Where Did the Cuddly Elephant Go?

Ah, tomorrow is Halloween. It's a festive occasion I have mixed feelings about. I like the whole dressing up and being someone you're not bit. And, frankly, who can deny that the candy assortment is tops. (With the exception of Easter, because jelly beans are my favorite.) I've even enjoyed the mess in carving pumpkins with K. But this year was a turning point for Halloween in our household.

First, the costume situation. I admit, dressing my son up in cute animal costumes has probably been more to my pleasure than his. He was an absolutely adorable elephant one year, and a super cute turtle last year. I had a feeling this year he would want more of a say in his costume. He is three after all, and they have very strong opinions! Well ... after much hunting for the costume of his choice ... he ended up deciding he wanted to be a ninja. A three-year-old ninja. Alas, I am not even sure what to think about it. Yes, due to us being lax parents and letting him watch the Nickelodeon cartoon "The Avatar" he can emulate perfect martial arts moves. (And I'm not kidding, he is spot on, it's kind of scary.) So, I wasn't completely surprised with the whole ninja decision ... but it was just proof that he's one step closer to not being a baby anymore.

Next, the pumpkin. We purchased a pumpkin last week ... but before we got to carving it, it started to rot. This was more annoying than anything. So, last night we went out in search of getting a replacement pumpkin to carve. Well, of course, Target has these plastic jack-o-lanterns on display. What does K say? "Mommy, I want to get one that's already carved." Of course, D got a big smile on his face, because he didn't want to carve pumpkins in the first place. (He despised the mess, and accurately is aware he'd be the one to clean it up off the floor since I can hardly bend over at this point of pregnancy.) I sadly conceded to the plastic jack-o-lanterns. They don't make much sense, but I guess it shows that we can be a little festive. Of course, if someone comes and tries to steal them to throw them, they'll be a little disappointed, too.

So, tomorrow's the big night. We're taking K to an event at the zoo, where he can trick-or-treat safely and we don't have to worry about too many crowds. (It's for members only, so at least we know there will be some limits to the number of people allowed in.) I hope everyone has a splendid Halloween!