Writing his own script...

After 10 years of Halloweens with Nolan, we've finally figured out how the "script" will play out.  But man, we've taken our lumps along the way.  Nothing spoke epic fail to me as a parent, as did halloweens of our past... 




Ironically, his first Halloween was probably the smoothest.  As young parents, we just didn't know it yet. He was a pumpkin his first Halloween.  But due to the time change?  When it finally got dark outside at 6 o'clock, he fell ASLEEP and promptly missed the whole thing. We were so disappointed. He sure made a cute chub-cheeked pumpkin, too bad nobody got to see him.  





By the next Halloween I was newly pregnant with Colton and in the throes of "all day"  sickness.   We decided on an impromptu visit to Minnesota and as I type this, all I can think is... "what were you thinking?"  My sister-in-law loaned us a fuzzy lion costume for Nolan. And act like a lion he did! He clawed at it trying to get it off. He howled and whimpered and finally roared until we took it off. Here is the one rather pathetic photo we got of a worn out nauseous mom struggling to hold her little lion cub! Pretty sure I was praying hard for this next baby to be a girl... princesses don't roar, do they?




And so the saga continued. The next year Nolan decided on a Buzz Light Year costume and Missy came to the rescue again providing a tricked out Buzz costume. We practiced every day for a week trying it on and getting used to wearing the costume.  But come Halloween night our little buzz never saw the light of day let alone the outside of our house.  How could we keep getting this so wrong?



I stopped being able to remember exactly which year we finally made it at least around the block once but not without at least two complete meltdowns before we got outside.  I also gave up on taking pictures...   But, then Colton came along. He may not have been the "girl" that I had hoped for, but he was the sweet, flexible, easier temperament that has been a breath of fresh air for us all. And he helped smooth the way. He was the one not afraid to go up and ring the doorbell as Nolan cowered behind him. Little brother led the way and slowly big brother gained in courage.

And as for mom and dad? Well we have grown some very thick skin and a sense of humor.  Last year, Nolan was in rare form. He was ready in his costume by 5:05 pm and although it was light outside, he couldn't understand why we declined to take him just yet.  We told him to watch for the outside house lights to come on and he just couldn't take it any more. He went in the house and took off his costume and proclaimed Halloween OVER. But much to his dismay, mom and dad have now been around the block a time or two and only stood outside laughing.  Within maybe 5 minutes he was dressed again, composed, and ready to go.  

 And Colton, completely oblivious to the shenanigans of his brother, was gleefully happy in his green power ranger costume and without any prompting leapt for joy when the camera was pointed his way. They have such different ways of being in this world. 

Who knows what this year will bring?  Rumor has it that 10 year-olds don't always go trick or treating anymore.  And suddenly, that idea feels okay with me.  Instead of the script we tried for years to get him to follow,  he is writing his own.   

What does your Halloween script look like?