i wish i had a rabbit in a hat

(do you remember that song? it reminds me of junior high.)

around labor day each year i start asking my children what they want to be for halloween. each year i receive a different answer almost every day. each year they finally choose at the last minute.

this year was no different.

as a mommy who likes to make things, i started early with my creative suggestions of what the 3 of them could be this year. to no avail.

carter had her own ideas. in each scenario she gave, her sister was a dog or something carter was going to carry. um, no.

then, we had to have the talk about age appropriate costumes. "you are 5. you have all the time in the world to be barbie. let's pick something warmer. it will be cold by then." that's code for "uh, no. i don't think so. there is no way you are wearing that. you need to find something with more clothing. or you will not go."

obviously, not everyone had that conversation with their girls because i saw more little girls in tight, short dresses or fishnet stockings or worse. hello, people they are still little girls even if it is halloween.

so, two days before our first halloween event (because this was the longest halloween in history), my mom and i took the kids to costco to see if we could find a costume for the baby. we were short on time and thought her costume would be the hardest to make. we did not find an animal, but we did find a magician/vampire costume for miller. the costume came with everything-top hat, wand, cape, yada yada yada.

so, after a moment of creative thinking, we decided spencer could be his rabbit and carter could be his assistant. what does an assistant wear? isn't that similar to barbie's costume? i don't think so. but, then josh said she could just wear a princess style dress. and as we were leaving costco, they had a new rack of black velvet and satin dresses. carter was headed straight for them when i blurted out, "look at those pretty costumes! that would be a great assistant's dress." of course, the glittery flowers overtook her and she obliged.

so, now the rabbit. apparently, white rabbits are more of a springtime costume. i didn't know people typically dressed in costume for easter unless they were the bunny sitting in the chair at the mall. but, whatever. i took a chance at a local children's consignment shop and found ten of varying sizes and cuteness. i took the cutest and we made do with the size. (because every girl knows you will put yourself in any size if the outfit/shoes are cute enough.)

they wore the same costumes to four different events. i was a little sad they weren't homemade, but not for long. last year i was up to 2 am painting wendy's stripes. and, i am still working on miller's wardrobe for fall/winter. so, maybe next year. i actually look forward to the year miller wants to be a washing machine or something crazy that i can't buy off the rack.

even if the rack is super cute . . .