And The Victor Is...

Ah, sports! We love 'em in America. In fact many people define Americans by their extreme competitive nature. So it's natural that we here in the great U.S. of A. would work hard to introduce our young'uns, at early age, the concept of striving to be the one's to enjoy the spoils of victory rather than having to endure the shamefulness of defeat.

Dashy's a little young for competitive sports-like activities (or so I thought!) At this point in his young life, almost all he ever hears is praise and cheers. In fact he gets a rousing "YAY!!" for just about anything he does. (I know, eventually he's in for a very rude awaking. But I guess we'll cross that bridge when we get there.)

Little did I know that when we made plans to go to the Easter Egg Hunt at a local garden, that it was going to be the closest thing to a full contact sport that Dashy (or even I, for that matter) had ever participated in!

The Saturday before Easter we arrive at the garden and the place is a madhouse. Kids and their families have come from miles around. We are notified that the hunts are sold out for hours. Disappointed we begin to piece together a new plan. But, at the last minute our friend Diana hears the cry that there are two tickets remaining for the next hunt. We pounce.

Pre-school children and their snap happy parents are cramming, packing into the starting area. Waiting with great anticipation for the Egg Hunt to begin.

TOOT!! goes the whistle and kids pour out over the lawn sucking up all the eggs in their path. The wave of toddling children is very much like a human vacuum cleaner. You can almost hear the roar of it's powerful motor. (Or is that the squeals of delight as they toss their treasures into their baskets?!)

Dashy, Dave and I bring up rear. I have to say, there is not an egg in sight. Oh wait... what's that there. Could it be? (Dave bends down to examine it closer.) Oh yes, there it is... What a treasure! ...a cracked orange egg. At last our prize!!! This is what we angsted over maybe missing out on. Oh goodness... look over there!! Another prize! A perfectly broken yellow egg! We cheer. Dashy flashes a delighted smile. Easter is complete. Dashy is entranced with putting his beautiful plastic egg-bits in his basket. And of course, we cheer more as he does it!

What parent could wish for anything more for their child on such a glorious holiday?! That day we definitely enjoyed the spoils of victory!

I hope next year Dashy doesn't get mowed down on his way claim the one remaining unbroken egg. But even if he does, I'm sure we'll be applauding the graceful way he hits the ground as he falls. I think we're just those kind of parents. To us, life with Dashy is the spoils of victory. (Winning is really in how you define it, right?) Eventually he'll experience the agony of defeat, but who needs to rush it?!

Dashy and his prize...



















Carefully placing it in the basket...














Dashy shared his treasures with Kacey... (I'm not sure she was so impressed!)










































He might have made out better if he'd gone to hunt dressed for business...



















But even if Dashy wasn't prepared for the full-contact, fast-paced nature of this holiday activity, the dad's were. Here they are sporting their huntin' helmets...



















And although the hunt wasn't exactly picturesque, the gardens were. They provided a lovely backdrop for some wonderful group and family photos...










































































Dashy's Grandma and Grandpa were out this weekend and he thoroughly enjoyed having some new playmates!