This Is Halloween

This feels as though it was Leo's first Halloween.  Two years ago we were brand-spankin-new to Philly and didn't know many people.  Leo was only five months old and slept through most of the festivities.  Last year we were in Mexico for it (all the better because he still wasn't allowed any/much sugar).  Now that he's nearly two and a half it feels real.  We did the neighborhood parade with our friends, he chose his costume on his own, and he was even allowed to indulge in a couple of sweet treats.  

Our celebration started a couple weeks ago when we went to a local farm to "pick" a pumpkin.  (None of the pumpkins were actually on a vine..they were just strewn around a plowed field.  Next year I'd love to find a pumpkin patch where the pumpkins are actually still growing.)  

Leo and I gazing lovingly at each other 

while Zoe gazes lovingly at her foot.  

 Right around this time is when Leo's costume idea started to cement.  Up until the pumpkin patch he had been all over the map (robot, train, elephant, caterpillar....), but from this point on he would answer "pumpkin" when asked what he wanted to be for Halloween.
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Leo checking out a pumpkin

Zoe doing a final inspection 

We took a hayride, checked out some farm animals, listened to some music while we ate some lunch and then I had a cider doughnut and Leo had a cup of pumpkin ice-cream to finish off the day.

The next day Leo and I carved the pumpkin and roasted the seeds (well, Uncle Daniel may have helped with the actual roasting...)

Leo digging out the seeds

Our Jack-o-lantern

For our costumes I stopped by the local thrift store and picked up a 45 cent orange shirt for each member of the family.  For Leo's I trimmed and hemmed the sleeves, added elastic to the bottom hem, sewed a felt face on the front and made a matching hat (from the sleeves of the shirt and the lid of a take-out container).  For the rest of the family I just added black painters' tape for a jack-o-lantern face on the front of each shirt (and on my moby wrap).  

Our pumpkin patch - picture by Uncle Daniel

 On Halloween afternoon we marched in our neighborhood's parade.  Leo was fascinated (and a little nervous sometimes) to see all the different costumes people were wearing.  jb and Leo trick-or-treated a few houses along the way.

First EVER trick-or-treat

Success!

 Leo was very matter-of-fact about his trick-or-treating, as he is about so many things.  He would walk up to the person dispensing treats give a deadpan "trick-or-treat" - then he would take the candy offered with his hand (he would not allow anyone to drop candy directly into his bag).  Then he would put the candy safely into his bag, would say "Thank you" and then just stand there staring at the person.  Just staring.  Not expecting more candy, not saying anything.  Just holding up the line, until jb or I would gently tug him to the next house.

We probably only hit ten homes, but he definitely got the experience.  jb seemed to be ready (and eager) to keep going late into the night, but I think for a two year old, he made out just fine.  We went home, ate some dinner, watched "It's the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown" (WTF is that about?), and Leo was allowed to eat a few pieces of candy.  So what did Leo choose for his first Halloween candy?  (And I think first candy of this type at all.)  He had a butterscotch Dum-Dum lollipop, then a mini-twizzlers (and gave me one of the three straws), and finally a small bag of gummy bears that he split three ways with jb and I.  And that, my friends, was our Halloween.