I have always loved Halloween. Sure, it was great to be a kid, trick-or-treating around the neighborhood, collecting candy with my friends, and carefully selecting my costume each year. But it was even better when I was in my 20s. That’s when I found my Halloween groove. I picked the best costumes ever, and spent way more money than my pathetic fresh-out-of-college income could support. One year I spent 7 hours driving around town gathering the components of my fantastic costume. Of course, it goes without saying that killer Halloween parties were all part of the elaborate costume package.
One Halloween, probably the first year after I graduated from college, (2001? Seriously?) I was Wonder Woman. My roommates and I threw a huge bash, and my college pals drove out from Iowa and joined us.
Clever black boxes have been added to protect the identity of my college pals. Bonus points to anyone who can identify them!
After that, the bar had been set-high. Every year I came up with a new fantastic costume, always involving a wig. In fact, sometimes during the Halloween season, I went out wearing a wig just for the hell of it.
One year I was an impressive Margot Tenenbaum.
The following year, and the year after that, I was some sort of pink fairy.
I became the sort ofΒ assholeΒ person who dressed her dog up in costume. Yes.
So of course it was no shock when, after the birth of my first child, I poured a great deal of thought and careful decision making into my daughter’s costume.
On Izzy’s first Halloween, I am dismayed to report that I didn’t wear a costume at all.Β She was the adorable requisite pea in a pea pod, but jeez, how the mighty had fallen. Mommy was an uncostumed loser.
The next year I came to my senses and at least donned a pair of cat ears.
The cat ears became my signature item, a $3 accessory that symbolized all of my lost coolness and served as my thread to the “other world,” in which I was a spunky, supercool 20-something filled with great Halloween spirit. I wore them when Izzy was 2…
…and 3….
There are the tired old ears again.
When she was five, even though I was really a (sleep-deprived) zombie on Halloween, I stuck my newborn baby in the Moby wrap and slapped those damn cat ears on once more. I’m pretty sure I skipped the cool catlike eye makeup that year.
When Sophie was one year old, I decided to step out of the box and dress as a bumblebee, in order to match her darling bumblebee costume. My husband and I joked that we were the “breastfeeding bumblebees,” when we stopped repeatedly for Sophie to get her boobie trick-or-treat on.
This year, who knows? My daughter, her friend, and I went to a Halloween belly dancing performance last weekend, and the girls decided to wear their costumes. Suddenly inspired, I decided to see if I could still fit into my Morticia costume. Sure, I was curvier than I was when last I wore it, nearly a decade ago, (sob) but I could still squeeze it on. My daughter took one look at me, and her horror-stricken expression told me that I had officially become embarrassing. Great. I put on a witchy skirt, extra eye makeup, some knee high leopard print stockings, my black boots, my owl shirt and earrings, and felt as if I had officially recaptured some of my lost spirit. My heart was actually pounding with excitement!
Perhaps it is a pathetic attempt to cling to my youth, but for whatever reason, wearing at least one festive accessory and/or extra makeup while I escort my children on their trick-or-treating adventure makes me happy. Even if it doesn’t hold a candle to the costumes of decades past.
Speaking of Mommy’s costumes, one of the scariest recurring roles I’ve played in the last few years is that ofΒ Mean Mommy.Β Hey, it just so happens that I have a post up at Mamalode today with that very title! Did you like myΒ shameless plugΒ seamless segueway? If you think Mean Mommy is a scary lady, you don’t want to risk encountering her alter ego, Desperate Neurotic Writer…I’d be so thrilled if you’d stop by and check it out, and if you know any other maternal meanies, please share!
Here’s a little excerpt for you… The phrase, βI am not a morning person,β took on new meaning when I became a mother. Mornings seem to be the time of day when my maternal ineptitude manifests in all its frenetic glory, frequently highlighted by misplaced items, sibling squabbles, poor personal hygiene efforts, and undeniable tardiness. Worse yet- sometimes they turn me into Mean Mommy…Β you can read the full post here!
