“This is Halloween! This is Halloween!”

The fall is one of my favorite times of the year.  Not only is it starting to get cooler out (usually) and the leaves are changing making the colors here in my neck of the woods beautiful but it’s the season that really makes me think about family and spending time with them.  Up until a few years ago, that just meant having adults to spend that time with but as I watch the munchkin grow, this season takes on a whole new meaning for me.

(It wasn’t THAT cold but she did want to wear her hat and gloves to the pumpkin patch)

This is the first year that the Munchkin is starting to “get” it so we’ve spent October doing all sorts of “normal” fall fun.  She has become aware of what’s going on in the outside world and she’s starting to interact with it from pumpkin picking and hayrides to backyard fires and rainy day snuggles on the couch.  It made my summer so much more fun because I had a little human being to share my days with instead of an adorable but clueless baby.  And now with the fun of Halloween and all the decorations starting to come out she’s seeing the world in a new way.  I love watching her face, she is the most dramatic facial expressions right now and she is flaunting her little personality.  She points out all the ghosts, and spiders, and is FINALLY as excited as her mom and dad to go trick or treating.

The Munchkin didn’t quite know what she wants to dress up as yet, since everything is her “favorite”  (side note: I do enjoy asking her what her favorite color is every day.  Sometimes the answer is “blue like my pants” or whatever marker she happens to be holding at the time).  She’s been a big fan of watching “Sofia the First” and I found a similar princess outfit for $3 at the local consignment shop so I decided to go for it:

Of course the one at the store was a size 8 and the Munchkin at most is a size 3 so I had to get creative with taking it in but I figured for $3 I really can’t do much damage to it.  If we didn’t totally destroy it than she’ll have a dress up princess outfit for the next few years.  Either way I count this as a win.  The accessory kit may have been slightly more expensive than the dress, but again, I’m not going to worry about it, she can use them for years to come.

We ended up going to our church Halloween party a few nights ago and we both dressed up even though costumes were optional and it was fun to go as “matching” princesses:

The Munchkin is already practicing for tomorrow night by walking around with her plastic pumpkin and going “trick or treat” to me, her father, and even the dogs; the excitement on her face now that she knows what C-A-N-D-Y is….priceless.

Tomorrow when trick or treating starts I can’t wait to see the look on her face as we go around to houses in our new neighborhood and she is given candy.  I can’t wait until we eat ourselves silly on Halloween night, okay maybe not silly but everyone knows the best part is dumping out the candy haul on the ground and sorting through it for all the best candy.  Am I going to restrict her or myself tomorrow?  No, but I am going to let my stomach and heart be my guide.  Tomorrow is one night of the year and it’s dedicated to having fun.

Even if you take into account the spiritual nature of the night, I am going to bet most of the “real” ghosts around wished they ate more candy during their life time and not less.  I surmise if my relatives could cross the veil tomorrow night they’d want to tell me to have more fun, be more relaxed, let my guard down, and enjoy the time that I’m here.   I’m not getting out of here alive so what do I want to leave in my wake?

Whether you believe in spirits or not, tomorrow night is a time to remember what life is about before you had to pay some bills or get to work on time.  It was about dressing up in the best (goofiest, scariest, funniest, etc…) costume and getting free candy; things on any other day that would make us look like lunatics.  I am so lucky to have a child at this stage in my life where I can see past the work of life and into the fun, I can see through the veil of adult hood and relive the childhood memories while making some new ones with a little girl who laughs so much.