As I slowly come down from my sugar high that was inflicted upon me by Halloween I’d like to share some of the highlights of the holiday.

Max Really Is As Stubborn As He Appears
When Lucy was three she decided last minute to change her costume plans from fairy princess to a cheerleader. Thankfully, I anticipated the fickle needs of a 3 yr old girl and had said costume on hand. As a result I planned for the same last minute decision making on Max’s part. I had 3 DIFFERENT COSTUMES laid out for the little lad. From the store bought Yoda costume that he insisted we get to the home-spun construction workers outfit that mommy put together. Plus, my sister sent a beautiful Pottery Barn hot dog costume in case either one of those options didn’t work out.

As the witching hour approached we started with the Yoda costume which was quickly tossed aside by Max with a most emphatic “NO!” We then moved quickly on to the construction worker outfit. Now Lucy really liked this idea so she was giving it the big sell, “Oooh Max, I love it! It is sooooo cute!!” Max bought it for about thirty minutes, at which point he tossed off the hat and chucked the tool belt with a whiny “it scatchy”. He wouldn’t consider the hotdog costume and so out of exasperation I gave up. Fine. He doesn’t really HAVE TO wear a costume, but his father would not hear of it. David saunters into the bedroom as if he was the sherriff pulling into costume town. “Max, you gotta put a costume on or there will be no candy.” After some hushed conversation and sounds of giggling Max emerged, wearing THE EXACT SAME COSTUME HE WORE LAST YEAR!

A Philosophical Question
David’s office holds a Halloween costume contest every year and so David always has some killer costume that he wants to wear Halloween night. (This year, Uncle Fester from the Addams Family) I like to wear a costume to class (nothing like sauntering into a classroom of young adults dressed funny in order to inspire respect and attention). So who stays at home with the candy and who goes with the kids? This year we both went with the kids and delayed candy giving by an hour. The result? Lots of extra candy. Is there any easy answer to this problem? Stay? Go? There is guilt either way. Guilt that you aren’t participating in the neighborhood and handing out candy and guilt that you aren’t making fabulous family memories with your kids. Oy!

Saint Lucy
Lucy was the leader of the pack this Halloween. Lucy discussed trick or treating with Max like a seasoned veteran. She explained that you need to say “trick or treat” and then say “thank you” and that sometimes it’s hard to remember. That he is not to be scared and that she will hold his hand. Lucy wanted to be Cinderella from the very beginning and after we put her costume on kept asking everybody, “Aren’t I a BEAUUUTIFUL princess?” If you said “no” she collapsed into tears. I know this because Max kept saying “no” and she kept crying. After we finished our street block I asked the kids if they wanted to go to another street. GASP! We’ve never ventured before our own block before. Lucy, quickly said “no, I would like to go home and share my candy with my daddy because he LOVES candy”. We are now several days past Halloween and every new person we see she says to me, “I’m going to save some candy for them for when they come to my house”. Too bad Mommy and Daddy are eating the candy so quickly that we are in a constant chocolate haze.

Final Moments
The evening came to a sweet close as David and Lucy made their way to the tent we had put up in our backyard. David slept all night with Lucy in the tent. I slept all night in the king-size bed, by myself. It was delicious.