The Best Holiday of Them All

Glee
Originally uploaded by Foodmomiac

Halloween is just three days after my birthday, so I've had a love affair with the holiday all my life. Our neighborhood in Toledo kind of sucked as far as Halloween went, so we usually carted the kids to one of my in-laws for the trick or treating.

In Chicago, though, we live in an AMAZING Halloween neighborhood. Nearly every house is covered in decorations, and the trick or treating can last for hours. There are also special Halloween parades on each of the commercial streets where kids march up and down in their costumes and stores hand out candy. SO MUCH FUN.

Last year, I dressed Max in an Elmo costume that he found at Target. He didn't really have much interest in the whole dressing up thing, though. This year, on the other hand, is a whole other story.

A few weeks ago, Max announced that he wanted to be Dora for Halloween. "Dora?" we asked incredulously?

"Yes, want be Dora."

Hmmmm. My very liberal self was TECHNICALLY OK with this development, but Michael thought it might be a good idea to guide Max towards another choice. "How about Diego?"

"No, Dora."

"Boots?"

"Dora."

"Swiper? Tico? Benny?" Michael pulled out the name of every male character on Dora. I was surprised he didn't suggest Big Red Chicken or that weird Octopus who hands out ice cream.

Max still insisted on Dora, until the next day when he switched to "Motorcycle Dude."

But, then, a Dora episode called, "Boo!" showed up on our On Demand menu. Max has watched this Halloween episode approximately 86 times since last Friday, and he now has made his final Halloween costume decision. In a clever plot twist to the Dora costume, he has decided to instead wear what SHE wears. Max is going to be a very cute black cat. The costume has been bid upon on eBay, and plans are underway for a little black nose and some whiskers.

(Dylan has decided to pander to her vampire - obsessed mother and dress as a vampire princess.)

What are your kids wearing this year?

Comments

[Daniela]

I assume you meant plans are underway, but I kind of like the turn of the phrase, "plans are underwear" and I want to find a way to incorporate it into my daily conversation.

Amelia changes her mind everyday what she wants to be. We have various princesses, tigger, pooh and a Nose.

[foodmomiac]

LOL Daniela. Yes, I meant underway. Changed.

[Lauren]

Julian will be Darth Vader, using a costume he got for his birthday. He also wants to be "a Tarzan," but I'm hoping that will just go away on its own.

Jamie is going to be Lauren the Puppy Fairy (from the Rainbow Magic Fairies book series, for those of you who don't have second-grade girls). That's a red top, pink pants, pink wings, and pink and red flower jewelry.

[Reese]

Is it wrong that I want to dress my Boxer as a skunk and my skunk as a ladybug?

[jill]

Darwin will be a dinosaur and Ruth wants to be a cheerleader, or a unicorn, or maybe a butterfly. We're still up in the air for Ruth.

Also -- thanks, Danielle, for the Build a Bear gift card -- Geoff took them to the mall last Saturday and the kids each chose an outfit for their existing animals -- so we have a poodle dressed as Ariel and a Bear in a fisherman's outfit.

[Tammy Coxen]

Liam wants to be Saturn. I'm still working on how to pull that off.

[m2z]

That's hilarious that Max wants/wanted to be Dora. Zane just told me he wants to be Wendy (Bob The Builder). :)

[april]

Spencer will likely be spending his first Halloween as a blue monster, unless I can find a 6-12month penguin at another Gymboree in the next week or so. The blue monster outfit is darn cute, but my hubby liked the penguin better.

[kyooty]

TJ, is spiderman, AJ is Mario, and MJ is Luigi :)