Caroline’s second Halloween was a wonderful one! First of all, the difference between this year and last was profound–having a 19-month-old vs. a seven-month-old for this huge holiday was like night and day because, mainly, WALKING. Actually, make that RUNNING. Caroline was so excited, she literally ran from house to house. Also a factor was that when it came to trick-or-treating, Caroline “got it.” Add in the fact that this year we did NOT make a middle of the night ER trip due to a 105 degree fever AND Caroline had a party at school with her baby friends, and you’ll see how this shaped up to be a wonderful season.

I say “season” because it was way more than just one day. Caroline got the chance to rock her Princess Leia costume multiple times during the festive month. Mike was Obie-won Kanobi and I was the BB-8 robot from the newer star wars movies. Here is us making sure way back in July that our costumes were perfect:

First things first–pumpkin guts.

While last year, I was determined to get my naked baby into a carved out pumpkin, this year I was determined that she feel some of the slimy, stringy, seeded mess that is the pumpkin innards. She got her chance in mid-October when I made a pumpkin dip and wanted the serving dish to be a pie pumpkin. So I plopped Caroline down and shoved her hand deep into the pumpkin. She did NOT like those guts! Or getting her hands dirty…is this my kid or what?!?

(The pumpkin dip did turn out lovely though!)

I later learned she got to do more pumpkin guts activities at daycare!

Here is her sweet friend Ellie looking concerned about this activity.

Next up was “Wear Your Costume” to Baby Ballet. I got the cutest video of her running into her class and while you think it’s excitement about wearing her costume, it is actually the thrill of chasing my umbrella (this kid lovvvvves umbrellas). She also has a strong affinity for the trucks in the Baby Ballet waiting room.

Fast forward to October 31st. We were invited to a 4 PM party at Caroline’s daycare. It was so cute to see all the little ones decked out! The teachers give each parent a toy to use to play with our child. Caroline wanted to dump everything out (of course!)

She also insisted on wearing my little robot headband.

The kids in her class had the cutest costumes–Wesley was an astronaut and Ellie was a strawberry…Raina was Wonder Woman. There was a Buzz Lightyear, a bee, and a flower. They were all adorable.

We headed home and Caroline sat at her little table by the window to eat her dinner (with the pumpkins that Mike and I had carved the night before) and watched the kids trick-or-treat outside. Mike and I scarfed down pizza and headed to Lori’s for a quick drink before heading over to Fairlington.

In Fairlington, we met up with Ashley, Michael, and Fiona the Butterfly for trick-or-treating! We go here every year because it is the absolute BEST spot in town for it. All the neighbors sit out on their porches with giant candy buckets, there are tons of little kids, and parents set up snack and drink stations along the way for trick-or-treating parents. It is perfect. Everyone is so kind and friendly, they will even let a pregnant stranger lady into their house to go to the bathroom…ask me how I know 😉

We brought the wagon, but Fiona quickly showed Caroline how trick or treating was done and they ditched the wagon, opting instead to run on foot, one after the other, house to house.

The VERY first house, they each got a full-size candy bar. Talk about setting high expectations!

It was so cute to watch Caroline learn the ropes. Each and every piece of candy was such a laborious process for her to collect, I felt (a little bit) guilty later on when I quickly inhaled her candy haul!

Off to the next house! So adorable to watch these two together 🙂 Ashley and I were dying over the cuteness overload.

At one particular house, a man came out, stooped down to Fiona and Caroline’s eye-level, and revealed a black felt top hat from behind his back. These two stared at him with giant round eyes. Next, a stuffed white bunny popped out of the hat and both girls squealed! Slowly, the bunny opened up his hands to gift the girls each a small, blinking little rubber ring. Caroline thought this was THE BEST thing she had ever seen. Who cares about candy–which she doesn’t eat anyway–when you can get a beautiful flashy ring from a pop-up bunny?? Fiona agreed because the two of them clenched their new prizes, staring at them in delight and awe. I actually think Caroline whispered “wow” very softly to herself when she got to hold it.

This blurry picture captures the end of the night just right. These little ladies ran their hearts out, chasing the big kids (including Jack and Henry, once we eventually met up with our friends) all around the grassy area in one of the “courts.” Afterwards, they just crashed in the wagon. Take me home, mom!

Happy Halloween, Sugar Bear!