For someone who doesn't particularly care for Halloween, I sure have devoted a lot of time and energy to it the last week or so. It all started when Mike decided to be a plague doctor for Halloween. He found a picture of a mask he liked, and took it to a friend who made one for him out of leather. Next he needed a hooded, black robe. After looking online and at various costume shops, thrift stores and antique shops, he couldn't find what he wanted for a reasonable price. At the same time, he started watching documentaries about the plague (which turned out to be pretty interesting). The only problem was, the more he kept watching, the more specific he was about how he wanted his costume to look.
As Halloween drew closer, I finally admitted that I'm a pretty decent seamstress and could sew him a perfectly good robe. At first I think he doubted my ability, since I haven't sewn in five or six years. Finally, probably in desperation, he agreed to let me make it. Here's a picture of him in his costume.
Next on the Halloween fun agenda was getting pumpkins for Gillian and Isaac to carve. Originally we'd planned to take them to a pumpkin patch with a corn maze and make an afternoon of it. Costume sewing took priority though, plus neither of the kids acted too excited about going. They mostly cared about carving. We took them to my favorite local produce stand to pick out their pumpkins. Below are some pictures from that afternoon. Isaac hadn't ever carved a Halloween pumpkin before, and wanted to find a sizable one to work with, which he did.
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| Isaac teasing an oblivious Gillian. |
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| Success! |
A few days earlier, I'd been inspired by a picture of a cake a friend of mine posted on Facebook. Gillian and I spent a nice afternoon together on Sunday baking the cake and making cupcakes.
On Halloween night, Gillian went out trick-or-treating with friends and I was left home alone to pass out candy. After about an hour, I turned out the lights and headed downtown to spend some time with Mike while he tended bar. As I drove through my neighborhood, passing crowds of young kids in costumes holding their parent's hands, I was hit with a wave of sadness.
I'd never again hold Gillian's little hand in mine while going door-to-door collecting candy and showing off her costume to neighbors. I already miss those times like the year we traversed the neighborhood with her friends who were identical twins, one of whom lost her first tooth that night. Or, the first couple of years when trick-or-treating was new and kind of scary for her, resulting in tears and begging to go home after only one block. Then there was the year 7 or 8-year old Gillian was determined not to wear a coat with her costume. I kept nagging her to put her coat on. Finally, she turned to me in a huff, "Mom, you're driving me crazy!" then she paused and said, "Well, not literally, but you are bugging me". Now my little girl was old enough not to need or want me along with her while she trick-or-treated. Honestly, where does the time go?
This year Halloween made me more than a little nostalgic. Maybe I do like it after all.
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| Gillian - 3 years old |
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| Princess Gillian with her cousins |
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| 3-week old Gillian on her 1st Halloween |
Such sweet pictures! That plague doctor does look scary, and really professionally done. But I love the kid pictures the best. They do grow up so quickly, it's amazing how fast.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed Halloween when my children were small and I was going out with them, but once they broke the cord and began going out on their own, it's my least favorite holiday. I've actually never been fond of it because it seems to give license to many to scare the bejeebers out of others, something I've never liked. I'm actually glad I live in a rural spot with no small children around, and I can just ignore it!
ReplyDeleteWe had that kid nostalgia this year -- now the kids are in their 20s, and we were missing those younger days!
ReplyDeleteI have to say that Mike is my kind of kid! I think being a plague doctor is so imaginative, intriguing and spot on! The costume is GREAT! (Is Mike a kid, or is he your husband? I don't know your family that well!) And those pumpkins and that cake are great! I usually go wild on Halloween, but this one was quieter. I wish I'd known about that cake!