All Hallows Eve

When I was a kid, I loved Halloween. Call it the future theatre major in me, always happy to take on a new role. Call it the future sugar junkie in me, always happy to overdose on sweets. Call it what you will but I loved Halloween. Then I grew up and was too big to go door to door and too cool for playing dress up unless a stage was involved. And then I had a kid.

First, at three months, Garrett was the sweetest little lion you ever did see. Then, at 15 months, he was the most adorable pudgy dragon. This year, at 27 months, he was a pirate. He borrowed a costume that my brother wore some 21 years ago. Complete with a stippled scruffy beard complements of my make up kit leftover from my theatrical college days. He was a very grumpy pirate because his mother woke him from his nap. He didn't want the hat on. Or the eye patch. Or the pants. And I forced them upon him, uttering something along the lines of, "You'll be a pirate and you'll like it. And when you're sixteen you will put on tights and star as Romeo because I'm going to push you into show business if it's the only thing I ever do!" Alright so, that's not what I said. I said something about it being fun and oh how I promise you'll like it and you'll get candy and, hey, do you want to wear make up? This piqued his interest. Unfortunately, despite the extreme cuteness of the beard, it photographs as though my child was just insanely dirty.

We went over to Jordan Landing with some friends. Despite the fact that all the other children were girls, Garrett insisted on referring to them as Da Boys. I think, being that I am the only girl in this house, Garrett is a little misinformed on gender. In any case, we had fun collecting candy from the businesses. He got many a compliment about what a good looking pirate he was. Any time he could choose a specific piece of candy he took forever contemplating which one he would choose. In the end, every candy that he chose was pink. At one establishment he dug deep into the bowl and retrieved a pink Tootsie Pop. Without my consent he peeled the wrapper off, stuck it in his mouth, and went to town sucking that delicious ball of sugar. When we finished up at Jordan Landing, I took my little pirate through the drive-thru at McDonald's and headed over to the church for the Harvest Festival. He had a blast playing games and hanging out with other kids. I think he ended up enjoying his pirate costume and he ungrumped rather nicely.

There is just something magical about being a kid on Halloween. And something magical about having a kid on Halloween. And something magical about the fact that he can't eat all the candy...but I can.