Halloween conversations

Halloween is kind of a struggle around these parts.  We desperately need our Halloween Fairy, Aunt Kate, to come visit us during this season.  I've never gotten particularly excited about this holiday...except for the candy, of course.  My kids have never liked playing dress up.  We have big imaginations, but we don't use props.  We are not crafty.  And on and on and on.

But they want the candy, and the experience of wandering the streets at night talking to strangers, so we will dress the children up.

Andrew has no idea what he wants to be.  But be certain that any suggestions we make are bad.  No good.  Can't be done.  Aunt Sara has talked him into being a robot.  Aunt Sara is hopefully sending instructions on how to make a robot costume soon.  Or else we'll just be raiding the back of stores in search of a box Andrew can fit in.

Michael thought for the longest time that he had to choose from the costumes we already have in the basement...Spiderman and a skeleton.  I was not going to tell him otherwise.  Then he started saying that he was thinking about what he wanted to be.  Finally we had this conversation:

Me:  Michael?  What do you want to be for Halloween this year?
Michael:  Something really really scary.
Me:  What is it?
Michael: (spoken in a hushed whisper)  The vacuum.

Cut to my mom and I cracking up laughing.  Michael is TERRIFIED of the vacuum.  If it is parked in the hallway, he will not walk down the hall until I move it.  Even if it isn't plugged in, he won't get NEAR it.  So to think that a vacuum is the scariest Halloween costume he can think of it pretty funny.  And now that he got such a good reaction from it, I'm pretty sure he'll want to be that.  Looks like I'll be trolling the backs of stores for another big box.  Come to think of it, Andrew and Michael's costumes will probably end up looking exactly alike.  Sucks to have a non-crafty mom :)

Lily and I were driving somewhere and we had this conversation:

Me:  Lily?  What do you want to be for Halloween this year?
Lily:  Ariel
Me:  Again?  You've been her twice already...at least.
Lily:  Well...I could be Tiana...I like her too, but I just don't want to be her this year.
Me:  You don't have to be a princess.
Lily: (face lighting up) I don't have to be a princess?  Really?  REALLY?  What else could I be?
Me:  Of course you don't have to be a princess.  You can be whatever you want.  A doctor, a ballerina, a witch...whatever.
Lily:  I want to be a black cat.  Can I be a black cat?
Me:  Of course.

Silly girl.  I wonder where she got it in her head that princess was the only option.  Unless she also thought she had to choose from the limited costumes we have in the basement.

Finally, at the American Girl Store, Lily and I had the cutest conversation ever about Halloween costumes.

Lily:  Mom!  You know how these girls got dolls that look just like them?
Me:  Yes.  Do you wish you'd gotten one that looked like you?
Lily:  No.  But Mom!  I could be YOUR American Girl Doll.  Because I look just like you!  For Halloween! I could be your American Girl Doll.

She is my American Girl Doll.  Except that her clothes are WAY WAY cheaper than the actual doll's clothes.