Happy Bunny Day

Happy Bunny Day

By Felicia Whatley    

Easter reminds me of a lot of things, especially rabbits, but there is one experience I will never forget. Ever wonder what it would be like wear the Easter Bunny costume?

I got to wear one once!

I loaded up on classes and mentorships my junior and first half of my senior year of high school so by the final semester I had almost too many credits. I had a half day my last semester so at 1:00pm, I would leave high school for the day and head over to my job as an assistant preschool teacher at a La Petite Academy in Albuquerque where I was I known as Ms. Felicia, the rabbit lady.

I loved rabbits. I trained my seven year old pointer-foxhound hunting hound dog to befriend a sweet runt albino bunny. The timid rabbit was sweet and amazing. She would play with the dog, change directions in mid-air, and was very affectionate. She would hop into your lap and wait to be pat.

So after a few weeks of being at the preschool, and watching the three year olds hit each other acting out Power Ranger scenes, (the classroom was called “The Challengers”, they weren’t kidding), I thought what we really need is a rabbit to play with. I talked to the assistant director and explained how tame and wonderful pets they can be and what a calming influence it would have in the classroom.

She oked it. I went to the bunny breeder on a ranch in southern Albuquerque and bought a brown and white colored Dutch bunny. The kids loved it. The rabbit was litter boxed trained and was permitted to run around the classroom and playground supervised. When I’d come in the afternoon and the kids would be waking up from their naps I would see the assistant director cuddling the rabbit and walking around the facility.

On weekends parents would check the bunny out and the kids would help take care of Baby Becka, as we named her. They would learn responsibility and gentleness. Everybody loved the preschool pet.

It was getting closer to Easter and the director said she wanted to see me in her office. She explained the costume. She said it was a La Petite tradition that every year someone would wear the Easter Bunny costume.

Then she showed it to me. The head was huge and the eyes daunting, the ears unbelievable. “Is it hot?” “Can you see out of that?” She said it was a little bit of a challenge but, a fun one, and I was after all the “bunny girl”. I agreed. I had no idea what I was getting myself into.

I showed up to our center first and went through each room. The two and three year olds were the cutest about it. Mary couldn’t stop jumping and screaming. The one year-olds were afraid of me. A couple of them started crying like I was some kind of monster. I got rushed out of there quickly. One of the older kids in the after school program recognized my shoes and they tried to attack me! I was getting beat up in that bunny suit!

Then they made me drive around to the other La Petite's and hug the kids in that costume. Some of the kids would ask me Easter Bunny questions. “What’s it like being the Easter Bunny?” “Do you eat lots of carrots?” “What’s the Easter Bunny palace like? I love you Easter Bunny.” “Are you really rich, Easter Bunny?”  I didn’t know if I was supposed to nod and wave and ignore that, but I did the best I could.

 One center wanted me to go in the backyard and hide the eggs. Walking around in it was hard enough. The head piece was like a bobble head. I couldn’t imagine trying to bend over.  They handed me the basket and showed me where the door was. I couldn't see and I stepped on a few of them!

Then I locked my keys in the car trying to leave afterwards, but thank goodness the backseat was unlocked. I could have died with embarrassment. The kids were still watching from the window. There was no way I was driving down the highway with this thing on.

But I went home in the costume. There was no where safe to change. My dog wouldn't stop barking at me. It was a great game. She’d see me take the head piece off and she would relax. I put it back on and she would go nuts again. It was hilarious. What an experience! Happy belated Easter! Happy Passover!  Happy Bunny day!