Halloween For Two

I am officially exhausted after, what feels like, a month of Buzz Lightyear and Elmo.  Maybe it's time to start working on a sugar high with some of that loot that my kid's so fantastically collected last night.

I can't blame the exhaustion solely on Buzz and Elmo.  I am partly to blame...I should have gone to bed when the kids did last night and I shouldn't have spent an entire 3 hour nap session today taking down Halloween decorations and putting up Fall decor.  That type A personality gets me every time.

But this tired Mommy still has a giant smile in my heart and lots of pictures of two trick-or-treaters.  "Two" being the key word in that last sentence.  Last year our little Mags was just along for the ride.  This year we were on her ride {a very slow ride mind you}.  When people say, "slow down and enjoy life through a toddler's eyes", I suggest you take their advice.  Fortunately, I was able to do that.  Daddy had Jack duty and they were gone before you could say, "to infinity and beyond".

So Maggie and I tottered down the road.  She wanted nothing to do with the wagon so we ditched it in someone's yard for the time being.  And hold on to your seat....she didn't even want me to carry her?!?!  Little Miss Independence, for a night anyway.  Halloween does have a way of bringing out a new side in folks, so they say.  But truly, it was fabulous to enjoy Maggie's first real Halloween with her.

She was a show stopper with her red tutu and pumpkin bag almost as big as herself.  She waddled up every driveway, climbed up every porch, whispered "trick-or treat" {or something resembling that}, smiled a giant grin when she got her treat, and confidently said, "tank ooh" in her softest little princess voice.  Yes, she is heavenly.  And yes, I am one blessed Mommy.

We made it from our house to the end of the street {about 14 houses-both sides}.  I was quite impressed with Elmo's stamina.

On our way back to the wagon, Maggie spotted the moon.  It was one of those "I'll never forget this as long as I live" moments, {for me anyway}.  Maggie stopped dead in her tracks and with a look of complete ahhhh and wonderment, she pointed to the dusky sky and in a dazed voice said, "da moon, da moon".  She didn't know what to think of it--it was her first real life moon sighting.  I affirmed her findings and she smiled a mile wide, never taking her eyes off of it.  Baby girl has never been out past dark and has only seen "da moon" in books.  When it was time to move on, Maggie turned over her shoulder, looked one last time, and said, "nigh nigh moon" while waving her way down the street.

When I finally announced it was time to go home, Maggie rejected the idea with a "no, no... moh knock, knock" {meaning no I want to go to more houses}.  I won out, and rightfully so, she was exhausted by the time we got home.

Jack and Daddy came rolling in about an hour later.  Buzz was dirty, sweaty, and had a bag full of treats, just the way I would expect any boy on Halloween night to look.  He excitedly declared that he, "had so much fun" and then crashed really hard for the night.

So long to Elmo and Buzz, for now anyway.   And I did take one thing away with me this year...a commercialized Halloween isn't so bad after all.