HALLOWEEN

Halloween came early at our house today.

First, I have to say I think it is absolutely crazy that Target, Party America, and other such places already have Halloween costumes out. Actually, they had them out the day after Labor Day to be specific. Why so early? One will never know.

Anyway, I was in Target the other day and happened to come upon the isles full of Halloween costumes, saw that they had Anthony's ever coveted Storm Trooper costume, and they had it in his size. I figured, heck, may as well buy it now so that I don't have to run around town a month from now in a frantic search for the darn thing. I brought it home, and made the mistake of leaving it out in a place that Ava and Lucas were bound to see it. I swear my kids have some sort of laser vision when it comes to things like this. They were not off the bus and in the house for more than 2 minutes before I heard "Halloween Costumes, you got Halloween costumes! Where is mine?"

Now I had done it. I had bought Anthony's and not their's. Needless to say, minutes later we were off to Target, again, in pursuit of their costumes. And we ended up finding them quite painlessly - Ava was going to be a witch, and Lucas Boba Fett. Done.

We arrived home with the costumes, and I decided that I would be smarter this time around and actually tuck the costumes away into their closets. I just knew that if they were in plain sight they would be begging to try them on every day, play outside in them, stain them, and by the time Halloween rolled around they would not have a costume any longer. Out of sight, out of mind. Right?

Ummm... Not so much. Right when Anthony walked into the door from Grandma and Papa's that night Lucas excitedly said, "Anthony we got our Halloween costumes, want to see yours?"

Mom: "Lucas! Shhhhhhhh!!"

Too late.

Anthony: "Yes, yes, yes! What did you get Momma Stom Twoopa (storm trooper) ??"

This time, I admitted defeat quite quickly, brought him upstairs and showed him his costume. And he loved it. And begged all day long to try it on. Just the mask, just the bottom part, just anything, he just had to try on some part of that darn costume. At bedtime, I caved and let him try on his mask. This made him happy, and seemed to do the trick in easing his need to have the entire costume on. Until today.

Today he marched his little butt up the stairs, into his bedroom, and asked ever so sweetly to Pleeeeaaase try on the whole costume. And I let him. And he wore the thing all morning long. To bring Daddy to work, to play outside in,

and to eat his Happy Meal in. The whole Happy Meal thing was a disaster waiting to happen. He spilt chocolate milk all over the front of himself, and all over his mask. He was devastated. He cried, and cried, and cried until I gave in and told him I could wash it, but that he could not wear it again until Halloween. He agreed.

I am thinking this may be the last time I purchase Halloween Costumes early. I can officially say, lesson learned.