Are you doing anything special for Halloween? Rudy's daycare has been celebrating all week with theme days (Everyone wore black on Monday and the walls are filled with Halloween crafts.) and today there's a costume party and small gift exchange. Tomorrow, we have friends visiting from out of town, then a friend's daughter's birthday. Rudy's on a strict bedtime schedule so we'll definitely be home in time to give out candy but we haven't decorated or even carved a pumpkin.
Our porch is under construction and we've encountered a couple of delays due to redesigns so I'm sad to say that it's not going to be ready for us to have our usual strobe lights and scary music for the neighbourhood kids. We've purchased lots of playdough, stickers, glow sticks and nut free candy but I worry that the neighbourhood kids have come to look forward to our spooky house and I'm disappointed to be taking a year off.
As for Rudy's first Halloween, I must say that I always assumed I'd make a Pinterest worthy costume for her but work and life have been so busy that I was relieved to just find a comfy looking costume at Walmart that looked like she wouldn't overheat if I sent her in it to daycare. Priorities certainly change. In the month since we purchased her costume, Rudy's grown... a lot. Now she's sort of bursting out of her Ninja Turtle costume so we had to send a change of clothes for daycare. We had wanted to send her with a glittery purse and call her Donatello Versace but we thought it was too much and people would think we were insane.
In terms of trick-or-treating, I've been chatting with people about it all week and I've noticed that the parenting forums are filled with similar conversations. Do you take a baby trick-or-treating?
On Tuesday, the receptionist at my office reminded me that if I take Rudy door to door, people will know the candy is just for me. Fair enough. I agree, although when I see parents with babies at my own door, I just assume it's their first child and they're super excited to do fun family stuff together. If it were just about the candy, they could save time and just buy it on November 1st on clearance, right?
I have friends who take their babies to a couple of houses and other friends who refuse to subject their kids to late nights and inevitable bad Toronto weather until they're old enough to enjoy it.
My mother recalls my younger brother walking around with us for Halloween when he was 2 1/2 and I was about 5. It was his first time joining us and, when we got to the first house, he seemed nervous and reluctant to come walk up to the door with me. Then, he saw me come back with candy. After that, he was all in. Smart guy!
I think we may take Rudy to the neighbour's door in her costume. Their first grandson is a few months younger than Rudy so we're always sharing baby stories. I think one house is enough for this year. Then we'll put her to bed so we can both greet the kids together.
Whatever you end up doing, I wish you a dry and safe Halloween. I'll leave you with the best costumes I've seen on the internet this year:
