Mamas Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up To Be 2 Year Olds

One thing that you learn quickly when you become a parent is how important it is to get your halloween costume early. As in August. Before children I had no idea that parents actually buy these things so early. I was shocked on Avery's first halloween that I was getting the costume (a chili pepper) for half off because I waited until *GASP* Oct. 1st to buy it. Who knew?!? And other mothers that I met went on and on about how fortunate I was to find a costume that late. Which made me wonder how we could have missed that lesson in the parenting classes we took. She was only 3 months old and we were already way behind.

Last year I caught up and ordered her costume in September, a reasonable timeframe but still not considered early by most. She was a peacock and that was a really cute costume for someone her age. Little did I know that it would be the last time I would have a say in what she dressed as. 15 months seems so short...

This year I asked her what she wanted to be for Halloween around the end of August. She quickly responded that she wanted to be a turtle. 

Me: A turtle? Really?

Avery: Yes. I want to be a turtle.

So I did what any good mother would do and waited a few more days to ask her again so that she would change her mind and pick something cute.

This time when I asked her I gave some acceptable choices to try and influence her answer.

Me: Avery, what do you want to be for Halloween? A butterfly? Or maybe a shark? Or how about a lion? Or an elephant! I saw a really cute elephant costume.

Avery: No, I just want to be a turtle.

Me: What?!?! A turtle? Are you sure? 

Avery: Yes. I want to be a turtle.

I let a few more days pass and I asked again. This time Avery looked at me as though I had some kind of learning disability and told me that she would like to be a tuuuurrrrtttttlllle. She said it slowly just in case I wasn't hearing her the first few times she had answered me.

Fine. I will get the turtle costume for you but Jack is going to be the cute elephant. I still have a say in his outfits, for goodness sake. 

So before I placed the order online I showed her the VERY CUTE elephant and then the kind of OK turtle and asked her to be very sure before I placed the order. She chose the turtle and that was that.

About a week later when the costumes came in the mail I quickly played up that LOOK!! THE TURTLE is here! Oh! The turtle! We must try it on at once!

She immediately freaked out upon seeing it and started screaming about how she wanted to be an elephant. (the sound of silence she heard after that was me imagining my head exploding)

So Matt and I faked excitement over the damn turtle costume and asked her to put it on for us. She wore it for around 2 seconds and then screamed about not liking it and promptly demanded that I take it off. Then she asked if she could try on Jack's elephant costume. ugh.

Over the weekend we finally got her to put back on the Totally! Awesome! Turtle! costume and sit next to Jack in his "lame" elephant costume for pictures. She wore it for 1 minute and I got a few shots before she started to remove the ugly turtle head. 

And just think....only a few more years of this kind of behavior before she finds some other way to make my head hurt. YAY!

Attempting to get a picture of Avery and Jack in their 

halloween costumes. Avery wasn't being very cooperative

but I continued to press on and just take a bunch of shots.

Oh, good, smile now that you are taking your turtle head off.

That's helpful. Also, pay no attention to the mail on our end 

table. We don't.

Avery removing the turtle head from the costume. 

She was done and her attitude was fading fast. Notice

Jack looking at her like she is crazy. BECAUSE SHE IS!

Jack wearing his halloween costume minus the pants

that go with it because it was OVER 90 DEGREES and 

too hot for pants of any kind. Just as an FYI, the forecast 

for Sunday was 72 degrees. I really need to change jobs 

because I want to have a job where I can get on TV and lie

to parents every day and still get paid a great deal of money.

Watching the UT game in our neighbor's garage. Avery

has her own chair over there but that doesn't stop her 

from getting into trouble. She likes to climb up on the 

motorcycle and give us all a heart attack as we collectively

imagine it falling down on her. She also enjoys throwing 

the chair like a professional wrestler and screaming really loud

for no apparent reason. It is a wonder that we are ever 

welcomed back.

Our neighbor's daughter was wearing the same cute "candy"

pants that Avery was wearing (by chance) so I broke out the

camera to capture the moment. Not as easy as it sounds. 

Notice Avery had removed her glasses, which is always fun

because then we have to play the hide and seek game with them 

and for some reason I am never the one that gets to hide.

Thanks for the cute Halloween shirts, Michelle!!! 

Sorry that this was the best picture I could get of  the

two of them wearing them. I promise Avery is actually

wearing the shirt you sent. Not that she would cooperate

long enough for me to take ONE DAMN PICTURE of them 

together. sigh.