Trick-or-treat with Dr. Anna

I've been feeling a little disenchanted with blogging this week, which is why you haven't heard from me since Sunday.  I think that when things are going well (which, praise the Lord, they are right now), I really struggle with communicating that without sounding braggy.  I think that sharing much of anything right now feeds my guilt at how well I've felt postpartum with both girls, as well as how blessed we've been with easy babies (6 consecutive hours of sleep at 2.5 weeks, what?!?)  I've also found that my limited free time is often devoted to other things I want to accomplish, and my evening computer time is accompanied by a sleeping baby on my lap (she's a pretty good sleeper, but refuses to do so in her crib until midnight) which makes blog reading much easier than blog writing.  I considered canning the blog all together, but that seemed a little rash, and I can't quite stay away.  So, just a quick update for tonight, with a general disclaimer that I hope you know that anything I (ever) write comes from wanting to share my joy at the blessings we've been given, and that I'm very aware that they're just that - blessings - that I have done nothing to deserve.



A belated Happy Halloween from Dr. Anna!  She'll be happy to "check you's heart beep with mine steffascope?"

I discovered that my childhood frustration of ruining the perfect costume with the necessary warm layers to gallivant around after dark at the end of October is matched only by the frustration as a parent trying to get that many layers on your toddler and still have them look like anything other than a marshmallow.  

Taking her trick-or-treating was SO much fun.  She totally embraced the idea and loved knocking on people's doors and was less shy than I anticipated about the whole thing.  Our favorite moment of the night was (after receiving a mini bag of pretzels a few houses down) she looked up at a lady offering her a selection from a bowl of chocolate and said "have any pretzels?"  Most of the people Anna visited were really excited by a pint-sized doctor, her enthusiasm, and her willingness to linger and chat about her outfit, which was, I'm guessing, a nice change from the crowds of tweens in half-hearted costumes (c'mon, people, you can do better than just a flannel shirt!) rushing from door to door.

I love sharing traditions with Anna, and love even more getting to relive things through the eyes of  child.

I have so many happy memories of trick-or-treat night.   My mom always had warm soup on the stove and her fall-scented candle burning.  There was always such excitement and anticipation in the air about our costumes (we took costumes very seriously; I wish I had pictures here of some of my mom's amazing creations to share), and somehow my dad always managed to be home from work in time to join in the fun (which is a significant part of the memory because he was on call - and had to often leave to do surgery - for so many holidays, birthdays, etc. over the years), and had fun surprises of his own, like the year he drove home from work in a rented gorilla suit, or the year he stood leaning against a tree in the front yard in a scarecrow costume, perfectly still until someone reached into his candy basket.

I hate anything scary, so it's somewhat ironic to say that some of my happiest childhood memories are from Halloween.  The fun of the costumes, the feel of the crisp fall air, the glow of the jack-'o-lanterns....that is what I remember so fondly and what I'm so excited to share with Anna.  I know that there are families who choose not to observe Halloween, and I respect if they've made that decision for their family, but this article (Why the Devil Hates Halloween - and why he wants you to hate it too) really resonated with me.  Then again, is anyone surprised that I like the idea of a return to the simple goodness of the past?  ;)

More costume fun here:  2011, 2012, 2013, and some college memories.  We hope to resume our annual Halloween party next year!