Halloween dreams shattered

For the record...I'm not a big Halloween person. That was always left to my sister, Kate. Actually there seems to be theme to our personalities in relation to holidays. She always enjoyed the creative, decorating, festive parts of holidays (dying eggs, wearing costumes, hunting for baskets, creating elaborate scenes outside our house) while I always enjoyed the candy. And nothing else. ;)

But how can you resist little kids in costumes? When I worked in schools, I always dreaded dressing up for Halloween...just not my thing. I was always a witch (and that last year I was a very very pregnant witch). But I really enjoyed watching the parade of classes walk through my library. Just cute. I had visions of my own children wearing cleverly constructed costumes that transformed them into amazing visions. Cleverly constructed by the Halloween fairy, of course.

Then came my own children. Andrew has picked up my enthusiasm when it comes to the decorating, etc. part of holidays. He doesn't care what he is for Halloween. He would be a football player every year...he may end up being that again this year. I had planned to take him to Target and let him pick something. My priority for Lily was a costume that had no headpiece...my previous 2 year old experiences have taught me that much. And I knew Michael would be cute in whatever...so no worries. I've been thinking about this since July, when Halloween season started. There I was, innocently shopping for suntan lotion for vacation (OUT OF SEASON SALE...in July), when I was bombarded by the...what?...Halloween aisle. Whatever...you guys live in America too, you experienced similar things, I'm sure.

Last week, my friend dropped off a costume for Michael. Her son wore it, and I'm the only person with a little boy baby that she knows. It is a dalmatian, complete with a little tail, floppy black ears, and a red collar. Andrew immediately said he could be a fireman and Michael could be his firedog. My imagination began working overtime, in spite of my -meh- attitude about Halloween. Oh, how cute this would be. I'd make Lily a firewoman, and then we could deck out our wagon like a fire truck, and take pictures of the 3 little ones...our very own fire crew...

This Halloween bliss lasted for exactly one week. Last night, I tried the doggie costume on Michael. He was beyond cute. In true Michael fashion, he was giggling and beaming out from under the doggie head/hood. Andrew was laughing at him, and then he said:, "Yea, Mom, I decided I don't want to be a fireman anymore. I want to be something scary like a ninja."

-sigh-

2 seconds later...as if on cue...Lily wanders into the family room carrying a Cookie Monster head. My MIL had bought a costume from a garage sale way back in Andrew's toddler years, and we've been holding on to it. She exclaimed, "Cookie Monta!", we tried on the headpiece, and she LOVED it.

-sigh-

My firehouse has quickly gone to the dogs. So much for coordinating costumes. I guess that's just for magazine families that have very compliant children.