Snip snip, and the Easter Bunny perishes

I considered live-blogging my vasectomy yesterday.  As it turned out, I was barely in the office an hour, and the actual knife time might have been 12 minutes.  (There was a little delay while my doctor sent out for some bolt cutters.  Heh.)

So I wouldn’t have had long, and plus I was just a little distracted.

Recovery is going very well.  After this procedure you receive instructions about like you’d think, involving Neosporin, ice packs, analgesics, and cautions against lifting anything that weighs more than the remote.  From what I’ve heard and read, swelling and pain typically range from moderate to substantial, and I’ve been fortunate on both counts.  The former is almost negligible, and the latter is eminently manageable.  It’s not certain, but I’m optimistic about being able to go to church and dinner tomorrow.

In other news, Nathan nailed Lea to the wall yesterday afternoon on whether she was the Easter Bunny, and Lea told him the truth.  I added Santa Claus to the reality dose, and—after he came back from being upset in his room—the Tooth Fairy.  (He told me the Tooth Fairy had occurred to him a few minutes earlier, and he convincingly told me he’d already had his doubts about Santa.)

Lea and I struggled with these stories, discussing them at some length when Nathan was a baby.  Our discomfort with them was exactly what Nathan reacted against yesterday.  Cultural tradition notwithstanding, it’s sustained and systematic deception.  We don’t lie to the boys about anything else; why this?

Our compromise was that we’d play, but that when a child seriously questioned it, we’d do nothing to further perpetuate the illusion.  Idly asking as a doe-eyed 4-year-old might generate dismissal, but laying it open with genuine skepticism earns you the truth.

Ooh, Nathan was pissed.

After he calmed down, we had a productive conversation about it being a fun and “magical” way for children to celebrate some traditions, learn about some kinds of values, and so forth.  I also made sure he understood how proud I was of him for being angry, because it meant he valued integrity, and he knew it was reasonable to expect it of those who love him.

So I’m forgiven, and I think he’s going to help us get Aaron one more year.

Lea, the boys, and I are off to watch Tangled.  Breakfast for dinner on deck.

I hope you’re having a good weekend.

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