He's Napping With It Right Now

This year is the first Halloween Landon was verbal enough to get to choose his own costume. I was curious to see what he'd pick. He loves trucks, but hasn't quire grasped the human equivalents- I'm sure he'd love to be an actual fire truck, but a fireman wouldn't do anything for him. He seemed a little old for another animal costume, much as I'd love to make him a bumble bee or puppy dog (at least I'll always have the lobster). So I opened up a random Halloween magazine we'd received in the mail and asked what costume he liked. He immediately yelled "PUNKINS!" and thus it was decided.

Because I am not crafty, I picked up the costume at Pottery Barn Kids. It looked well-made and cozy and actually came in a 2t-3T size. (Apparently lots of magazines only think babies want to be pumpkins - little do they know I have a toddler who is obsessed with them. He asks to go to HEB every day just because of the giant "punkin" display in the front.)

We got it out yesterday morning to try it on before his daycare costume parade. He fell in love with the hat.

When I removed the hat to put on the rest of the costume I unwittingly separated him from the new love of his life and he ended up rolling and screaming on the tile floor of the kitchen. I abandoned try-on attempt and hoped I hadn't set a precedent that would ensure the full costume was never worn. He left for daycare still wearing that hat - I could see the stem poking up from behind his car seat as JP drove away.

When I got to the daycare parade Landon was still running around in his pumpkin hat and I asked him very nicely if I could put on the rest of his costume. He looked at me solemnly and said, "Real quick mama" with a little head nod, and then stood stoically as I carefully maneuvered the stuffed pumpkin over his hat. I love being able to talk with him now, it makes life so much easier for both of us.

And the full costume? It was adorable.

He left it on all the way through the parade, the party, the parent potluck lunch, and then while he rode his bike around the playground. I loved being there to watch him play with his friends and sit next to him at lunch. He loved it too. He finally let me take off his costume, though of course, the hat remained on. I needed to leave as I'd been there for two hours and we were filing our brief today and prepping a partner for four depositions next week, but his little lip started quivering when I told him mommy had to go.

Luckily, his brilliant teachers had saved dessert for when the parents all said goodbye.

Once he had his cupcake I got a cheerful "bye bye mama!" and two blown kisses. His teacher said the hat stayed on his head all day and then he wore it all evening, even sleeping with it in his crib. We only barely won the battle to take it off for his bath.

He woke up with every intention of wearing it all day today too. And probably every day until Christmas. Here, he's eating breakfast and showing you the pumpkin he made in dacyare. He's very proud of it.

We have two Halloween parties tonight and some trick or treating - I love that Landon is now old enough to be excited about holidays. It makes them even more fun!