Our Halloweeners…

We just got back from trick or treating and Peter thought I needed to do a quick blog post before I head off to bed.  We didn’t get a good group shot… but I’ll try to see if I can get one from one of the other moms who went along. 

Grant & Henry were Ghostbusters this year.  In the picture above they’re looking at Grant’s Ectoplasm shooter – a little gun type thing that shoots silly string that I made for his costume.  My mom (once again!) sewed the costumes – this time in MAY! And pretty accurately estimated how much the boys would grow by October.  I think this is officially the last year I’ll get to have any input on what Grant will be for Halloween.  He LOVED his costume and all the attention – and the theme song but all week he’s been coming up with ideas for what he’d like to be next year.  So many, many thanks to my crazy talented mom who did a fantastic job on these! 

Last year Grant and I traipsed up and down our neighborhood trick or treating and there were maybe 1 out of every 5-6 houses giving out candy.  He was excited to see kids out dressed up and there really weren’t any near our neighborhood.  This year a friend invited us to go along with their group over to a neighborhood close by that was supposed to be a great place to go on Halloween.  It didn’t disappoint.  There were TONS of houses decorated and people giving out full sized candy bars and all sorts.  It made it so much more fun to be out with our little group of trick or treaters.  Grant REALLY got into it this year.  I had a candy chute rigged up to the back of his Ghostbuster Protonpack Backpack so he could just put the candy behind his head and it would fall into his backpack.  Without fail at every house he ran all the way back to us to show us what he got.

He was especially proud when he was able to score mom’s favorite Reese’s peanut butter cups.  Then I’d have to put them in his backpack and off he’d go with the group to the next house.  The backpack worked great by the way – if i can incorporate that into every year’s costume I will do that.  At some point in the night I noticed he’d come back to me with candy in each hand.  I know that at many places they were very generous and giving 2 but I wanted to make sure he knew he was only to take one when offered – unless they said take more.. otherwise it was being greedy.  Grant took this advice to heart and thought that the other kids obviously needed some learnin’ in this area.  The next ten houses Grant became Candy Cop walking inside and standing next to the person giving candy and telling everyone “JUST TAKE ONE – NO MORE OR YOU’RE BEING GREEDY”.  And then calling out every kid who took more than one.  So then we had to have a talk about not calling the other kids out.  This parenting business is sometimes very tricky.  They take one rule and run with it to an extreme.. the others they completely ignore. 

Henry got a little tired as it was a pretty long walk to get to the neighborhood.  He also didn’t quite GET the concept. Like thinking “Ok..I keep SAYING trick or treat.. GETTING the candy.. now why can’t I actually EAT it?!”  He did make it about 3/4 of the way before he resigned himself to being in the stroller and only getting out about every 3rd or 4th house. 

Grant was totally and completely, full-on, hardcore trick or treat dood.  He never once complained about anything except on the long walk home.. and even then his complaint was “why are we not going to these houses?! we need to get more candy!!”  Other kids tired out and got carried part of the way or strollered but Grant soldiered on and trick or treated with enthusiasm to the very last house.  It was so much fun.  It didn’t rain on us at all (even though it was predicted to, it’s Seattle, it’s the end of October) and it  was a full moon.  It just ended up being a perfect night out.  :)  It felt like our own little twisted Norman Rockwellian Halloween.. with Ghostbusters.  :)  We ended the night with a small get together and cupcakes and cider at our friend’s Jannel and Adam’s house (the organizers of our little group).

Oh!  This week Grant’s class also had a Dad’s night with pumpkin carving and all sorts.  I’m not quite sure how his teacher misunderstood Geotrax as Grant talks about them OBSESSIVELY. 

Peter and Grant did the second from the right with the square eyes. :)

Happy Halloweeeeeeeen!!

another literal funny and a “nightmare”.. this kid brings the LOLs

So last week we were doing our weekly Costco run and we’d crossed the very busy parking lot filled with people waiting for parking spaces.  Grant started jumping up and down exclaiming “MOM!! I SEE IT.. LOOK IT’S A NIGHTMARE!!!”.  I was totally confused and asked him what he meant and he pointed to a line of cars waiting to turn and said “see all those cars over there.. IT’S A NIGHTMARE!! IT REALLY IS!!!”.  No need to look very far to see where he got this.. Peter has zero tolerance for traffic and the slightest stop in traffic causes his blood pressure to rise and him exclaiming “what a nightmare..”  That kid doesn’t miss anything.

We also had a near embarrassing incident with a schoolmate,s mom.  She’d recently gotten her haircut really short and we saw her as we were pulling out of the school parking lot.  Grant got really excited and was asking me to roll down the window because he needed to ask her “Did you get your haircut at SuperCuts or what?”  I’m not hating on SuperCuts.  It’s the only hairplace he knows the name of and the last place he got his haircut.  I just don’t want him to offend all these women who go to much nicer places.  Hopefully by the time he’s a teenager and into girls he’ll outgrow this stage.  His dad isn’t quite there yet. :)  I can hear him asking “I don’t get it? What’s wrong with SuperCuts?”

Both Henry and Grant are in preschool now.  Henry is going to the Stepping Stones program that Grant used to go to on Weds and Fridays.  He’s doing ok but he does cry every time I have to leave.  Fortunately it only lasts about 2-3 minutes.  He’s still a boogie machine and will dance to any beat provided.  He’s also quite the singer.  I can tell what he’s singing by the tune but his abc’s and twinkle twinkle need some work as there’s some confusion as to which he’s singing when he does those.  :)

Grant is back at Bellevue Country day school and really enjoying it.  They now do a special “Guess My Sharing” type thing for their show and tell.  They give the class 3 clues and they have to try and guess what it is.  Every Tuesday night we spend memorizing the clues.  He’s also really trying to learn lyrics to songs.  The other day it totally made me smile when I heard his little voice singing Bob Marley’s “don’t worry, about a thing.. cuz every little thing.. gonna be alright”.. and “this is my message to you-hoo-hoo”.  They’re also apparently learning the Pledge of Allegiance in school.  Grant was dorking around with a car in the kitchen the other day and started saying.. “and to the republic for which it stands”.  I had to kind of stop and think oh wait.. what are you saying? I didn’t think they were doing this in school anymore.  It’s just fun seeing him like wanting to learn things like that.  He is a bit like his dad though.. the minute he realizes that someone is trying to make him LEARN something it becomes no fun anymore.  This, I’m realizing is why he’s no longer interested in Sesame Street.

We’re heading back to Nebraska tomorrow for some Gramma and Grampa time.  I’m doing it solo with the boys.. and while I’m so excited for our visit.. I’m so NOT excited for the plane trip again.  Wish me luck!!