Trick or Treat!

Carter was originally not into Halloween.

I took him shopping for a costume but he didn't really grasp the concept.

We picked out a fireman ensemble but when we got home he refused to wear the jacket or the hat. So that left him just holding the axe that it came with.

Yeah, Cart, let's take you around to all the neighbors just like that....as a two year old axe murderer. Like we don't have a bad enough reputation around this place as it is.

So I went out independently and bought him a cow outfit. Ok, not the coolest costume around but it was one piece and it zipped. I was mainly thinking it would be easy to trap him in when he inevitably tried to rip it off his body.

Is this how other parents plan their kid's costumes? Or no?

In the weeks leading up to Halloween I put him in the cow a few times, hoping to get him more used to the idea of parading around dressed as a barnyard animal. He would look at himself in the mirror, laugh for a second...and then immediately scream "Don't want it! Don't want the cow!" while attempting to pull it off.

Let me tell you something, kid. You are going out dressed in that cow suit! You are going to take pictures and get candy and have a good time. Even if it kills you...which, judging from your reaction, it just might.

Halloween night: Still no go on the cow.

But I forced his contorted little body into the costume, zipped and velcroed it and even managed to get his shoes on...a feat for which I would like some sort of recognition. Thank you.

He finally stopped screaming and we headed out. The first house we went to was our neighbors that we love. They invited us in and gave him some fruit snacks and candy. He said trick or treat, he did his job and got the reward. He then studied the piece of candy, looked up at me and said "Wanna do trick or treat again!"

Here is the evidence that my son is a true capitalist. He suddenly realized that his work ethic is directly related to his earning potential.

"So let me get this straight, Mom...I put on this ridiculous barn yard animal outfit and pound the pavement and the more times I say trick or treat, the more loot I get? Yeah, ok. I'm in."

Unfortunately, I had to teach him about taxes by taking a percentage of his hard earned Snickers.

The rest of the night was amazing!

He was so damn cute saying trick or treat. Although he did try to walk right in to several houses (he almost made it up the inside staircase at one place). Turns out if someone offers my son candy he'll just go right into their house whether he knows them or not. We probably gotta work on that.

He walked the entire night, holding my hand. I was melting and thinking about how good he was being and how this couldn't possibly by my kid.

On our walk home he was trying to run ahead so I told him that he had to hold Mama's hand because there were cars going by.

He looked right up at me with those adorable, pudgy cow cheeks and said:

"You don't want the cars to kill you!"

Ah, there's my son!