Saturday, October 29, 2011

Avery would say it like this: I doe yike it

I don't like Halloween all that much.
My husband hates it.

Our first problem this year was finding Noah a costume - because he wanted to be something creepy or gross, which I just wasn't having. We finally decided on a black ninja costume, I ordered it, and was glad to be done. I had to pay extra for shipping at that point to guarantee it would arrive the day before his costume parade at school.
The day before his costume parade at school the package arrived. I opened the box. When I saw a bunch of bright colors I knew we had a problem. When I lifted out the most hideous clown costume you have ever seen - I was just pissed.
I immediately called the company, the representative was neither very nice or helpful, and I was informed that the black ninja costume I'd ordered and paid for was completely out of stock, but would I like to choose something else??
Um NO.
So that night Paul and Noah were hitting up every Halloween store in town (pretty much Paul's worst nightmare) and having the same battle with Noah all over again.
There were gone for what seemed like forever. I got one text from Paul while they were out:
"I hate halloween."
Noah came home with a pirate costume - the same exact one I told him before he left that he could borrow from a friend. He insists it's not the same (it is).
Friday I got to haul my 2-year-old to not one but two costume parades at school.
Alex's was first. It wasn't too bad - just the morning kindergarten classes which meant it wasn't too crowded, and Avery only cried a little bit.
But I didn't get very good pictures on my cell phone:





We were back in the afternoon for Noah's parade. A lot more kids, a lot more parents - it's always a madhouse. We got there 15 minutes early and still had to park way too far away. We went to Noah's classroom to snap a few pics beforehand - Avery was screaming her head off and once again I didn't get any good pics on my cell phone:



Then we went outside to wait for the parade to go by. Avery was still screaming so I let her out of the stroller. The parade was passing and I had my phone in hand, watching for Noah's class. Next thing I knew there was a big commotion - and it took me a minute to realize my child was the cause of it. Avery had run into the middle of the pack of kids parading by and basically got trampled, slamming her head pretty hard into the asphalt. As I ran into the mass of swarming and confused children to scoop up my screaming and injured 2-year-old I heard another parent say (loudly) "Whose kid is that??"
I headed to the back of the crowd to calm Avery down - where she passed out in my arms (used to that by now). She came too really quickly and continued to cry. By the time I had her under control...the parade was over. I had missed Noah.
Luckily, a friend of mine was also there, saw what had happened and snapped a picture of Noah for me as he went by.
I also have to mention that just before Noah got trampled I was chatting with the mom standing next to me, it came up in conversation that I was a Mormon, and it seemed to me that she acted awkward. Was it just in my head, because of everything in the media right now? Maybe. I don't know.
Either way, I came home from the school costume parade wanting to cry.
Instead, I laid down on the couch, closed my eyes, and ignored my kids for awhile.

Oh yeah, and one more thing. As we were leaving, I saw another parent using her iphone to take pics of her kid...and zooming in.
what?? my iphone camera can zoom??
I. am. an idiot.

And.
I don't much like Halloween.

12 comments:

Tiffany said...

oh my gosh, that is such a sad story about avery getting trampled in the parade! Randys not crazy about halloween either. I kinda like it. But I only have one kid right now so maybe when I have 3 and I'm running all over the place trying to fulfill their ridiculous costume requests, I will hate it too...

SKIPR said...

haha! i love this post. so much. is it horrible that i love reading/hearing about other people's misery?? i know there's got to be something wrong with me, but i must say it's great to hear about real life out there anymore! thank goodness halloween is but once a year, haha! and so sad for avery:(

SKIPR said...

btw, i absolutely love the pic with you and alex! so cute!

Sarah said...

Oh, Summer, I am so sorry your day was so crappy! I have had way, way too many days like that too. I feel like a social leper sometimes going places with a two year old, like people are always staring at me wishing I wasn't there wrecking everything. Seriously. Also, I feel like anyone here who finds out I'm Mormon instantly hates me, especially since Prop 8. So weird coming from a place that preaches tolerance like nobody's business. I feel for you!!

But really, I wish that you were my neighbor so that I could show you just how awesome and how much fun Halloween can be. I love it. I feel like I need to convert you ;) But Paul's text from shopping with Noah had me laughing so hard. You guys are my favorite.

I hope you write a nice long letter to that costume company.....

Faye said...

Wow - quite the memorable day! I just have one question - does that mean my I-phone can zoom? Or is that if you have one of the new upgrades? I mean I would really use that a lot if I had a clue.

But still how can you hate Halloween when your kids look so cute in their costumes?

JoAnna said...

This sounds like hell. Pure hell. I totally agree with Paul about Halloween.
Sam's school in Rochester did not do Halloween at school. I loved that. Really really really loved that.
Their school here did the whole shebang last year. I hated it. Really really really hated it.
The best thing about homeschooling (and you think I jest) is that I don't have to do any Halloween parades this year! Dead. Serious.

Lori said...

You are hilarious and I love reading your blog and you are a wonderful, fun mom! I'm kinda sad you guys are moving to Oregon (happy for you of course) but I hoped we'd somehow live by each other - or at least see each other again. But that was a dream I guess.You always think you'll see people again. . oh well at least we have facebook/blogs.

Andrea McEntire said...

That is so sad and funny at the same time. Oh Summer! I'm sorry about all the drama. But you write it in such a hilarious way it's hard not to laugh....

John said...

Paul- I hate Halloween too... Faye reminded me the other day that I never went trick-or-treating with our kids...."NOT ONCE!"she said. I actually think I may have once....but I hope she's right, I wear that accomplishment as a badge of honor....not many dads can say that.

Shellie said...

Ugh! What a nightmare! So sorry it was all such a mess. I'm glad I'm not the only one who lays on the couch and ignores my children :) Miss you friend.

robyne said...

I think there might have been a time in my life when I didn't love Helloween (not a misspelling), oh yeah, it was when I had 3 little girls running around whining about their costumes, parties, parades, and trick-or-treating! I was lucky tho, I had my dad to stay home and give out candy, and I made Shane come out with the kids & I.
Now I actually love going to the Halloween parade at our school (no I am not a creeper, I work there), and I love when the cute trick-or-treaters come knocking at our door. I even gave out full size candy bars, I imagine the kids bouncing off the walls on their sugar highs at their houses and I think......BAAAH!

Lexie said...

Summer that sounds awful. I would have cried, but you are a trooper! I've wondered the same thing lately as parents seem to act funny when I mention our church. One even cancelled a play date. Hopefully it was for other reasons, but what do you do?

The pictures of Noah's baptism were great, I'm so glad your parents could be there for his big day! Merry Christmas!