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1. What is ironic about Lorelei's characterization of Meg's "frantic reproduction" (1)?

Lorelei is attempting to criticize Meg for having four children by calling this "frantic reproduction" (1). But Lorelei herself had four children--Meg, Beth, Rory, and Rhys.

2. How does the very first passage describing a Bird family Easter egg hunt characterize Meg?

Meg is clearly a clever child, because she thinks strategically about how to find the Easter eggs. She is also someone who loves her siblings, especially Beth, as she stops to watch them and thinks about how Beth is her best friend. Still, she can be as self-centered as any normal child, which the reader sees when Lorelei has to prompt her to share the last, best cache of eggs with her younger siblings.

3. How does Colin's reaction to the art wall show that even early in the children's lives he is struggling with Lorelei's collecting?

Lorelei puts every piece of art her children make up on the kitchen wall, and it is already overcrowded. As they continue to make more, Colin tries to hide the art away before Lorelei sees it instead of confronting Lorelei directly and coming to a mutual decision about the problem of her constant collecting.

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