Hallowe'en Night

Richard arrived at our place while I was packing up to bring the boys (and Richard) to my mom's place for Trick or Treating.

Problem #1 - AJ did not take a nap.  He must've been just too excited.  I can count on one hand the amount of times that AJ has not fallen asleep when put down for nap.  He did snooze on the way to my mom's, but for all of about 15 minutes.  

When we arrived at mom's, I fed the boys their dinner.  Once it was finally beginning to get dark, I started getting the costumes on.  I brought make up.  I knew AJ would be willing to have a grey or black face to be a spider.  I was putting on lotion on their faces and then brushing on eye shadow all over their faces.  That was the plan, anyhow.  

Problem #2 - Dexter was in no mood to co-operate.  Oh the memories of my little baby brother with his folded arms, furrowed brow, and blood curdling screams came racing back.  He DID NOT want to change into his 'underclothes'.  He DID NOT want his costume on.  And despite that fact that EVERY MORNING, he is desperate to 'put on make up' with me, taking my hair-and-make-up time from 8 minutes to 20 minutes, he would NOT let me put the eye shadow on his face, but he was more than willing to jab himself in the eye over and over with gray eyeshadow.  Good grief.  So, I wanted to wash some of it off, which of course makes him cry more, which of course makes Gram all upset.  Now I'm the evil witch.  And I don't even need a costume!  I thought at the very least I could use my eye liner to draw his whiskers.  I got one on and I got smacked for that.  He went to naughty spot for that.  

New plan - leave without Dexter.  He hates that and he'll be dying to come with us and get his costume off.

That worked.

Then, we were off.  Two houses into it, he had the routine downpat saying 'Khrick a keek" (trick or treat) and "kee queue" (thank you) and lots of "bye bye eeeboay" (bye bye everybody).

If past years were any indication, I expected AJ to be trick or treating until 9:00pm at the earliest after about 15 blocks, and that Dexter would be a challenge to drop back off at home after going down the street and back because he'd still want more.

Instead, although the boys were not pooped, they were more than happy to head back into Gram's house after a modest trick or treating run.  We were back at Gram's for like 7:30pm.

Richard was just barely feeling good enough to come outside with us.  He came.  He even carried Dexy a bit.

Spider.

The first house.

Papa holds him after for some reassurance.

Now he's off on his own.

Skunk.  Lil' Stinker.

Outside Paul's friend Brock's house.  Brock was hiding behind a statue at the front door, and peaked out behind it wearing a scary mask.  Dexter (who has recently become more sensitive to things that could be construed as 'scary' lately) began to cry and scream.  He was none-too-pleased.

Oddly though, a leg-eating pumpkin didn't phase either of them. Darned desensitizing television programming!

It was so nice and warm tonight that AJ kept having to remove his hood because he was sweating.  I put gloves on him, but they weren't needed at all.

Running to keep up with big bro.

So glad you could come, Daddy.

Dexter keep swanting to get carried at this point, so we head back to the house.  I'm thinking we're heading back to get the stroller, so Dexter can just rest while AJ finishes trick or treating.

But they were both finished and ready to start eating their treats!