Happy Halloween

I don't think I ever really got too excited for Halloween. I mean of course everyone loves a holiday where they get to eat a ton of candy. But overall I am not a huge fan of dressing up into something else and pretending to be something I am not. This year has been different for me. I think it must be because the girls are so into it this year. We carved our pumpkin and Nicole not really understanding it fully just keeps saying "Happy Birthday Pumpkin" so obviously she gets the whole candle in the pumpkin idea. But every night that we light it we need to sing happy birthday to the pumpkin and blow out the candle.

I also think this year is different because the girls have gotten to wear their costumes around a few times already. Last weekend we went to the open house at the Norwell Fire Headquarters. There was pizza, juice, apparatus on display and of course a special appearance by Fire Pup, a rather tall Dalmatian type of costumed individual that the girls really liked. But my Cinderella (Aimee) and her trusty mouse Gus Gus (Nicole) came decked out to the open house. We saw some really great costumes while we were there. Scooby doo made an appearance as did many Sesame Street characters. I think that they even had some potential new recruits on their hands at the station with all the kids that dressed up as firefighters.

But hands down, my favorite Halloween moment so far has been this morning at Aimee's school. Her class puts on their costumes and then does a little parade around the school to show them off. Forget the parade, I was so excited just seeing these little kids coming in to school in their costumes. The funniest by far being the 3 year old decked out entirely in SWAT team apparel complete with helmet and shield and his vest. I cracked up. There were also the requisite other princesses on the block such as Jasmine and Ariel to go with Aimee's Cinderella. But the SWAT team child really made my day. He looked so cute in it and you could just tell he loved his costume.

It's funny because when I was trying to get pregnant and had my eyes on the prize of having a baby I don't think I ever really thought too much about this stage of the game. Aimee and Nicole are at such great ages. They can fight terrible and can be very fresh, but it is so much fun to see them getting into things like role-playing in costumes or even with their dolls. I have liked most all of the stages my kids have been in. It was great having a new baby and snuggling in with them, but the sleep deprivation and absolute craziness of it all at first is overwhelming. It was also great seeing them walk, but the reality of walking is climbing and that is terrifying to see your kid halfway up the couch ready to jump off onto the hardwood floor without a care in the world.

But this, the conversations and realizations that these little people are mine has been amazing. They have full talks with me about things like swimming lessons and why they jumped in the pool last week but didn't want to jump in this week. Or why it is of the utmost importance that we wear the Ariel swimsuit this week but last week it had to be the striped one.

So tomorrow night we are pairing up with my sister in law and her daughters for a trick or treating outing in her neighborhood for what I hope will be a tradition that continues for many years to come. I wish you all a wonderful Halloween and don't forget to turn the clocks back on Saturday night just to get another hour of sleep. Unless you have my kids which just means we will be up one hour earlier than the rest of the world.