Trick or Treating

Tonight we took Belle and Kermit the Frog trick or treating. The last few years we have just gone from our cul-de-sac down to the stop sign but tonight, for some strange reason, we got brave and decided to go a few blocks. It took forever! But, she had a great time and scored a bunch of candy. I tried to coach her about speaking up and saying "trick or treat" and "thank you" - by the sixth house or so she was absolutely screaming "TRICK OR TREAT" and "THANK YOU" and scared a few older people, I'm pretty sure.

A funny story about Camryn's costume - pretty much all August and September she told me that she wanted to be Ladybug Girl from the books that she loves. So, I found the perfect Ladybug Girl costume and ordered it. Sometime in early October she watched Beauty and the Beast. She was in love with the yellow dress. She has seen a bunch of the other Disney movies, but there is something about Belle that she just loves. So, after that when someone would ask her what she wanted to be for Halloween - it was Belle in the yellow dress. I was stressing because I had already ordered the Ladybug Girl and I didn't want her to think she could just change her mind on a whim and I would cave. Big, tough words for a soft-Mama. :)

Pretty soon I realized that the obsession with Belle in the yellow dress was not a phase. And, it probably didn't help that her cousin Addison wore the costume to the Zoo and her best friend Addy also was Belle.

So, I did cave and I ordered the costume. We had not decided if we would give it to her for Halloween as a surprise or keep it for her birthday, but after she wore her Ladybug costume on several occasions without arguing, we decided to surprise her on Halloween night. She was so cute - when she put it on, she stared in the mirror (while holding Princess Baby) and said (in the most serious voice), "Now we are both princesses..." I could barely contain myself.

A picture of her twirling -


All of the grandparents came over to see the kids all dressed up and Granny and PawPaw manned the front door while we trick or treated.

A picture of Cody and Cam walking with Granny and Grandma - he is so close to doing it on his own!