Happy (early) Halloween!

Halloween is All Hallow's Eve, which is the night before All Saints Day, which is a much bigger deal to the Catholic Church than Halloween, so Halloween always gets celebrated a week early at our parish. Which feels a little silly, but there are no complaints out of the children. This gives them a chance to try out more than one costume and score some extra candy, and generally get prepared for the trick-or-treating that will happen a week later. Jack is taking his preparing for trick-or-treating seriously. We were practicing all morning, running around to different rooms in the house, me hiding behind a closed door, him knocking on the door, me opening it, him usually standing there with a big dumb grin on his face until I say "what do you say?" and then him finally shouting "TRICK OR TREAT!!" He is so excited for Halloween this year. So starting the celebration a week ahead of time is totally A-OK with Jack.

One reason I think he is so excited is that he gets to be his favorite thing in the whole world for Halloween, a T-Rex. And not just any T-Rex, but Buddy, the T-Rex from Dinosaur Train, his favorite show in the whole world. Can you believe I've already caved to commercialism by my child's third Halloween and bought him an expensive trademarked costume from a TV SHOW? This is not the mom I thought I'd be. But you know what, he is so deliriously happy, I defy you to tell me what could be wrong with this.

(That's him roaring at Rebeccah. Props to her for capturing it.)

The Halloween party was put on by Abby's mommy, but I promise the costume contest wasn't rigged.  The fact that Jack and Abby tied for Cutest Costume was merely reflective of their complete adorableness, even according to the impartial priest/judge. They had a ball parading around to show off their costumes, going through the spooky halloween tunnel, decorating pumpkins, eating candy, not eating pizza (first time that's ever been refused, I guess there was too much other excitement), and chasing each other around the room. Sadie was in a daze for most of the time, I think it was a bit noisy and over-stimulating and she sort of stared wide-eyed a lot. She still had smiles for her mama, though.

Yes, she's dressed as a fairy/ballerina/butterfly, what have you. Pink, no less. Peggy Orenstein would not approve. But it was HOT this weekend and this was a cool costume, and free, from the neighbors across the street. And she's darn cute. So what can you do. She can be something else next week. Jack, I'm pretty sure, will still be a T-Rex.