This has been a Finish the Sentence Friday post.
This week’s sentence was: “One Halloween, I….”
No FTSF next week for Halloween night!
The November 8th sentence is: “When I was a kid, I thought…”
Your hosts:
Me
Janine at Janine’s Confessions of a Mommyaholic
Kristi at Finding Ninee
Kate at Can I Get Another Bottle of Whine?
Link up with us below, and share your favorite posts with #FTSF!
I was one of the Pussy Cat Dolls one year with two of my girlfriends in college and totally just brought that memory back to me reading this. Sadly I am so not sure where those pictures landed, but still loved how you did dress up with your girls now for Halloween. I am so not as hip or cool and have left up to my kids to do the dressing up though. Great pictures and truly enjoyed the walk down memory lane here with you π
I strongly urge you to dig out those photos! So much fun going through them… Thanks Janine!
I think the cat ears are a smart idea…I don’t like to wear a costume anymore, but could totally rock the cat ears or silly headband. Dino would be so thrilled. Love all the Halloween photos…such great memories you have…and great torture for when they are older.
Yep- cat ears are the perfect half-ass costume for moms! π Thanks Karen!
Ohmigosh you are so cute in those costumes! I cannot remember the last time I wore a costume… it’s been at least 15 years!! Not even goofy little cat ears… which look fantastic on you! And, can I just say, I LOOOVE that we both posted retrospectives of our kids costumes each year?! Weird synchronicity. π
Ooh, can’t wait to go read yours! I love our synchronicity! π
Aaaah you look good in everything – ESPECIALLY your cat ears one week after having a baby. You look ‘hatin’ on you’ awesome.
Well, don’t be deceived. I looked that way because I had been vomiting for months on end! One perk of having a rare swallowing disorder during pregnancy- it sure is easy to slip back into your pre-baby jeans! π (Also- I totally can’t fit into those jeans today. Cue Gong sound.)
LOL! Ok I get it now. I actually could fit a good chunk of my stuff within a week of having Christopher. I had acid reflux. He was huge 10lbs taking up all my space that I couldn’t keep anything down either. I managed to gain 42 pounds. That was him and A LOT of water. I ate popsicles and slushies from Sonic.
You’re going to kill me when you see my post regarding the Wonder Woman part. But other than that? We are Halloween Soul Sisters, making lame attempts to dress up and mirror past years for our kids. You rock. Plus? How adorable are you every year!?!!??!
Bwahaha! Heading over there now- the title alone killed me. If there’s ever a time to wear a slutty WW costume- it’s when you’re 22! π
LOL I said the same thing when I read your post Kristi. I was like, “Oooo Stephanie is gonna get youuuuuu”.
No, have never worn cat ears. I almost expected to see them on the bumblebee costume of your child (just for effect), but am wondering if they’re a family heirloom now that will be passed down from generation to generation? Or, are you planning on selling them once you become rich and famous? Just wondering. π Good post!
I have bad news. I can’t actually find the damn things right now. Better go to Target! π
I adore you chic Halloween look. Just don black and your cat ears…BAM you are done. It’s awesome!! (although your Margot Tenenbaum made me squee. LOVE it)
As a certified mean mommy myself, I can’t wait to read that one!! –Lisa
Glad someone appreciated my hard-core dedication to my Margot look- yay! π
How fun to see your cat ears keep getting pulled out year after year. I’m really old school — I was way before internet and buying ready to wear costumes. Probably my best one I through together was in law school and I was the Cat in the Hat. I made my hat our of poster board and then put white and red felt strips around it. I felt pretty accomplished with that one — and it made the evening so fun.
See- I am hopeless at crafts and am totally envious of anyone who can pull off any variation of homemade costume. My kids will never know that joy. π
Dang! I’ve got to get some cat ears! I’m not a dressing up kind of gal, but I could throw on some black yoga pants, a black shirt, and some cate ears and at least look like I’m trying, right?? π Loved the post on Mamalode, too! π
You totally could. And thank you SO much for the Mamalode comment love- you are the best!
