Happy Halloween 2010

We didn't get pounced on this morning until just after 9. Apparently, he was in full Halloween gross-out mode because he asked me a number of rather disgusting questions. "Mommy, can I pee-pee on you?" "EWWWWW--NO!" "Mommy, can I poop on you?" "GROSSSSSSS! NO WAY!" "Well, then, can I put earwax and boogers on you?" Again I answered in the negative. What on earth is he thinking?

Tomorrow will be a letdown for him after our month long Halloween celebration. We concluded it with a very fun evening at Dave's and Ellen's church festival. We have another bucketful of candy that Dennis won as prizes for the various carnival games he played tonight. He dunked a guy in a dunking tank, he threw bean bags, he threw darts at balloons, he almost bobbed for an apple, he played ladderball, and he got a bee painted on his hand. He and Chloe bounced in the inflatables for a long time, and when they were ready to go, Dave and I were stuck in the blood-mobile donating blood after having waited kind of a long time. So I handed off my handy-dandy iPhone to Ellen and the kids watched a Scooby Doo special on my Netflix app while they waited on us to finish. We concluded our evening with a last trick-or-treat at Gran's and Pop's house that lasted much longer than I intended because Dennis lost a boot somewhere in their house. They found it after we left. It's been a weekend of missing shoes--somewhere in the world, there's a lonely silver and lime green Nike, and I hope it finds its way home to me soon!

Halloween Eve

This has been a fun-filled day of Halloween activity! Dennis went to the pumpkin patch again this morning along with some other children from our church. He had a great time on the hay ride and in the hay maze. Today his Daddy came along, and they played a pumpkin toss game (where Dennis won a giant inflatable hammer). Dennis had his first pony ride today, choosing his steed and riding like a cowboy! He spied a cowboy hat in the gift shop afterward, placed it on his head, and then insisted that he needed to go ride the horse again since he had the right hat now.

Tonight was our annual friends-and-family Halloween party. We all brought our disgustingly named delicious dishes and enjoyed the food and fellowship. We were, as always, completely charmed by the Smith twins. Jen and I happened to catch Dennis telling baby Hadden "this is a fire truck--I'm going to tell you all about fire trucks--they are loud and have sirens and go wee-ooh-wee-ooh-wee-ooh" (all while waving his hands excitedly in the air). And after the party, Dennis and Chloe went to trick-or-treat at Uncle Denny's house. They were thrilled to knock and shout "TRICK-OR-TREAT" and were rewarded with Reese's and Hershey's miniatures. Too bad I forgot my bucket!

I think we've really milked this season for all its worth, but we have one more day of activity planned. Then it's on to Thanksgiving...

United States of Dennis

Driving in the car to Prattville to go trick-or-treat at Bass Pro Shop during their big Halloween festivities tonight, Dennis asked me to turn on some music. I did. Then he said "you have to dance, Mommy, because the music is on." I wiggled a bit in my seat and he laughed and then asked "do you want to see my bottom wiggle?" and I looked over my shoulder and saw him lying on his back in his booster seat, butt in the air wiggling mightily. He told me I needed to keep dancing, to which I replied "no, I need to drive." Not good enough, apparently, because he said "NO, you need to DANCE-drive." I made my best attempt. Sorry to you fellow drivers on I-65 South who might have noticed a shaking Chevy Blazer with two crazies inside.

Trying to distract him, I asked him to say the pledge of allegiance. He said "I pledge allegiance to the Dennis of the United States of Dennis and to the republic for which Dennis stands; one nation under God with liberty and justice for Mommy." He knows it's all about him.

a day in the life

7:03 AM: Dennis pounces on our bed. "Can I snuggle with you? Will you fix my breakfast? Is it Halloween yet?"

8:28 AM: finally out the door to preschool. Forgot to buy Cheetos for today's party last night. David goes on emergency chip run, gets to school in time for parade.

8:50 AM: leave school with what felt like 750 3 year olds but was actually 4 classes of various ages on walking trick-or-treat parade through downtown Clanton. Got almost a grocery sack full of candy and lots of comments on the cute astronaut costume. Lost David to a Mommy with 3 year old and 1 year old who needed some help!

