Leprechauns

My poor Alivia! I was in charge of the St. Patrick's Day party this week for Addison's preschool. When preschool is at our house, then Alivia just naturally sits in and participates as one of the students. This week was extra fun because we got to break away from the norm and do something a little spicy!
I have ALWAYS remembered how mysteriously intrigued I was when I went to my first grade class (Todd and I were in the same class...and he remembers it too) and found leprechaun foot prints all around our classroom walls. Apparently something fantastic visitor had appeared in our classroom while we were away. Of course none of us had seen this visitor...and yet...had we? Soon the rumors were flying...
I wanted to recreate something for my own kids and classmates. I introduced them to leprechauns and told them of their love for trickery. It is nearly impossible to catch a leprechaun, but if you do, they HAVE to tell you where they have hidden their pot of gold--which every leprechaun possesses. So we began our mission to catch a leprechaun. I wore my magic hat (which summons leprechauns from all over the world) while we made leprechaun ladders learned an Irish jig, made a rainbow, sang leprechaun songs, mazes, etc. and finally found our own leprechaun foot prints and followed the tracks which led us on a scavenger hunt to find our own pot of gold. The kids were so into it that when they would misplace thier pencils they would say that a leprechaun must have snuck in and moved it super fast and then disappeared. They were so cute. I couldn't believe how excited they were to find hidden shamrocks and everything else!!!
I knew that the whole experience had affected them, but I hadn't realized how much until after I put Alivia to bed. I heard her sobbing in her room. She was terrified that a leprechaun would be in her room. I explained to her that the whole thing was just pretend, but she couldn't shake it. The poor girl was with me when I bought the hat, the gold EVERYTHING. I reminded her, and that did console her some, but she really had a hard time. I found her later that night sleeping on the floor outside her bedroom. She talked about it all the next day assuring Addison (and trying to convince herself) that everything was just pretend. I wondered if I should break the Easterbunny thing to them too...but that would lead to Santa Claus and open a whole can of worms that I don't want to open. So we'll leave it at that, but I think maybe I overdid it. Live and learn!!!