If you know me, then you know that Halloween is my favorite holiday. There's nothing I love more than dressing up, coordinating costumes, baking Halloween treats and throwing a rowdy Halloween party. I have had our costumes planned LAST year. But sometimes things just do not go the way you hope. 

With Daniel so busy in dental school, and being gone so much between September and October (and being gone over Halloween weekend.) Plus our minds being occupied elsewhere with job searches, contracts, house hunting, etc. I just didn't have time to devote to my favorite holiday. (Plus I have a two month old, and a toddler... Life is BUSY!) 

To top it off, on one of our many trips to Target, some nimrod left a motion sensor decoration on which scared the life outta my toddler... Which set off a chain of Halloween hating (on her part) events. She just wasn't having any of it.  

Two weeks before Halloween I sat her down and had a little heart to heart with her. With so much going on, I was 100% ok with letting her skip Halloween this year. But I was also ready to come up with plans and make sure she had a costume if she wanted to trick or treat. After conversing for a bit,  she told me she wanted to dress up as Daniel Tiger and go trick or treating. So Daniel and I began the (classic) last minute hunt for a costume. But as the hunt dragged on, her conviction to want to trick or treat began to wane; so much so that we pretty much gave up and resigned to letting her stay home. However, with all things toddler, she decided LAAAAST minute that she wanted to go out trick or treating. Thank Heavens for my mom (or Grandma) who came through at the last minute with a peacock costume for Ruby. 

Saturday night in Grants Pass was my cousins ward trunk or treat. Wrestling her in to that costume was like a high stakes negotiation (complete with crying and tears) infused with bribery. I have no shame. Once in the costume Daniel and I just kept telling her how her practiced "Trick or Treat!" Was going to get her delicious candy in her hot pink pumpkin. 

Once at the trunk or treat Daniel took over, and we managed to get her out trunk or treating. After every car she would ask to go home, but Daniel and I would let her know that as soon as we were done visiting all the cars we would take her home. There were some scary cars, and some creepy costumes, and like a little champ, she clung to Daniel's hand and continued on.  

I was so excited to take her trick or treating last night after her great feat at the trunk or treat. But ... It didn't happen. I begged, pleaded, negotiated, bribed (see? No shame.) And nothing worked. So I gave up, and let her stay home.  

Looking at everyone's adorable toddlers and babies and kids and families in Halloween costumes out trick or treating was really sad for me. I just wanted to be able to share all the fun with her, and she wasn't having any of it. I was frustrated and a little irritated. 

This morning I woke up and realized that my baby girl had done something brave. She had faced some fears and gone trunk or treating, against every fiber of her little being, she had done it. I hadn't celebrated that enough. I hadn't let her know how proud I was of her; instead I had already moved on assuming she was over her fears. I had gotten irritated at her for not being over it. 

I'm so proud of that little girl. She went out, put on a costume, mingled with other costumed kids and adults, and trunk or treated. She proudly talks about how she did it, and how she got candy, and I couldn't be more impressed with her tenacity and strength. She's a character: stubborn and strong willed, but she went out and faced her fears like a boss. I love her, all of her. Even though she makes me crazy, I really am proud of her and what she accomplished this weekend. 

She now worships her Halloween candy because I think maybe she knows what she had to do to get it. Originally I was going to have her trade it in for a toy, but I have come to realize just what that candy represents, to both her and I. So of course I will let her keep, and eat, every hard earned piece. 

Taking the time to celebrate her this morning was fun. There were lots of kisses and giggles and candy, obviously. 

CHEERS BABES!