Monday, October 31, 2011

Happy Halloween!

We had such an amazing Halloween this year.

Last year we didn't take Stephanie Trick-or-Treating, since she was only 8 months old. We had made the decision to take her this year, but weren't really sure how she'd handle it. She can be shy in front of strangers, and the basic premise of Halloween is to walk up to the houses of people you don't know and ask them for candy. But we wanted to try, and figured that if she didn't do well, we'd stop after a house or two.

We dressed her in her Bumble Bee costume, which was absolutely adorable. (Not that i'm biased or anything!) We watched "It's the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown" before heading out, and took the opportunity to explain the process to Stephanie. We had her practice saying "Trick-or-Treat" and "Happy Halloween."

We headed out to a nearby neighborhood, and Dan held Stephanie's hand as they walked up to the first house together. (I lagged behind, lugging Joseph in his car seat. We need to get the double stroller put together at some point soon.) She knocked on the door and said "knock-knock!" And when we prompted her, she said "Trick-or-Treat!" She was amazed and astonished when she received a piece of candy to put in her bright orange pumpkin, which she then swung back and forth in her hand as she ran, giggling like crazy, to the next house. It didn't take her long at all to catch on to the premise of the activity, and she was full of energy as we made our way through the neighborhood. She was thrilled to get candy, charmed all the home owners with her bright smile, giggle, and little voice, and had a magical glow about her as she experienced her first Trick-or-Treating experience.

I felt a warm feeling come over me as I watched my precious little girl revel in her happiness. As she climbed into the car with her bright red cheeks, begging to eat some M&M's, I thought about how much Halloween has changed for me. Ever since I stopped Trick-or-Treating myself, the day just wasn't a big deal. But now that I'm a Mommy, the holiday has taken on a new meaning. Seeing the joy in my daughter's face makes me happier than gathering a bucket full of candy ever did, and I get to experience the magic all over again with more appreciation than I ever did as a child. I know how fleeting this time of innocence and amazement is, and I made sure to soak up every minute of the night.

As we drove home, with Stephanie begging for more Halloween, and Joseph sleeping soundly in his car seat (which was how he celebrated the entire time), I realized that this truly was the best Halloween I've ever had. I hope that all of my readers had an equally amazing and safe holiday. Happy Halloween everyone!

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