The Easter Dress

{How cute are these girls in their Easter finery?  This is Ella and Lily's first Easter - well, technically Ella's second, but she was only a few days old for her first.  While I was writing this post, Ella came in, looked at the above picture, and asked, "Are those new dollies for me?"}

Growing up, did you have an Easter dress each year?  I did.  I vividly remember going to the fabric store with my mom, picking out the material and the pattern, and my mom would make Easter dresses for my sister and me, and sometimes one for herself.

Memories like that make me wish that I could sew.  I don't wish it enough to really learn, but I do wish it.  Kind of like I wish I knew how to do a cartwheel.  In those moments when a cartwheel just seems appropriate, I have a tinge of regret for not conquering that skill.  Instead, I just sigh and think this is a cartwheel moment, and you missed it.

Last year after Easter, I found a dress for Ella for Easter this year.  It's BEAUTIFUL.  Then, for her birthday, her Grandpa Bob and Grandma Joyce got Ella this adorable number with a matching dress for her favorite doll, Dorry.

Doesn't she look happy? 

So Ella has two potential Easter dresses.  Jack has, well, whatever Jack has.  Do you dress boys up for Easter?  Hmm.  I have put no thought into that.  Must do that....  A tie?  A cute vest?  A boutineer?  Oh, one look into those baby blues and you don't care what he's wearing.  Why, he could be wearing a lion costume!

See?  You can't help yourself.  You're making goochy-goochy-goo noises already.  How do I know?  Because I am, and I see him everyday.

So, anyway, I got it into my head that I wanted an Easter dress this year.  I haven't had one in ages, so it seemed about time.  I did a little shopping last week with no results because I was too cheap to buy what really appealed to me.  So I came home and crossed Easter dress off my list. 

Today, it hit me.  I already have an Easter dress!   You see, two years ago, when my mom was in town, we went to the Coldwater Creek outlet to find an outfit for her, and they had this rack in the back with damaged merchandise they were selling for beans.

I have always thought of Coldwater Creek as being for my mom's generation.  Very cute clothes for her age, but a little too old mature for me.  Yet in the back was this adorable dress with a broken zipper.  Very well made, fully lined, just my style, and only $10!!!  Better yet, my personal seamstress was already in town!  She fixed it for me to wear for Easter that year.

Problem was, I never got to wear it.  Want to know why?  This was growing in my belly.

The next year, well, let's just say I was still carrying some Jack around.  So I forgot about the dress.  Until today.  And you know what?  It fits.  True. Bliss.

I have an Easter dress.

Just to add to my Coldwater Creek love, I thought the dress was a fluke find until recently when a very chic friend and I were walking the mall.  We passed this store and kept exclaiming about things we loved on their window display.  Then we looked at the sign.  Then we looked at each other with open mouths.  Yup.  It was Coldwater Creek.  We went in, looked around, and talked to their staff, who confirmed they are trying to appeal to a younger market.  Next time you're at the mall, check them out.  Very classy.