulous Finds column, which reminds me that I need to get crackin' on April's column.
A few teasers for upcoming feature items include the Baby K'tan Carrier (pictured), Bumblebags Diaper Bags, and a ton of children's CD's by artists I have never heard of yet because my baby is still thankfully young enough to spare me from children's music overload.


DIAPERS:
So why the oh-so dramatic post title?
We are having like 30 people over on Sunday (sucks being ethnic sometimes), and the house, as I have previously mentioned, looked like a flea market on a busy Sunday morning. There is crap no one ever uses EVERYWHERE.
Most of which was, is, or shall be the property of Lil' Miss Buttercup.
So I have errands to do today (like buy the ham and shop for other Sunday necessities), only to come home to Mr. L. giving his acceptance speech at the self-proclaimed World's Best Husband Award Event. (Attendance: 1)
Turns out he did most of the cleaning in the basement today (our second living room) and was more than happy to point it out. He's telling the truth. But why?
Maybe he wanted a cookie?
But seriously, who cares? I mean, I love him and am grateful he is taking the time to help me get the house ready for another too-big Mirish (not a typo) family fiesta, but I don't recall pointing out each time I do something that needs to be done (Mommy, Mommy! I used the potty again all by myself!) like cleaning the kitchen or doing the grocery shopping or simultaneously working on a story while keeping the baby occupied while dinner cooks on the stove after living on four to five hours of sleep (on a good night) for the past nine months.
I just do it.
Again-I love him to pieces, but isn't this like a defect in the male genetic code or something? I have witnessed it plenty of times. My father-in-law. My dad. The neighbor across the street.
The need for a "Yay for you, baby!" pat on the head for a domestic deed well done and the total state of oblivion that as moms who have to do it all every day, we just aren't that impressed anymore?
As for the head banging reference in the title...I almost got to that point while I tried to explain to him why I wasn't bowing down at his feet for the basement cleaning job (rookie mistake, I know that now.) Thankfully, I quickly came to my senses, thanked him, and joined in on the cleaning frenzy, wondering if same sex couples go through this Men-Mars/Women-Venus crap.
My theory is no, and that makes me insanely jealous.

The holiday rush

DEADLINES:
Yeah, so I have two assignments due on March 21 that I had been hoping to have done by TOMORROW that I haven't even finished interviews for yet.
Wonderful.
Looks like my relaxing week of hectic and frenzied cleaning and shopping (see below) just got a whole lot crazier.

DIAPERS:
The husband and I spent a good portion of today trying to clean the obstacle course that is our home in preparation for Easter Sunday. It does not help that we have been over run with baby toys and gizmos and gadgets galore.
I am not exaggerating when I say that our basement is probably a fire hazard right now with the amount of crap that has to be stepped over in order to move from one spot to another. And that is bad, really bad, when said basement is finished and used regularly as a second living room.
And yet somehow, someway, we must get out house in presentable shape so both sides of the family can spend the day playing a (hopefully) friendly game of "Pass the Baby."
We don't even bother trying to fool ourselves into thinking that everyone wants to come to our house to see US...nope.
It's all about Princess Buttercup. We just get to partake in the basking of baby adoration since we happen to live in the same house.