Maddy's pre-Halloween

What a fun Halloween season we have had. Early on in October, Maddy told me that she wanted to be Belle for Halloween. I searched for costumes on Amazon and Disney.com and finally figured, we may as well just go to Wal-Mart to pick up something. To our chagrin, there was no Belle. I was fully prepared for a melt-down but Maddy just found a Minnie costume and decided that she wanted it instead.

 

 Like any normal mother, I bought it, but in the back of my mind had that dread that on the night before Halloween, she'd be crying for the Belle costume. To my surprise, Minnie was actually worn and I didn't hear another word about Belle. Hooray.

 

 

We began our Halloween festivities the Saturday before with a party thrown by the Ontiveros'. Maddy was so very excited to play with Maya and Mason. She let me put on a black nose and whiskers as long as I also applied blue eyeshadow, blush and lip gloss. I picked up a "costume" for Scott at Wal-Mart because we were told that no one got into this party without being dressed up. I hoped that a Halloween themed shirt would appease Linda. To my surprise, Scott had an idea for a costume in mind.

 Maddy thought that this swamp monster costume was pretty cool. Scott just thought it was a good excuse to wear his gilly suit that he purchased several years ago but didn't get to wear. After hiding out on the lawn and in the bushes, we thought that maybe he ought to break it out on Halloween to jump at the trick-or-treaters from the bushes. But, that would just be mean right?

In true Linda fashion, we had a wonderful party filled with doughnut eating contest, balance beam walk through the snakes, coloring station, and of course a pinata.

I dressed up as a Mexican luchador for work but tried it out at Linda's party. we made a fairly odd little family group.

Isabella, Maya and Maddy

Next up in the Halloween festivities was Maddy's preschool program on the 30th. Families were invited to come over at 9:30 for the  parade and a program. Miss Swendy greeted us and mentioned they had some songs to sing and then mused that some we might actually already know. That is very true. Maddy has been singing her Halloween songs since early September.

 I was a very proud mommy. She knew all the words and sang with gusto and joy.

Grandma scooter-ride's favorite song was the one that involved the scared face

The final number they performed was called The Witches Brew. After they were done singing. Miss Swendy made a brew with all the things from the song like crispy leaves, rotten eggs, fingernails, lunch pails, motor oil too. All the ingredients came in then everyone closed their eyes while the magic words were said (and the dry ice was dropped in) and then the kids all opened their eyes to the wonderful bubbling brew.

Maddy and her adoring fans

Maddy and her favorite girls

Maddy's new preschool teacher Miss Stacy

Miss Brandy was Maddy's 2-3 year old teacher and still her favorite

I was so impressed with Miss Swendy and her interactions with the kids. She was wonderful and so very good with the kids. She was silly and over-the-top and it was a great program. I'm glad that Maddy is in a wonderful place if she is not home with me.

Next up, Halloween day. . .