10:00 AM: Arrive back at preschool, join everyone in Activity Center for big party.

10:15 AM: watch 50 children high on cupcakes and candy create mayhem.

11:00 AM: leave preschool after wearing out some of sugar high on playground.

11:50 AM: pay power bill at Alabama Power, play in Water Course museum with Dennis--we have whole museum to ourselves.

12:30 PM: Dennis finds that his Netflix movie came when he checks the mail (Lego: the Adventures of Clutch Powers). Eats lunch while watching a movie starring Lego people.

2:20 PM: naptime!

4:00 PM: mix OxiClean in cup, attempt to scrub out purple icing stains from white astronaut suit.

4:40 PM: Dennis wakes up, catches me scrubbing space suit. "Can I eat some of my candy now?"

5:15 PM: "Can I get some water by myself?" "Sure." "This water is gross." Call Poison Control to inquire about dangers of drinking OxiClean. Give Dennis water, hope for no vomiting.

6:45 PM: string of phone calls, concluded abruptly when I hear the following: "I can't breathe through this nose (points to right nostril) because I got a piece of candy stuck in it". Attempt extraction of strawberry flavored Nerd from nostril with tweezers, push candy farther up. Ask Dennis to blow nose--Dennis sucks air into nose--explain better, then go to fetch tissue to wipe Nerd juice from face. While gone, hear "I GOT IT! I BLEW IT OUT!" and return to see offending Nerd stuck to chair. Answer return call from Poison Control, assure them Dennis is fine.

7:00 PM: Watch 'It's the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown'. Seasonal favorite!

8:00 PM: play Disney preschool learning games on computer. Watch Dennis work the touchpad mouse like a pro.

8:45 PM: assembling collection of Lego swords and knives by my computer. I think I'm about to have to participate in a miniature sword fight. Wonder how much longer til David gets home...

8:55 PM: remember to roll up car windows and return spare key to Blazer. Wonder where my keys are that I never found this morning...

masterpieces

We're starting to get really excited about Halloween around here! We still don't know what costume he'll choose. We carved our jack-o-lantern tonight. Dennis designed the face and drew it mostly himself. Just before we began carving, he decided that it had to have a mustache. I don't think I've ever had a pumpkin with a mustache, and I'm pleased by his creativity. He made the little pumpkin as well with some stick-in parts that he got last year from the Gallmans' Halloween party. And he's already decided that we should start decorating for Christmas. He watched me dip some Splenda out of the bag today. A few minutes later, he came to me and announced that he had put snowflakes all over the house. I went a bit nuts, certain that he'd sprinkled Splenda from one end of the house to the other. I was mistaken--he'd found some Christmas ornament snowflakes in with my dining table decor and placed them around. I apologized and encouraged him to decorate however he wanted.

just like a man

Tonight as we were wrestling a bit (tickle fight!), I flipped Dennis up on top of me. He managed to pass gas right when his rear end was just inches from my face. I screamed like a girl, because, hey, I'm a girl, and he belly laughed for long moments. He thought it was beyond hilarious, and he was laughing so hard he could barely get the words out to ask me "was it a really stinky one, Mom?". I told him it was indeed and he said "turn me upside down again, Mom!". I passed on that opportunity.

good witch

He caught me staring perplexedly at the rack of clothes in my closet. "What's wrong, Mom?" he asked. I explained that I couldn't find the rest of my witch costume. He took in my black skirt and bra and said "you need a dress and a witch hat" and then said "can I wear your witch costume instead of you?". So I handed over a black t-shirt and my hat, and then he grabbed up a broom and pail and asked if we could go outside and fly. I wanted a picture, so I was all over the idea of going outside to catch the last bit of daylight. He mounted the broom and hammed for the camera, but then he got frustrated over the broom's apparent lack of flight capability. He asked me to lift him (hat, broom, pail, and all) and fly him around through the air. I told him it wasn't Halloween yet. We came back inside. He didn't cast any spells, thank goodness.