Friday, January 04, 2008
Halloween 2007
Lotus is not a costume lover. Her friend Courtney gave her an adorable ladybug costume for her birthday, so we had about 6 weeks to try and change her opinion about dressing up. I would take her to the local pumpkin patch and point out kids in costumes. "Look how cute he is" I'd say "It's a giraffe, horse, whatever...". I swear she would roll her eyes and shoot the cute costumed child a scornful glance. I have no idea how she got so cynical.
Needless to say on Halloween day I struggled her into her ladybug hoodie, painted her face and put her hair in little antennae all while she was screaming her head off. We headed over to her friend Ria's house to participate in the Marina Halloween parade.
It didn't take long for Simran (Ria's mom) and I to decide that Halloween is the worst idea in the world. Here's how it went, we forced our daughters into costumes they didn't want to be in. We asked them to walk down the street and be polite to strangers. They said please, thank you and happy Halloween. They were pretty great kids. Then strangers gave them candy and we wrestled it out of there hands and they screamed. Doesn't that sound like fun. And I know most of you are thinking "it's one day, just give her the candy." A) You clearly haven't seen my kid on sugar, B) I did let her have one piece, but there was no way she was going to get a bag full, and C) A good portion on the candy that was handed out was hard candy, thus a chocking hazard and I haven't had to use the skills I learned in my baby CPR class to work yet and I don't want to any time soon.
And if that wasn't enough we are trolling down this packed street with a ton of other parents all walking the same way, holding on to your kids hand and pushing your stroller. There is always some parent trying to spawn the opposite way the majority are going, which just causes stroller chaos. So there is a tangle of children and strollers and exasperation. But the time we made it up the street I was done and cranky.
By the evening I was somewhat recovered and Nate and I took Lotus trick or treating in the neighborhood. We were going to go to the "cool Halloween neighborhood" where everyone goes to trick or treat, but I rethought that idea after our morning. We had a great time in our 'hood. Mostly Lotus thought she was visiting all her favorite neighbors and got to pet all the doggies on our block. She didn't even know to ask for candy and we were able to give the signal not to offer.
We survived another Halloween and we only had one more costumed event to go.
