Natalie was really geared up for Halloween this year, which is just awesome in so many ways. It was really the Ni Hao Kai-lan episode about Halloween that got her very excited, but she got more and more interested as we talked about it, read books, and took out the pumpkin buckets. For at least a week ahead of time, she would periodically say she was going trick-or-treating, sometimes getting in her toy car as if she was driving off, other times taking a pumpkin with her.
The first way we celebrated Halloween was on the 30th when we went to my neighbor's mother's house for their first annual Witches' Tea Party. I was not expecting it to be as involved as it was. I anticipated a table set up for the kids to play tea party at and some moms in witch's hats. But, oh no. The second I walked Natalie in I knew I had misjudged. Everyone was completely dressed up. The house was totally decorated. There were a lot of people - about ten kids and at least that many adults. The food was like a real tea. Even the kids had fancy place settings with real tea cups. Sandwiches were cut like bats. Plastic eye balls floated in the tea. There was an adult trivia game (I won!), Bingo for adults and kids, eating donuts of the string. It was amazing and awesome and I was so happy we were invited, even though I was overwhelmed caring for both Natalie and William. Natalie had a good time (she told me so in the car on the way home), but there were moments I felt bad because I was busy and couldn't get her what she wanted. She was one of the three toddlers, but she didn't know the house or kids as well as all the others, so she kind of did her own thing. She did enjoy trying her "tea" (punch), a sandwich, a cookie, and about two cupcakes. I'm looking forward to going next year, but William will need to stay home. He was the only boy there. Since everyone had to be in costume as something witch related, he went as baby Harry Potter.
On Halloween, we didn't do much special during the day. We went to play group as usual where some of the kids were in costume. I didn't want to chance putting Natalie's on and then her wanting to take it off, which is what happened at the tea the day before. I didn't want her to get sick of it and then not wear it out that night.
When it came time to get ready to go out, Natalie was ready to go! She barely fussed at all as I got her layers of clothes and costume on. It snowed here this weekend, but we were lucky that it wasn't as cold and that a lot had melted. She got by with a shirt and sweatshirt under her costume instead of a coat over it. Natalie was excited to carry her pumpkin and hold out hands. At the first house, she said, "knock, knock, trick or treat," and she said thanks. But she didn't repeat it at any other house. She took her candy and put it in her bucket and then started chatting as she turned around to leave. Oh well, she's only 2. She had a ball though. She even said more than once as we were walking down the street, "happy tonight." William on the other hand fell asleep in my arms even though we were probably only out 20 minutes.
The only problem we had was at our older neighbor's house where their dog came racing at her. The husband lets the dog come at her insisting that it isn't going to hurt her. Meanwhile, Natalie is terrified because its the same size as her and since its a jumpy puppy, it comes lounging at her face. I felt terrible that we were busy taking a picture of William instead of watching out for the dog. Natalie now says "I scared," but she is just fooling around saying she is scared of a ghost or the dark and she makes a scared face. This dog made her shriek and cry. Lucky for us she is a laid back kid and got over it fast. Mike's getting pretty angry about it though because the husband just doesn't seem to get that Natalie is truly frightened and that the dog could really hurt her by accident.
Once home, Natalie got to have one piece of her candy, a Hershey's bar. Almost every other thing had peanuts. How sad if for a child with an allergy. We have decided that we have to bite the bullet and let her try peanuts and probably will this week with some of her candy.
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