Today we need to discuss a critical topic--one that can raise havoc in households all across our nation, dividing families, causing weeping and gnashing of teeth and tearing at the very fabric of our peaceful lives: Do you do store bought or homemade Halloween costumes?
Now, this is seemingly a simple question to answer, but in my almost 9 years as a Momma--I tell you it is NOT. Every year I face the excruciating anxiety over what my two little monsters will tell me (demand) what they would like to dress up as. When they were babies--we got to choose for them and boy did we have fun!
Yep. Later when you got home, did your child stumble across the newspaper ads and see that there were TOYS available to purchase featuring said characters and then start begging and pleading and giving you their Christmas and birthday wish lists involving these toys? (My boys lists have extended into --"for this birthday I want this and for my next birthday I want this", and so on....we're at about 5 years from now on the wish lists) And then, low and behold, did the catalog featuring Halloween costumes somehow escape the recycle bin and end up in front of Junior in all of his wide eyed wonder that not only are there toys, but he realizes his dreams can now come true--he can now BE the one he has been obsessing over? And there you have it--the dilemma.
On the one hand one has to consider budget--Halloween costumes can cost as much as a weeks worth of groceries. But, on the other hand--one has to be pretty crafty and creative to put some of these contraptions together in a way that it will at least seem like the real deal. Sometimes the time, effort and cost of materials alone can be staggering. Whatever happened to the one piece flimsy jumpsuit costumes with the hospital tie in the back and the horrible plastic slitty eyed, barely large enough hole to breath through masks that cost like 5 bucks?
No, no today costumes are all elaborate with the built in poofy muscles, the layer upon layer satin gowns and then--oh my gosh--the accessories (sold separately, of course). The guns, swords, shields, tiaras, purses, wigs, wands and helmets--it just goes on and on and on. Last year was a purchase year for me and not only did we have masks and weapons, but we had to have special gloves too. My goodness, who knew that a pair of finger less gloves would cost as much as a weeks worth of latte's?
Now, I know what you're going to say (in your most condescending voice)--"you know you don't HAVE to do all that? Second hand stores have perfectly good used costumes and last year I only spent $10 for little Johnny and he was as happy as can be". And you would be right. I could do that. But, there is something magical about allowing my boys to become the objects of their fantasy that make them feel like super heroes. I love placing them in the moment and watching their imaginations soar as they battle the legions of doom and destruction that threaten to take over our humble abode. But, it does come at a price--sometimes a hefty one.
This year, I goofed big time and I suppose that is the reason for my post today--to save other parents from being as foolish as I was a few weeks ago. We were all set--with the latest Avengers movie that came out earlier this year and then Ant Man this Summer. My boys had decided on store bought costumes and I had even clipped coupons for some pretty significant savings that would help me not break the bank.(Yay me!) But then I made the mistake of all rookie mistakes: Anyone else have Netflix? Yeah, me too. Anyone else let their kids watch Shark boy and Lava girl?
My boys LOVED it. I mean LOVED IT LOVED IT. They've seen it about half a dozen times in less than a month. I realized too late that the imaginations of my two super heroes had shifted from Ant Man and Ultron to......Shark Boy.
What?!!! But, but...we had a PLAN and, and....I had it all worked out! Why, you ask, would this changing of their minds create such crisis? Well, you see, the movie came out about 10 years ago. (Truthfully, I should have realized this since Shark Boy is played by Taylor Lautner and I know he's not 10 anymore cause I've watched him as the wolf boy/man, or whatever, in Twilight) And,as you can imagine, there are no toys to correspond (bonus for me). But-- the big horror--no costumes. None. Nada. I had two little faces imploring me with their precious blue eyes and pleading to be Shark Boy. " Please Momma? PLEASE?????".
So, I did what any Mother would do... I told them they couldn't be shark boy because they don't make shark boy costumes and that it was unfortunate that Netflix would revive a show featuring super heroes that kids love and not have some sort of product marketing to go with it. And that was that. Or so I thought. My boys would have been fine, if I told them they had to settle for a second choice. To be honest my boys would be fine wearing the same costumes from last year, but it was me that wanted to make them happy. To eek out those precious grins of excitement that come in such rare waves these days. To be THEIR hero in coming up with a way to make their dreams (silly though they seem) come true. So, I begrudgingly got on Pinterest (the bane of my existence) found a couple of photos from folks that had found simplified ways to make the costume and I grumpily got to work.
One of my friends told me recently that she felt like I had a mom gene that she didn't get. I want to be perfectly honest with you. I love my boys and I LOVE being a Momma--Super Rock Star and I do A LOT for them and with them and love every second. But, for me, every birthday party, every Christmas surprise, every planned fun outing, and yes, every Halloween costume always begins with a curmudgeony groan of "UGH--this is going to take FOREVER" or "WHY oh why can't we just dial this one in--I don't wanna!" I wanted to have children as long as I can remember and I always imagined myself being the kind of crafty, creative, come up with a zillion projects and always engage my children Mom. But, I found out real quick that this Momma thing does not come naturally to me--EVER. Most days I am just fumbling along and feeling pretty smug whenever we make it to the end of the day with all of us alive, somewhat clean and fully clothed. I am always thrilled when I feel I got one right--those moments when I feel like there should be some sort of awards ceremony that miraculously pops into my home and Dick Clark (If he were still alive) bestows on me the Mother of the Day award.
The Shark Boy costumes really weren't that big of a deal to put together and it didn't take much time at all. In fact, just between you and me...I enjoyed it. It was fun to be a little creative and it brought me a lot of joy to know how happy my boys would be when they got to be the object of their current dreams. And, yes, they are SO happy--you just can't tell in these pictures because Shark Boy is always apparently grumpy (he and I have A LOT much in common) and my boys are method actors.
1 comment:
Those are awesome!! You did a great job. I'm one of those DIY moms. I bought costumes once - when they wanted to be firemen when they were quite little. Other than that, it was a wide range of sewing or box painting (Caleb was a box of Nerds and Zach was a die - you know, singular of dice). But I did make myself a little crazy, like the year I was up until 3:00 or 4:00 in the morning sewing a cool dragon costume and crying and not understanding part of the pattern which was very frustrating for a woman who has sewn most of her entire life and never had that problem before. I don't think my boys ever asked for a costume connected to a movie. And just wait, when they grow up and go the Renaissance Fair, they'll want new and better costumes. At least only one of mine does. :-)
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