BOO! Happy (belated) Halloween!

Do you know how much baby costumes are?! They are not cheap.  Unless you buy them a week or two before Halloween and they're on sale and that is because it is slim pickings at that point.  And that is the point we were at.

I decided a couple of months ago, when Pottery Barn Kids released their super cute Halloween costumes, that Brady was going to be a little teddy bear.  The costume was super cute and waaay cheaper than the super expensive Hungry Caterpillar costume or the *amazeballs* Dumbo costume I found online (actually, they didn't have the Dumbo costume in Brady's size but next year -- look out!).  But I procrastinated -- though with good reason! How would I know what size to order Brady two months in advance! I mean seriously, this kid is getting bigger by the millisecond! (At his last dr. appt at 2.5 months -- he weighed in at 13 lbs. 14 oz. and 25 in! cripers!) And around the time I decided on a size, I was thrown in the hospital sans internet or credit cards so said costume never got ordered and by the time I got home and my mind back on costumes, it was sadly sold out!

Fearing the worst (what kind of mother doesn't dress her baby up on his 1st halloween!? You don't get these moments back people!!), I dragged my boys out to BuyBuy Baby, the last place we had seen a plethora of baby costumes (honestly, finding a "baby" size costume is NOT easy.  A TON of costumes start at 12 months, under that, it becomes a challenge).  And not only did they have a small variety left, they were on sale! Holla! Because all the haters are like "Why would you spend so much money on something your baby is going to wear one day?" (Note:  see 3 sentences ago!) And I would argue the fact that Brady wore his costume more times than he has worn a significant number of his little baby clothes -- a fine fact to remember next year when I consider buying the terribly expensive, yet terribly awesome Dumbo costume.  True story:  We only do baby laundry because the hamper is overflowing, not because we are even *close* to running out of clothes.  Last time I did laundry, the onesie drawer was still so full it was hard to close! Before the dirty clothes got cleaned and put back away ... oh but I digress.

Soo we had choices! What to be what to be! After a quick deliberation, we settled on a .... baby tiger!!

Look at that tummy!! It was too cute! We both loved it! And I'm happy to report: no tears in our tiger costume -- Brademan couldn't care less that we were dressing him up! I think he actually enjoyed it! And he wore it for *5* days!! The weekend before Halloween was another wonderfully fall weathered day, so we dressed the boy up, packed up our pumpkins and headed over to my parents to use their decorated yard as the setting for our Halloween pictures! Brademan was a super trooper, and Maizy even got in on the fun!

Look at that happy tiger!! Next up, Halloween weekend!! Friday night we took Brady to a halloween party at a friends, dressed as lions (me), tigers (Brade), and bears (Scott).  Genius.  (We were planning on going as Tigger, Pooh, and Eeyore BUT my Eeyore ears are sadly M-I-S-S-I-N-G!! Travesty, but I know they're around someplace...)  Brady was such a fun guy at the party and stayed up late and never even got fussy! Such a party animal!

On Saturday and Sunday, as we are living in baby central over here, there were *4* fests/parades in neighborhoods within walking distance from our condo -- so we checked out two, one each day! Saturday we headed up to Lincoln Square for trick or treating fun with our little tiger -- it's about time *I* get some candy!! My mom used to buy our Halloween candy off of us when we kids so I've never had a bag of endless candy to enjoy! IT'S MY TURN! YEAAA!!  Sadly, though, Brady slept through the entire fest in his stroller Saturday and Scott said we couldn't trick or treat with him if he was sleeping! GRRR. No candy for me.

Thankfully, we had 2 more days to try this thing! Sunday, we walked Brady down to Roscoe Village with my parents for their massive kid Halloween Parade.  Seriously, there were only about a million children there! I mean I'm not even exaggerating that much.  Sooo many kids! And a plethora of CHILDREN in SCREAM masks that bleed BLOOD with a push of a button!!! People, sensor your children a bit!! These bloody ghost face kids could not have been older than 10 or 11!! Scarrrrrrry.  And not appropriate in the least! Seriously.

Brady was more into it today and we got to trick or treat a little, though we tired fast as the lines outside the stores were immense!  Here's Brady's 1st trick or treat though (with a little help from Daddy!)

 And afterwards! Yay Brady!

 And a shot of the parade so you can see just how many children were there ... this was on the way back so they lost a TON of kids to the trick or treating!

It went on for blocks! No lie. I'm amazed.

Now, finally, we made it to Halloween!! Brady got dressed in his warm tigey outfit one last time and went to visit his whole family! First stop -- Gramma and Grampa Minneci's where he trick or treated to the neighbors! Well, it's so easy to do so, they all stand on their porches with huge buckets of candy because that neighborhood is ridic when it comes to trick or treaters!  Then it was off to Grandma and Grandpa Moran's to trick or treat! And finally, with a pumpkin full of candy, he headed home and retired the tiger costume.  I already washed it and packed it in the "too small or out of season" clothes box.  1st official holiday -- over. Tears.

Wearing his Halloween outfit from Gramma while waiting to trick or treat!

Just out trick or treatin! (look at how he held onto his bag haha! knows his momma is after his candy!)

Hope your Halloween was memorable and fun too! :)