Yesterday was the day my mother and I decided to take Annabel to see the Easter Bunny. Annie was totally chill with Santa a few months ago. Of course, since then she’s learned to walk and her tendencies towards violence when she doesn’t get her way have gotten stronger, so really, we didn’t know what to expect.
On the drive to the mall, Annie took a nap, so she was nice and rested. When we arrived, she refused her stroller. Like straight-up tantrum style, all, “I can walk jeeeeez!” So we left the stroller in the car because I’m not going to be mentally prepared for my daughter to scream at me in a mall parking lot for another thirteen years.
It was your typical Easter Bunny photo op setup in your average shopping mall. For for visual purposes, I drew you a rad picture:
That is the best bunny I’ve ever drawn. I’m seriously proud. Except I forgot its cotton tail! Damn.
When we strolled up to the area the bunny was in, we took a direct approach.
The bunny came over (who, by the way, looked like last year’s bunny, but with a hair bow (grrrl power!)) and started waving to Annie. My mom and I were like, “ANNIE! LOOKIT THE BUNNY! SO SOFT! LOOOOOKIIIIIIIIT!” We were amped up.
Annie was not amped up, and refused to let me put her down.
My mom and I took her to one end of the mall until she was comfortable walking around again. For attempt number two, we took a more circuitous approach:
I kept saying, “Oh, pretty flowers. Eggs! Pretty leaves!” while she ran around touching and pulling on everything, looking for structural weaknesses in the Easter Bunny’s lair.
I grabbed her hand and walked her to the entrance of the Bunny’s lair. She looked at the little kids, then turned and looked up at me with extreme horror and screeched “UUUUUUPPPP!” until I lifted her onto my hip.
Things were starting to look doubtful. My mom thought it would be a good idea to rent one of those race car mall stroller doodads. It was the right move.
We pushed her all over the mall while she spun the steering wheel. She was so into the steering wheel that she didn’t realize we were making attempt number three:
This time, I had managed to catch her attention with the overpriced kid-distracting toys. Also, my mom had her video camera out. What you are about to see is what happened next.
Strike three, and we were out. As I carried her away from the Bunny, she looked back, said “buh bye,” and waved.
She’s already messing with me.
Lisa says:
We’ve had quite a few of those experiences with Santa. The whole, oh yay, this will be fun I’m sure she’ll sit with him for a picture, kind of moments only to have her throw a holy fit upon approach. They figure out our weaknesses and how to mess with us so early.
Ms. A says:
Hey, those costumed creatures are kinda scary! Can’t say I blame her.
Heather says:
My sister was terrified of all of those things when she was little.
Avoid Disney like the plague until she isn’t… for your sake and hers!
Video taped evidence of her intense dislike it a good plan because one day a teenaged Annie will start throwing all kinds of accusations about those photos you didn’t take her to get when she was this age… ha ha!
toni bautista says:
Aww!! You tried though. The video brought a nice laugh to this early morning. Thanks!
Kim says:
I took my twin girls to see the bunny yesterday. One was okay with it while the other one screamed.
Nellie says:
Oh you and your mom are too darn funny, patient and very creative in your pursuits to get an “Annie & Easter Bunny” picture. I’m still laughing because my daughter was the SAME.EXACT.WAY!!!! She still at 3 1/2 years of age refuses to take school pictures and will throw a major fit if any of her Daycare teachers even mentions her taking a picture – she’s terrified of the photographer.
To end this – Oh my sweet polka dots but that dress on Annabel is absolutely DIVINE!!! She looks so adorable in it and head to toe beautiful!!
Mary Ann says:
Too funny! This brings back the Dominic the Bunny incident at my neices first birthday. Her birthday was the day before easter so her mom thought it would be a great idea to have the easter bunny surpise the kids, do an egg hunt and they everyone could pose for pictures which would later be sent out in thank you cards. Well my neice just turned two and she and her guests are still in therapy over Dominics presence at the party. The picture of her sitting on his lap arms and legs outstreatched with a shrieking scream and look of panic on her face wearing her adorable purple tutu is one of my favorites and went out with the thank you cards.
Babbalou says:
I have to say that those bunnies in the mall scare me too, there’s something really creepy about them. I’m a mall walker and I avert my eyes when I go by them. No problems with santa, it’s the furry costumes that completely unnerve me. To me those costumes send off a really creepy vibe.
Jen says:
Frist of all I LOVE your picture!! Second how funny was she just running away that last time! She’s too funny! We have’nt tired the easter bunny yet with my daughter. Santa was successful because she sat on my lap and we both got our photo taken!
Just love your stories you crack me up!!
AmazingGreis says:
Laughing my ass off! Poor kid!
monica says:
Such a doll, I just wanna grab her and squeeze her!
Kristy says:
That is adorable/terrible. For Christmas, I really wanted to get a picture of both of my girls with Santa. My older daughter was all for it and being 8, we don’t have many years left for her to want to take part. My younger daughter? No. Effin. Way. My older daughter walked over, sat on Santa’s lap, then I walked my younger over and tried to put her on Santa’s lap, she clung to her sister. So we have a really awesome picture. My older daughter looks so sweet and beautiful and happy and she’s hugging her sister. My younger (1 year old) daughter is screaming bloody murder. We bought the picture. It is awesome. I know I’m terrible, but it was just too cute!
Jen says:
All the smart people are terrified of Holiday Mall Mascots Heather. ALL OF THEM.
