Halloween!

We had a great time on Halloween.

We decided to have a small party for Kevin and a few of his toddler friends. We started off with 5-10 kids in mind, but by the time we invited people, we ended up inviting about 30 kids. Luckily, not everyone came (though they all wo
uld have been welcome).

We ended up with about 30 people, parents included and about 12 kids under the age of 8. I cooked most of the food, though I had some help and some people brought more food. This is what the table looked like afterward:

My jello worms are in the white bowl. A lot of people wouldn't eat them because they looked gross. :) Success!

We had mummy hotdogs, deviled eggs, jello worms, and pie. My aunt brought some quesadillas and fruit. Some other friends brought some doughnuts. I also made lemonade. The night before, I took a clean plastic glove, filled it with water, and froze it. Then, I put the hand-shaped ice inside the lemonade so it looked like a creepy ghost hand. I think everyone enjoyed themselves. For games, we fished for bugs and had a pumpkin beanbag game. The kids got to keep their plastic bugs and they won glow-sticks by throwing the beanbags in the cardboard pumpkin's eye and mouth. 

Kevin was so excited for his "Halloween Party." The whole day that we were preparing for it, he kept talking about it. I think he really enjoyed himself and he loved having all the friends and family over. A big thank you to everyone that came. I hope you enjoyed it as well!

After the party, which we kept short so as not to infringe on Halloween time, Grig took Kevin trick-or-treating. Kevin dressed up as a knight. I stayed behind to hand out candy to trick-or-treaters. 

I was pleased with how many people came by our house. 

Kevin had a pretty good haul too. 

Grig found a pretty nice treat while they were out as well. He was walking down the middle of the street, and he looked down to see something that looked like a giant roach. Upon closer inspection, he realized it was a giant water beetle. 

Being my amazing husband, he caught it and brought it home. 

He's holding the bug in his hand.

We kept it until tonight, when we decided it would die if we didn't let it go hibernate. They eat bugs and fish. We don't have any of those in our house and winter is coming. It was fun to have around for a while though. 

Here's a closer look at the bug

We had an excellent Halloween, and our son was a fantastic kid. He had such a great time. The next day, he was pretty upset when I was putting the Halloween decorations away. He didn't want Halloween to end. Then I explained that next was Thanksgiving, then Kevin's birthday, and then Christmas and he decided that it was okay. 

I'm pretty excited for the holidays this year. He's at such a fun age!

Halloween Highlights

Okay, so I said I wasn't going to reveal Kevin's costume yet, and that I was going to wait for the vlog tomorrow.  So, be very excited!  It's very cute. 

I will give you some hints though. 

We had an exciting evening last night.  First, at 5:30 p.m. we went to a Trunk or Treat.  Kevin had a great time.  He walked around in his nice warm costume and followed other kids all around the parking lot.  He was so confused.  People would hold out their bowls of candy for him to take something, and he would stare blankly at the bowl and then look at the people as though to say, "What do you want from me?"

At first, we would grab the candy for him and put it in his small Easter bucket that we converted into a Halloween bucket.  Then, we went inside the church for an Alic in Wonderland Halloween party.  The people in charge did a great job!  There was all sorts of fun games for the children.  Lots and lots of sugar was handed out.  We ate some great cupcakes after Kevin won a cupcake walk.  Basically, there were paper plates taped to the floor, and Kevin would walk from one to the next while the music played.  When the music stopped, the children stopped.  Then, if they called the number of the paper plate he was standing on, he got to go get a cupcake.  We helped him eat it. 

He's only eleven months old, after all.  He only has one tooth!

Then, we got some apple juice.  Kevin loves apple juice. 

We only stayed at the party until 6:30 p.m.  Then, we went Trick-or-Treating at my Grandparent's home.  As we approached the door, I came up with a fantastic idea.  We put Kevin on the ground in front of the door, put his Halloween bucket next to him, rang the doorbell, and ran.  We hid in the bushes just off the front porch.  Kevin was busy pulling his candy out of his bucket when my Grandma opened the door.  She looked really confused when she found a baby on her porch all alone.  It took her a second to recognize Kevin, then she started laughing.  We emerged about then.  She ran and got her camera.

We spent a few minutes there and then we went Trick-or-Treating around her cul-de-sac.  It was here that Kevin started to understand the concept.  He started taking a piece of candy from their bowl and putting it in his own.  Sometimes he didn't want to let it go when he'd grabbed it, but he had a great time.  It was kind of cold, but he was bundled up warmly.  I think Grig was the only real cold one.  I had a nice warm cloak on. 

While we were Trick-or-Treating, we passed another child who was also wearing an African animal themed costume.  Kevin was prey while she was a predator.  We joked around with her mom that she was going to eat our baby.  Her mom joked back that she would hold her back.  As she walked away, we heard the girl say, "Mom, I'm not a REAL animal."  Grig and I laughed a lot about that.

Other than Kevin trying to get inside everyone's homes when we knocked on the door, it went really smoothly.  Then, after skyping with my parents at my grandparent's home, we went back to our apartment complex.  Then, Grig and Havelock took Kevin out for a few more houses while I played watchdog to the door. 

Grig got to bed awfully late considering he was supposed to be at work by 4 a.m.  However, it was a fantastic night.  We all had a great time!  I think Kevin really enjoyed his first Halloween.

I sure did.

Yes, Kevin was some kind of African Animal...see if you can guess which!