When my boys were born, I thought I would love Halloween. Of course, their First Halloween they were only 5 months old, so we settled for cute pumpkin bootees and took a pass on the Trick-or-Treating. The following year I started sewing costumes in early September – – I even looked for something that they could wear coats underneath if necessary. So I happily sewed away and was ready for Halloween a month ahead of time! (May I just add here that being ready for anything a month early has never happened again and probably never will!)
The big day came with a sketchy forecast (the Halloween forecast is always iffy in the Midwest), but I was determined this was going to be a FUN day. What I hadn’t fully learned yet was that toddlers like their routine. So our 30 minute drive to visit Granny & Grampy after dinner was out of the ordinary, and their little eyes kept looking at us with the expression of “What’s going on here?” “This is FUN!” I assured them. Granny believed in only the best for her little angels, so their treat was Fannie May chocolates. (Now, we all know who ate most of that chocolate!) I wonder if my mother-in-law knew how much I would appreciate it, too. I wish she were still here, so I could ask her.
On our way home, it started to rain and we were going to scrap the Trick-or-Treating in the neighborhood. But, WAIT! I didn’t spend all that time making adorable matching costumes for no one to see! We agreed to visit just a few neighbors, each of us holding a winter-coated, costumed, pumpkin-toting boy. My husband also got to wrestle with a golf umbrella – bless his heart. The temperature was dropping, but we assured ourselves this was what good parents should do. After a few minutes wet snowflakes began to fall and the wind picked up – – it was so ridiculous it was funny! Our last stop was the neighbors next door who invited us to come inside out of the cold, so they could see the kids’ costumes (finally, some recognition for my hard work!). We took a few pictures with their kids, and as we stepped back outside we saw our umbrella blowing and bouncing down the street – – it was time to go home!
I don’t know who was more exhausted that night – the boys or us. Thank goodness Halloween is only one day. Little did I realize how the pending holiday season would mess with our routine – – good thing I was oblivious — If I had thought too hard about it, I may have just eaten all that Fannie May chocolate in one sitting!!
21 Twin Years 