Disappointing

I had looked at the Bunny Hat in the Stitch n Bitch Nation and I really thought it was adorable. Grace needs a new hat since her hats from last year no longer fit 'cause of that growing thing kids are always up to. I want to make her the standard kitten hat out of the same stuff as her new wooly pants, but I can't find the book that has the pattern. It's here somewhere...but in the meantime she needs a hat since it's getting cooler out and she won't wear her hood up.
This is the bunny hat as shown in the book:

Too cute.
I knit it in a cream colour...even made the i-cord ties, but stopped before making the bunny's ears to try it on her. Crap.
When I tied it the ear flaps buckle out rendering them useless and also it pushes the front up above her hair line. It fits fine if I leave the ear flaps undone...but I made a hat with ear flaps for a reason.
I was suspicious of the un-tied hat in the pic (know how they say to beware of models in sweaters who are contorted? I ask you...can I blame the pattern here? Or is it more that my daughter has a tiny head? Both? I'll accept both). I am so disappointed...and yet I am relieved I only lost a day to the Bunny Hat and that I didn't go through the heartache of fiddling with the Bunny Ear pieces and embroidery. Another time I will revisit the Bunny Hat, and "fix" it to fit my darling girl's head (I think if I knit the ear flaps to the smaller size but keep the hat part the larger size it might work)...until then I will knit her a daisy hat from the book my dear pal Melissa acquired for me...and search for that freakin missing book.