Halloween 2016

Like last year, the girls had many ideas for Halloween that got narrowed down to two costumes each. Penny wanted to be a princess, or princesses. We had come back from England with an Anna (from Frozen) dress that she has worn almost every single day. She was happy to wear that, for Halloween. 

We tinker with princesses fearfully around here, borrowing the DVDs from the library and skipping through large sections with mean mommies and terrible witches. Still, the girls love Cinderella and Snow White and Penny assigned herself Cinderella, "since I have yellow hair" and Lulu would be Snow White. Lulu happily agreed.

I realize it seems odd to sew princess costumes that can easily be bought at the mall or grocery store, but with the frequency these girls wear costumes everyday, I wanted them to be in softer fabrics, and fit well, which the store bought kind never seem to. Simplicity 2817 had both princesses in one pattern. Done and done. We wore them to a dear friend's Halloween birthday party, the day before trick-or-treating.

Back in September, I had asked Lulu what she wanted to be for Halloween while we were driving home from preschool one day. "The Pumpkin with the Purple Eyes", she shouted at me. I had no idea what she was talking about, and attempts to clarify were futile. So I just asked for details: "Does the pumpkin face have purple eyes or do you, Lulu?" She seemed exasperated with me. "I DO." When I made her the costume (Simplicity 2788), and showed her the mask, she smiled slightly, nodded slowly, and took the costume and hung it in her closet. Job done. She wore it (for a while) on Halloween night for trick-or-treating, and for the preschool party. Penny wore face paint from her school day, and her beloved Anna dress, changing back into Cinderella for trick-or-treat.

This year, Halloween was kind of a dream come true. Mostly, I just wanted no rain, which I got. The energy on the street was magical. It was so great to see our neighbors: on the sidewalks, answering their doors, or on our doorstep. The girls loved running from house to house and I'll never forget Lulu looking into her treat bag and shouting, "I got a lot of CANDY. I want MORE CANDY," while Penny would call over her shoulder, "Thank you! And I hope you have a Very Good Halloween!" as the doors with smiling people closed behind her. Mr. Jones held his chest looking at them, admitting he was almost in tears. I don't even like princesses, but I'll sew them anything that makes them this happy, and remember their joy for years. It's starting to feel like we have kids now, instead of babies. It's so different, and I love it…almost as much as Penny and Lulu loved Halloween.

PS. Halloween 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012.