Hoppy Easter

I won't type much. The pictures speak for themselves. This Easter, we loaded up the Jeep and headed down to Orange Beach, Ala., to Ace's mom's house for Easter baskets, beach trips, and shopping. In the old days, we'd throw a few things in one bag an hour or so before we left and hotfoot it down the road.

No more. You'd have thought we were moving, not spending three days at grandma's.

When we arrived at 11 p.m. Thursday, Ty had Billy's first Easter basket laid out, with clothes, swim trunks, and funny toys. She also had beer and pizza for us. She knows what we like. She was so happy to see her littlest boy:


Unlike last Easter weekend, during which we froze, it was actually warm enough to go to the beach. Billy loved it.


He looked around, took it all in, felt the sand in his fingers, and then promptly started to eat it. Of course. He had sandy poop for two days.


Poor Billy inherited his mom's fair skin instead of his grandmother's and father's lovely Cherokee olive tones. So I was terrified he would burn. I slathered every inch of him in 60 SPF and kept him under an umbrella most of the time. The result? Not even a pinkish glow. Whew.

Check out the You Tube channel soon--against my fears of the post-baby body hitting the internet, I'll be posting a video of his first touch of the ocean, too. He liked it. I was cold.

He actually looks more like me--the Moore side--every day. But his body, ears, and cheeks are still totally Ace.


Here, he models an Atkins family heirloom. Ace wore this blue suit on his first Easter 37 years ago. All of Ace's nephews have worn it as well. Although Billy isn't really a lace or pastel fella, he looks kind of perfect in it, don't you think?


We're pretty proud.

Ace's book tour starts next weekend at the Arkansas Literary Festival. Then Birmingham, then home for a couple of days, then Phoenix, Houston, a week-long Florida leg, then Montgomery. Then home a week, then New Orleans. If you're in those areas, contact me for details and try to stop by.

As he gets older, I'm mulling new childcare solutions. What did you do? Have any insights to share?