This year was our first year to take the girls trick or treating. What took us so long? Mostly the fact that they were too little to know what it was and I never felt like going to the trouble of getting them costumes when they didn't even care about it yet anyway. I remember one year my mom asked me what they were going to be for Halloween and the conversation went on like this,
"Nothing."
"Oh, do you not believe in celebrating Halloween?"
"Nope, I believe in it. I am just a little cheap and a little lazy and a lot busy."
I have had moments of feeling bad that my little ones were missing out on fun even if they didn't realize it. I mean it is my responsibility to make sure they know about all the fun there is to have in the world, no? Most of my friends dress their kids up for Halloween as soon as they can. Baby elephants and lady bugs and pumpkins galore! Though, now that I think about it, none of those friends were already several weeks pregnant again by the time their oldest child reach its first Halloween, but I digress...
Anyway, we knew this was the year to get the Halloween party started. All the girls were old enough to really enjoy it now and make some special childhood memories. Our discussion of what they would be began in early fall was continued pretty much everyday from that moment on. They came up with some pretty crazy ideas like a birthday cake, and a lot of fun but more traditional ideas like a pirate, or a cowgirl, or a ballerina.
One night while we were eating dinner on our back deck Afton asked me what Rose should be for Halloween. I looked over at her. She was wearing just a diaper and had her dinner spread all over her body and throughout her unruly, one-year-old girl hair and said immediately,
"A mad scientist, of course!"
This would be the last year that I got to pick out what she would be and also because of my slackerish momness the first time I got to dress a defenseless little baby up as whatever I wanted. Rose's hair was in that crazy place between baby and little girl hair - perfect for a mad scientist! I told Ron that night that I was as excited about Rose's halloween costume as I had ever been about any of my own as a child.
She pulled it off perfectly! Her "what exactly is going on here" expression adds so much to the overall look. What a cutie! Afton's take on it was "Rose doesn't look pretty, but she looks awesome!"
You did look awesome, pretty Rose! Thanks for humoring me! Next year you can pick out whatever pretty little costume you want!
As for my other little girls, after a month of discussing costume options they settled on being....PRINCESSES! Yes, princesses. They same thing they dress up as EVERY SINGLE DAY. At first I thought it was crazy that they were passing up their chance to be something fun and new but I finally I agreed. They dress up as princesses everyday because that is what they love to pretend to be. When I thought about it that way I realized there couldn't have been a funner costume for them.
We fancied up their everyday princess dresses a bit. They got to put on some of Mommy's make up. I even agreed to straighten Afton's hair for the occasion (something she had been asking me to do for a long time). They were feeling and looking extra beautiful when we had our little pre-game photo shoot.
Two of the prettiest little treasures God has ever given me!
"Belle"
"Sleeping Beauty"
The trick or treating itself was a blast. Watching them run from house to house, their eyes wide with amazement that people were just giving them more candy than they had ever seen in their lives, as trite as it may sound, made me feel young again. One of the best things about having kids is the chance they give you to experience the wonderful, beautiful things of life once again as if it were your very first time.
