Leprechaun Tricks

Being a new mom comes with a lot of surprises and a bit of a learning curve. Being a new mom of a school aged kid does too! Last year, on St Patrick's day Kaylee came home from school and was quick to inform me that most kids in class had a leprechaun visit their house while they were sleeping and that he had played tricks on their family. Kaylee was upset because a leprechaun had not come to visit us. I did not see this coming! The only aspect of St Patty's day I remembered from childhood was that if you didn't wear green you were sure to get pinched in school. This year, I was convinced not to be that mom.

Kaylee made several leprechaun traps and hoped for the best. I made a quick and easy plan to make some green mischief (mainly using a bit of food coloring in milk and our bathroom soap and flipping a few things upside down). Then the unexpected happened again. A few kids in class claimed  they had caught a real leprechaun and was keeping it as a pet. Which actually now that I write it sounds pretty messed up considering leprechauns are not animals and it really isn't legal to keep people locked in a container against their will. But now Kaylee believed she may actually catch a miniature magical man. There was no way I was pulling that off! Ha

When it was all said and done Kaylee got over the fact that she wasn't able to kidnap a tiny human and had so much fun believing in all the tricks the leprechaun played on her. It was so fun to see her absorbed in the magic of the day. It went even further when she got together with her cousins and magic seemed to be happening left and right! Jelly beans were changing colors and other magical things happened that may or may not have been figments of their imagination.

After Kaylee was tucked in bed that night she called me back to her room. "Mom, I heard the sound of a leprechaun throwing glitter in the air. You know that magical sparkly sound?" And as I kissed her one last time and joined my husband in the living room I realized that this may be the very last year she believes in leprechauns and St Patrick's magic. It makes me wish I started this tradition years ago because these little kid days go by much too quickly!