You get major points in my book for all attempts at Halloween costuming. I must admit the Tennebaum one may be my favorite:)
That is the cutest darn bumble bee I’ve ever seen!!! π
Seriously. I could eat her right up! π
You are too adorable. So you wore cat ears … a lot …. but who cares. You did more than other people do. We rock Halloween. It’s usually a family effort. We did Star Wars last year. This year my son is dressed as a lego ninja…ummm….I have no idea what to do. I have lots of time to think about it right?
I bet your costumes last year were SO awesome. I will never get my husband to dress up on Halloween. Sigh.
Cat ears! Perfect! My ears of choice have been pig ears. No, not the rawhide version one might give a dog, but fluffy pink numbers. Think “Babe” – The Movie – (I’m not pompously boasting about my look.) Anywho, I sported these gems a number of Halloween’s. Can’t find them anywhere – suspect they went back east to uni with my daughter.
I bet they are fantastic! And I adore the movie Babe. π
I was cracking up scrolling down from one photo to the next – the cat ears again! I bought cat ears for $1 at Target this year for my teenager – she’s not wearing a costume but she wanted to celebrate in a small way. I wonder how many years she’ll wear them…
See- they’re great for half-hearted moms and super-cool teens! Cat ears are so versatile! π
totally enjoy the photo-chronolcation* of your Hollywood personae! I can imagine having children is the perfect *extra* to any costume planning, what with them being capable of movement and everythingβ¦though your mention crossing the threshold between ‘my mother-is-the-coolest-person-in-the-world’ and ‘my-mother?-oh-she-must-be-around-here-somewhere-lets-go-look’ must be pretty cool too.
(love the pink wigsβ¦ you do know that that shade is in the Top 5 of ‘I wish this was my real hair’ list of most clarklike females (and some clarklike males).
* not a real word**
** at the moment
Thanks Clark. I am sort of sad that my wig days seem to be over. And yes, Mommy is rapidly moving into the uncool category. π
We got to my in-laws neighborhood for Halloween every year, and my signature “costume” is a black knit dress, black tights, and black boots. The only trouble is, I always forget my witches hat, so I think their neighbors just think I don’t own any other clothes. π
Ha! Funny. You know, that makes me thing maybe I should broaden my horizons and buy a witch hat… π
Well, the cat ears are better than anything I ever attempt. My kids ask me every year why I don’t dress up. Maybe I’ll make them wait until they’re teenagers and they are DYING for me NOT to dress up. That would be fun! π
Love your wigs (and the idea of wearing them just for the hell of it!) That pea in a pod costume is just too cute. I think your cat ears are a great link to your days of Coolness Past … but hey, by the looks of things, you’re still pretty cool now! Love the ‘boobie trick or treat’ part – LOL.
My “go to” Halloween accessory for many years was a witch hat — I know, pathetic. I think you rocked those cat ears! Oh and The breastfeeding bumblebees….love that!
What I’m about to say will shock you: I LOVE dressing up too. I bought wigs every year in my twenties and planned every little detail of my costume and it’s very possible that I’m defending myself here, but there’s nothing pathetic about embracing the holiday’s spirit! I kind of let Halloween fall through the cracks as well since having children, but you’ve inspired me to celebrate it again this year. This was such a fun post totally capturing the spirit of my favourite holiday!
p.s. in Israel we didn’t celebrate Halloween, but we had a similar holiday in March, which is also my birthday month, so I’m sort of programmed to double love dress up holidays π
Sigh. You and I, my friend, who have had great time together in our 20s. I feel as though I may grieve for a bit on our lack of shared history during those “fun times.” … xo
At the request of my elder son, I was a zombie last year, but this year, I’ll probably take a page out of your book and don some ears and call it good!!