Please Don't Torture Us Anymore

Originally posted October, 2006.

Well, it finally happened and I have pouted about it for weeks.

"Oh mom, look!  Look at this one and that one!" they exclaim with ooohing and aaahinhg emphasizing their delight.

"I wanna be Obi Wan Kenobi."

"I wanna be a glow-in-the-dark skeleton."

"I wanna be a police officer."

All of these excited exclamations over flimsy-cheap-store-bought Halloween costumes?  The boys no longer wanted me to design and put together the costumes of their dreams?  Huh?  Why?  Not even my sad, disappointed mom face ploy could sway them.

I quickly gathered my wits and spoke up, "Lee, remember the year I spent hours wrapping you in gauze while you had to stand as still as the Statue of Liberty?  What a frightfully realistic mummy you were."

"Mac, what about the year I sprayed your light blond hair with that horrid smelling black hair paint that took weeks to wash out?  You were such a believable vampire  and no one recognized you."

"And Wil, remember the year you were a clown?  That makeup job was so authentic.  Man, it took some elbow grease to get that junk off your face.  You had a rash for days afterward."

"Oh, and the year I put one of you in an orange trash bag, stuffed it with paper and painted your face green.  Such a cute pumpkin."

"Uh, yeah, that pumpkin was me," Lee moans in recollection.

"Boy, you were really sweating inside that plastic trash bag, weren't you?" I say with a smile.

"And then there was the year..." and I stop mid-sentence.  The faces of my boys said it all...I can read body language and the message was coming through loud and clear...

"Mom, this Halloween could we please not be tortured like abused creatures of some rabid human race?  May we pleeeeeease buy the ready-made costumes.  Pretty puhleeze?"

So  uttering the word "fine!" from my tightly clenched jaw, the deal was done.  I tossed the costumes of choice, those cheap flimsy sweatshop made store bought unimaginative costumes, into the cart and wheeled to checkout.

That scene was about three weeks ago and I have remained less than thrilled about the costumes.  But wait...this morning, Halloween morning, as I sat sipping my morning cup of tea an aura of light surrounded me...heavenly voices sang in perfect harmony...the dang light bulb lit over my head.  Tonight I DO NOT have to rush around like a demon possessed idiot woman attempting to apply makeup and pull costumes together to get out of the house in time to get the good candy.  There will be no cries of "You're hurting me.  That itches. Stop!  You got that junk in my eyes."

Oh...my...goodness...I smile with a new found peace.  Tonight while mothers everywhere play the "demon possessed idiot woman" role, I can sit on my butt.  I can simply say "Boys, put on your costumes.  It's time to trick or treat."

I  sit back, prop up my feet, take another sip of tea and suddenly I am pounced upon by a trio of not-so-small-anymore boys shrieking "Mom, mom, read It's the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown to us!"

They still want me.

~~~

Since life is running me ragged at the moment, I've pulled a post from the days when no one read my blog.  This post was originally published October, 2006.  I'm sharing it today while I prepare a post for a Halloween contest which will be up and running Friday afternoon, October 26.  HP has provided a couple of fun prizes for this and an upcoming contest.  Check back.