Sunday, November 8, 2009

Halloween 2009

Somehow we just celebrated our FOURTH Halloween here - where did the time go? This year I had aspirations of doing a "family-themed" Halloween costume - like maybe we could all go as characters from "Goodnight Gorilla" or something equally as charming. But then Lily announced "I want to be a ballerina - a fairy ballerina" and that ended that idea.

So I scrambled around and with the help of a friend's daughter's dance recital outfit, some funky Children's Place tights and set of wings, managed to throw together a pretty cute fairy ballerina ensemble. Then I literally collected every cute baby costume I could get my hands on for Quinn. He was a dragon one day thanks to a second-hand shop, a chili pepper two other days thanks to a friend and a chicken for trick-or-treating thanks to another friend. It's just too fun dressing a baby who has no prayer of making his own preference known. I couldn't stop myself. At one point Lily did request additional costumes for herself as well, but i managed to distract her - "Look! a pretty tiara!"

Halloween started a day early with a trip to Gordon's annual Halloween party at work. Here's a picture of Chili Pepper Quinn enjoying the festivities (and the attention):



On Halloween day we dragged everyone outside for a front yard photo shoot before the sun went down:


Our fairy ballerina demonstrating the art of twirling:



Everyone knows that fairy ballerinas LOVE chickens:



Me, looking boring with my cuties:



And now, Daddy's turn:



Fairy ballerinas also love to EAT chicken!



Halloween night we went out trick-or-treating on our street - a very happening place on Halloween. There's always a festive note to the air as most people hang out on their front steps handing out candy and chatting with each other. It feels a little like a block party. Lily was shy at first, but soon warmed up and enjoyed going from house to house collecting her loot. Quinn came along in the stroller and ended up sleeping most of the evening away. When he wasn't asleep he had this look on his face that was a bit like "tell me why I'm dressed like a chicken, again?"

Lily enjoyed getting the candy, but like past years hasn't been super into eating it. In fact her favorite score from the evening was a package of peanut butter crackers. She wanted to eat them as soon as we got home - and did so, after doctoring them up with a little jelly. Before coming inside, she and Gordon sat outside to hand out candy to anyone still out trick-or-treating. Sadly, there was no one left. But Lily was determined to share her candy so they eventually found some guy walking down the street talking on his phone. Lily ran up to him and gave him some items from her stash.


Post trick-or-treat, trying to give candy away


This Halloween our house got a visit from the Switch Witch - a shy, little which who loves candy. She comes by at night when everyone is asleep and takes the candy you've left out for her, switching it with a new toy. Lily was very into the idea and left a big pile of candy for her. She even allocated some of her candy to Quinn so he could participate. The next morning Lily found some wikki stix, a new book and some scary stickers. Quinn found a great new baby toy - it quickly became a favorite. Thanks to the Somerville Mom who posted an email about her to the message board!


Notes and candy left for the Switch Witch

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