All Hallow's Eve 2012

Halloween this year took on even more magic and mischief than last year (and I bet next year will be even more so as Weston will be officially out of toddlerdom and into little boy misbehavior - and we'll have another little one to share all the spooks and thrills with). 

One of the main reasons this year was so much fun was because Weston really caught onto what the whole Trick Or Treating business is. There is something truly special about getting to take your little one to do something you did as a child.

On Tuesday we headed over to Grandpa and Grandma Brown's Trunk or Treat. I was surprised by how well Weston did in his costume... he didn't seem to mind it at all! We started off by having some chili and rolls... carbs - Weston's favorite!

Weston enjoyed running around with the other little kids...



 and with cousin Kaitlyn.

And soon realized that his pumpkin bucket not only made a loud popping noise when thrown, but it also rolled... instant toy.

Peek-A-Boo

 



No better way to prepare for getting a bunch of sugar like eating a bunch of sugar.

Let the Trunk or Treating begin!

 Weston was a pro - he didn't need any help in figuring out what to do.



 

The only thing he needed to work on was only taking one candy instead of a hand full.





Another attempt at a family photo... Weston's too busy chewing his candy.

Yet another attempt. Fairly good except for Tyler not looking... but he's smiling - and no one is screaming, so it counts as a win.

Then on Wednesday night - on Halloween - my mom's ward had their trunk or treat. As we were getting out of the car I handed Weston his pumpkin bucket. He grabbed it, looked inside and saw that it was empty (I had emptied it out from the night before - you can't start your trunk or treat with candy already in your bucket.) Weston looked up at me, holding his bucket in one hand and his other hand in a fist and started shouting, "Empty! Empty!" all the while giving me the death glare. Apparently my assumption that he wouldn't remember all the candy from the night before was wrong - he did remember and he wanted to know where it had all went. I explained that the bucket was empty because he had to go around and say "Trick or Treat" before anyone would give him candy. I think this made him realize that he was going to get to do what he had done the night before - and that made him very happy.

 

We all grabbed a hot dog and started taking Weston around to beg for candy. We didn't go to very many cars - there were a lot - because he already had a ton of candy from the night before... PLUS we were about to go to my sister's neighborhood so he could do some actual Trick or Treating with his cousins. 

 

Trying to get a picture of us before we started the Trunk or Treat... Weston was acting like he didn't want to, but you can totally see his little smirk.

Around 7pm we arrived in my sister's neighborhood and we met up with them since they had already started. I figured this first year of taking Weston out Trick or Treating I'd go up to each house with him and help him. False. The very first house he was holding my hand as we walked up the path to the front door. The moment it opened for the kids in front of us, he ditched me and ran up to the door on his own. He held up his bucket for candy and even said "THANKS!" as he turned to run back to me. Is it sad that this was one of those "proud momma" moments? :)

Weston and Macy

Weston and Grandma Nettie

Weston even got to ride in style. My sister and brother-in-law brought their wagon for Macy to ride in - and since there's room for two, Weston was able to ride in it too. I was very thankful for this because Weston is a bit slower so I know it would have been impossible for us to keep up with them if it weren't for the wagon. And Weston knew that every time the wagon stopped it meant we were at the next house, and he would instantly stand up and hop out. I was surprised how much he loved it. I figured we'd go to 5 or 6 houses and he'd get bored or just want to eat his candy and so we'd head home. NOPE! He would have outlasted both his cousins. This kid doesn't mess around when it comes to getting candy!

The cousins

My sister's neighborhood is awesome for Trick or Treating. Pretty much every house participates and there are loads that have awesome decorations. I do feel bad for how much candy they must have to buy... there were seriously hundreds of kids in this neighborhood - and that was just in the small section of the neighborhood that we went to!



It started to get late and both nieces were very tired - so we headed back to my sister's. Weston bummed a drink off of them before he headed home. 

It was an even better Halloween than I thought it would be. Weston had a blast and that makes Tyler and my day. Now let's see how long Weston insists on carrying around his orange pumpkin bucket... so far it's been 4 days.