There Is No More Easter Bunny (Kind Of)

Mostly when I talk about my kids here, or on Facebook, I talk about Olette.  It makes sense-- I'm home with her all day, so I catch more of her little moments.  Ben is all grown up, almost eight years old and nearly finished with second grade, and so most of his moments happen when I'm not around.  But this conversation with him yesterday was priceless:

Ben: So, did the Easter Bunny really bring sister all that Play-doh?
Me: What do you mean? It was in her basket, wasn't it?
Ben: Well, yeah... but was it really the Easter Bunny?
Me: Well, what do you think?
Ben: I don't think the Easter Bunny is real.
Me: Why is that?
Ben: It just doesn't make sense. A giant bunny putting stuff in baskets?
Me: Well, it's sort of like what Santa does, isn't it?
Ben: No, not really. Santa Claus is real. But I just don't think there can be a such thing as the Easter Bunny.
Me: Why do you say that?
Ben: Because you said we had to go to sleep if we wanted the Easter Bunny to come. But I wasn't asleep, and I looked in the living room and Dad was still up and the baskets were sitting on the coffee table. I think you and Daddy put the stuff in the baskets.
Me: You don't think the Easter Bunny dropped off your baskets while Daddy was still up?
Ben: No. I think it was you.
Me: You're a smart boy!
Ben: So, I'm right? There's not an Easter Bunny?
Me: No, there's not. But since you're old enough to realize that now, there's something you have to promise me.
Ben: What?
Me: That you will not ruin it for you sister!
Ben: I won't.

I knew this day was coming, of course. No kid believes in the Easter Bunny forever. And I'm not sure he's ever quite believed in the Tooth Fairy. And I'm sure in several months, we'll be having a similar conversation about Santa Claus (despite his assertion now that Santa, unlike the Bunny, is real). But it's yet another reminder (and they've been coming a lot more frequently, these days) that he's not a baby anymore, he's a for-real little boy now, and growing taller, smarter, and (I hope) wiser every day.

My little lovlies, all dressed up for Easter