Halloween

You all probably know what a gut-wrenching daily struggle it is for me to work.  Jason's commute is so long that he leaves before Reid gets up and returns home after Reid and I get home, so he can't really help with much in that department.  So it's up to me to get him up, dressed, packed, dropped off, picked up, played with, etc. etc.  Couple that with a very demanding minute-by-minute job of being a kindergarten teacher, and I feel like a bad wife, bad parent, and bad teacher many days.  I am just plain exhausted!  But on Halloween, I was feeling especially down about missing all the cuteness going on at Sunshine Kids.  I'm down to a mere 15 days of "paid" maternity leave (contrary to popular belief, teachers get ZERO paid maternity leave days...we can just legally take 12 weeks of leave to care for new babies, so you have to save up your sick leave days) after my stomach bug/food poisoning day, a half day for Reid's first day of preschool, and two and a half days when he had bronchitis and then pneumonia.  So, I can't afford to take off any more time to see his cute activities going on.  And on this particular morning, he asked me (twice!), "Mommy, can you come to my school today?"  It absolutely broke my heart into a million pieces.  I bawled three times before I even made it to school, and then teared up a few more times throughout the day when people asked if I was okay.  I know the pregnancy hormones probably didn't help, but it just kills me to think of all the things I miss (such as just seeing his teachers in the mornings...I never get to hear the cute things about them unless they write it on his daily report).  I've always wanted to be a stay at home mom, but it looks like that will never happen.  God has His reasons.  I just pray the desire will go away if that's not what I'm supposed to do.  My adorable little football player didn't wear the helmet long...just long enough for me to take a picture of him with old T, his favorite "friend" (lovey).

Thank goodness his sweet teacher Ms. LaLinda (the head teacher of the Monkeys class) included two precious pics in their weekly emailed newsletter!  And yes, that is my child...the only one with his foot up in the air, lol.  So I missed the costume parade, the carnival, and everything else that day, but at least I got to see how cute they all were.

   

Reid once again surprised me that morning and wanted to be the football player.  I figured he'd want to be Buzz Lightyear that evening to trick-or-treat, but he insisted upon staying in his football player gear.

I had tons of school paperwork to catch up on, and Daddy was able to get off a few minutes early, so that allowed me to run to the gym before the evening's festivities.  Reid came home with some adorable projects and treats from the day, including a sparkly paper plate Christian jack-o-lantern, complete with Ichthus mouth and cross nose. It had been a full day, but this kid was willing to eat dinner way early (dinners lately have lasted anywhere from 45 minutes to an hour long, but this one was pretty quick) for Daddy so they could begin trick-or-treating to get "candies," as Reid calls them.  Helping Daddy bring in all the pumpkins so everyone would know we weren't passing out candy this year...

"Cheese!"

 

"Enough with the pictures, Daddy...let's go!"

It was only 5:45 when I got home from the gym and changed...but Jason and Reid were long gone.  I had to walk all the way down Rancho De La Osa to catch up!  Daddy had dressed up for work that day, too, so here's my handsome duo, Reid going "noodle" on us...

"Mommy, I want to go to MORE houses!"

Reid really got into it and understood much more this year.  He didn't pay attention to too many other kids' costumes, except for the "Mad Birds" (Angry Birds) we passed.  He's never played the game, but desperately wanted Angry Birds Cheez-Its at the store a few weeks ago for his snack.  It cracks me up that he insists they are "Mad Birds" each and every time.  One house we visited must've been out trick-or-treating themselves, but left a nice spread outside with everything from decorative pencils to candy to pumpkin bubbles.  So cute!

Reid very carefully chose one piece of candy at any place that would allow him to pick.  It was interesting to watch him decide.  Rule of thumb...if there are M&M's, that's what you should get.

Starting to get tired...the tell tale circles under the eyes always give him away.

We finally made it back to our street just as it was getting really dark.  We made one last stop to see our Mr. Adam (our neighbor) was doing, and to count all the pumpkins at his house.

"What?!  No more trick-or-treating?"

"Pleeeease?  Just one more house?"

 

"Oh, I can actually eat some candy at home??  Let's go!"

We had so much fun as a family!  I am very anti-Halloween, seeing as how it represents all sorts of dark, evil things.  And I was amazed at the bizarre, weird, creepy outfits some people allow their kids to dress up in (or dress as, themselves!).  But when you look at it from the kid side...innocent dressing up and eating delicious treats, it's really pretty fun.  It makes me look forward to creating family traditions for all the upcoming holidays since Reid "gets it" this year.  I love seeing this kid grow up, and it makes Jason and me feel a bit like kids again, too.  We are blessed!