I couldn't wait for this Halloween. I thought what fun it would be! Last year, Chloe was just beginning to walk and we had to hunch over and hold her fingers to help her balance as she walked. I don't think I could stand up straight for 3 days after Halloween.
This year, Chloe knew she had a Kangaroo Halloween costume and she rehearsed knocking on the doors saying, "Trick or Treat!" and "Happy Halloween!". She kept looking out the door for Daddy all afternoon. I couldn't wait for the festivities to begin.
Here's the rundown of our Halloween:
8:30 a.m. the wood-floor refinishers arrive to finish our upstairs wood floors. Chloe throws a massive tantrum because she wants to "Go upstairs and see what doin'."
9 a.m. Coax Chloe away from the bottom of the stairs and into her Kangaroo costume. Load the car with Halloween cupcakes, juice boxes, treat bags, plates and napkins as I am designated mom to bring goodies for pre-school Halloween party.
9:25 a.m. Finally find parking space at Chloe's pre-school after driving around the building & several blocks searching for a parking space for 15 minutes. (The older pre-schoolers were having a Halloween parade and the parents came to watch).
9:26 a.m. Wait to enter the building as all the parents file out of the building into the cars as the Halloween parade is over.
9:28 a.m. Watch as the other parents of Chloe's pre-school class get front row parking now that the lot has cleared and Chloe and I have trekked two blocks carrying goodies.
9:30-11 a.m. Mommy & Me pre-school party. I become panic-stricken as I am told that houses in our village average 100+ trick or treaters and the festivities begin at 4 p.m. and go until 10 p.m.! Begin to hope that the 80 trick or treat goody bags will suffice (Don't want to be the house that runs out of candy.).
11:15 a.m. Arrive back home for another Chloe tantrum as the men are still working on our floors and Chloe wants to inspect.
11:30-1:45 a.m. Chloe goes to the playroom where she tells me she is "tired" and crashes on the sofa for a 2+ hour nap.
1:45 a.m. Eat
2 p.m. Another Chloe tantrum as she stands at the bottom of the stairs yelling, "I wanna see!"
2:15 p.m. Chloe finds the digital camera, drops it and breaks the lens. It's dead.
2:45 p.m. After attempting to fix the camera for 30 minutes, I rule it a gonner. Call Matt who tells me to get another camera to take Halloween pics. In a panic I get on the Best Buy site and order a new digital camera for immediate pick-up.
3:30 p.m. Door-bell rings...panic. It's my neighbor who has "ghosted" us with a treat bag.
3:45 p.m. Wood floor refinishers pack up as they have completed the job.
3:50 p.m. Rush to Best Buy to pick up camera.
4:05 p.m. Arrive back home to find children out already trick or treating.
4:10 p.m. Put batteries in new camera just as doorbell rings...panic. Go to door to find it is the dry cleaners here pick up our dry cleaning.
4:15 p.m. Door bell rings. Our first trick or treaters! It is a quick snatch and run as the parents look quizzically into our furniture-riddled downstairs (have they not managed to move in in 6 months? No, our upstairs floors are being refinished and our bedroom furniture is in the living room) and Chloe throws another tantrum because she a) wants to go with "baby" (that would be the 6 year old out trick or treating and b) thinks I am giving her candy away
4:30 p.m. Take Chloe outside for some photos in the front of the house. Put lights in the pumpkin people.
4:45 p.m. Another tantrum by Chloe who is upset I am giving her candy away to random "babies"
5:00 p.m. Make desperate call to Matt to see if he is almost home. After Chloe has two tantrums and the dog is running around the house barking and howling I thought I might lose my sanity.
5:30 p.m. Matt arrives home much to Chloe's excitement. She puts on her kangaroo outfit and we head out the door to trick or treat.
6:00 p.m. After a few houses Chloe meets up with her fellow pal Nate and we have kisses and cuddles.
6:30 p.m. Arrive home for dinner. Chloe informs us that she wants candy to eat. She manages a few bites of dinner before telling us that she wants "Kittles" (aka Skittles).
6:45 p.m. Chloe declares, "I love candy!".
7:00 p.m. Trick or treaters arrive in one large group.
7:15 p.m. Another trick or treater arrives. Chloe snatches the treat bag we gave the trick or treater out of their pumpkin to declare "my candy!".
7:16 p.m. "Open this candy!" demands Chloe, but much to her disappointment and tantrum, she does not get more candy.
7:18 p.m. Try to take Chloe's mind off the candy by playing with a Halloween toy.
7:20 p.m. Another tantrum as our ploy to divert attention away from candy fails.
7:25 p.m. Dress Chloe for bed and brush her teeth.
7:30 p.m. Another trick or treater arrives.
7:45 p.m. Tuck Chloe in bed on the air mattress in our basement as our bedrooms are not back in order because of our wood floors being refinished.
7:45 - 9:45 p.m. Watch tv with no trick or treater activity.
9:45 p.m. A boy, way to old to be dressed in costume, is our last trick or treater.
11:30 p.m. Head to bed, disgusted that I made 80 treat bags and only had 22 trick or treaters. Does candy save for a year?
11:32 p.m. Arrive in the basement to find Chloe has moved herself from the air mattress to the couch. She curls up with Daddy for the night.
4:46 a.m. Awaken to Chloe in my face saying, "You all done Mommy? Chloe all done. All done sleep! Read to you?! Get up Mommy!" I did attempt to get her back to sleep, but she wasn't having it. Apparently Chloe has a delayed sugar rush as she was wired all morning. She nearly wore out her gymnastics instructor prompting her to ask, "What's got into her? Too much candy last night?".
10:12 a.m. It was crash and burn for Chloe who came to an abrupt and screeching halt the last 10 minutes of gymnastics. As soon as we got into the car, she was out and not to be awoken until 12:45 p.m.