Momma Lioness Michele says:
Aw, you tried. Maybe she’ll be more open to the idea next year! Her outfit is adorable, she is sooo cute! Happy Easter, Spohr Fam!
Elizabeth says:
Ohhh she is SO messing with you!!
cindy w says:
Annie is a smart girl. The Santas and Easter Bunnies at the mall are TOTALLY sketchy.
Lisa_in_WI says:
Aw, Annie! :p
You made a valiant effort, I’m sure it will go much more smoothly next year!
Jannette says:
I love her dress. The video made me smile. She knew what you two were trying to do.
Kelly says:
That bunny is scary!
Nanette says:
Em watched Annie’s video and said, “That was AMAZING!”
VieveT says:
When my kids were 4 and 3 we thought it would be a nice touch if the Easter Bunny left a little bit of her tail (ripped up cotton ball) in the dog door. Um notsomuch. My daughter (3) was HORRIFIED. Now that she is 6 and has a school calendar she counts down the days to Easter like a prisoner on death row. I told her we would write the bunny a note asking her to leave the goodies on the porch but here’s the clencher – she is worried about offending the Easter Bunny. Don’t worry though I quit saving for her college education and started saving for a psychiatrist.
Trisha Vargas says:
The mall holiday mascots still kinda creep me out and I’m 33.
Can’t take my 2 year old near any of them, she doesn’t scream, but her face turns to horror and you can basically tell that if you inch any closer she will lose her shit right there
Annie’s doing pretty good with it if you ask me. At least you didn’t force her. I always feel so bad for the little ones screaming on Santa’s lap and the Easter bunny’s lap after their Moms force them to sit for the picture. Poor kids are going to need therapy.
MrsP says:
hahaha that video was too funny.
I can’t ever get my son to take those pictures either because he won’t get near anything with a big head, painted face, or anyone in costume.
lilcg says:
I love her dress–where is it from?
my almost 2 year old daughter loves having her picture taken by everyone except for professionals. they do school pictures at her daycare twice a year (fall and spring) we didn’t get a school picture at either her first fall or spring picture day because she was screaming and crying too much. I told them this fall that I didn’t care if she was crying, to go ahead and take it. and now I have the funniest picture of her at 18 months looking so pissed. I gave them the same instructions today (spring picture day). I can’t wait to see how they turn out. school pictures are always so bad, I figure you should embrace it and have grumpy bad pictures.
AngieM. says:
that was hilarious! i don’t blame her, those mall bunnies look effin scary.
you should totally take her picture with live bunnies..much cuter
Megan@TrueDaughter says:
We’ve done this with Santa visits more times than I can count. So many, in fact, that I have never attempted an Easter Bunny visit!
Annie’s hair is just so freaking cute! I wanna trade!
What a beauty babe!
Stacy says:
I don’t blame her! The Easter Bunny always freaked me out! I LOVED all of the candy, but not the thought of some huge freaky bunny hopping around in my house while I sleeped. My son (3 yrs) has been the same way when we’ve attempted to get close to the bunny. He prefers to wave from afar. Good catch Grandma! Love Annie videos!
Glenda says:
My daughter was so scared of any freaky creature dressed up until she was about 4.
Love Annie’s dress!
So cute that in the video she’s running
Christina says:
I don’t blame her. A giant bunny is weird. I refused all Santa & Easter Bunny photos as a kid. There are ZERO pics of me with them. I’m kind of proud of my stern position on the matter. That’s me. I stick to my guns! Not really. I’m a pushover now. Not sure what happened. :\
Her dress is SOOOO cute!
Hollie says:
I’m pretty sure I saw that bunny on sketchybunnie.com…I don’t blame Annie for running the other direction lol
kathy e. says:
how beautiful annie looks in her easter dress!
Sara says:
South Coast Plaza has the BEST bunny. He’s animatronic, half puppet…and talks to the kids by name. He’s little, kids sit next to him….it would be like meeting Elmo.
Sara says:
Tell Annie, it could be worse:
http://www.funnyordie.com/slideshows/facad702b6/terrifying-easter-bunnies
Click on link…hysterical!
dysfunctional mom says:
I love the way she’s looking at you in the beginning, like “I know you’re up to something, woman. I don’t know what it is, but I don’t trust you any further than I can throw you.”
My kids were all scared of costumed creatures when they were little. It was kind of fun.
The Mommy Therapy says:
Anything with a costume scares the heck out of my children. Even the chick-fil-a cow is scary.
I love how you thought she was going to be completely ok with it the third time and then she turned to get outta there.
Noelle says:
Awesome video!
When I was younger I had a mall job as an Easter bunny photographer one year. The parents would usually get pretty mad if their kid had a fit and looked sad or scared or cried in the pictures, but I always told them when they looked back they would end up loving that picture, and more than likely next year they’d get the perfect shot.
Ray says:
Awww, poor baby!
Loved all the diagrams. The things parents will do to get a picture. Hahaha! =P
Annalien says:
I guess those life-size dolls must be quite scary when one is little. One of the cellphone networks in South Africa has a meerkat as their mascot. Once when visiting a shopping mall we came across a life-size “meerkat” at a promotion. My son, then probably about 2, was sitting in the shopping trolley next to his older sister. The “meerkat” wandered over to greet the children. I have never seen a child more terrified. I thought the poor baby was about to have heart failure! He was too afraid to scream – he just sort of gasped and climbed under his sister arm, where he remained with his eyes closed until the beast had left us.