Nutcrackers

While out shopping last week, Josh and I passed a huge Christmas display filled with Nutcrackers.  Josh excitedly pointed to a section of stuffed Nutcrackers and said "Mom, look. A Nutcracker that doesn't nutcrack!"

Darth Vader

After buying the Darth Vader costume for Josh, I figured we were set for Halloween.  Then the school sent home a note saying that there are no masks or weapons allowed.  Great.  Darth Vader NEEDS his mask.  That's who he is.  And no Light Saber?  Well, I didn't push Josh into being something so recognizable only to be left wearing a cheaply made one piece jumpsuit that could hardly be considered a costume.  The only solution was that he needed to get his face painted.  When I brought this up, he immediately and adamantly opposed it.  He kept saying that it would look weird.  I didn't pressure him about it at the time but did find subtle was to bring it into almost every discussion we had.  Then Sunday was upon us, the day before Halloween and he was still refusing to get his face painted.  I knew I had to bring out the big guns.  As we were driving in the car I said "Josh, we're painting your face for Halloween tomorrow, right?"
"NOO!" he whined back.
"Why not Bud?  It's going to be so cool."
"No it's not."
"Who can we ask to see if it will be cool? What if Dad says it's cool, then can I paint your face?"
"No."
"Well, what if Jake say's it's cool?  He knows about that kind of stuff."
Josh kind of half way looks at me and says "He does?"
"Yeah! Of course.  He would totally know if it's cool or not. What do you think, should we ask him?"
Josh kind of grins and nods his head.  I pull out my phone and as I'm finding Jake's number I  say "Ok, so if Jake says that it will be cool, then you'll let me paint your face right?" He does a half nod.  That's not good enough for me though so I say "What?  I can't see you."  He reluctantly says yes out loud. I dial Jake's number and put him on speaker phone.  I tell him the situation and really play up the part that we called him because he "knows about this kind of stuff."  True to Jake's character he catches right on and gives the face painting a very enthusiastic stamp of approval.  I glance at Josh and he's trying to hide a smile.  I glance at Mike and he's rolling his eyes at the way I'm manipulating Josh to do my will.  I just smile. 

Halloween morning I send Josh off to school and promise to meet him at lunch to help him into his costume and to paint his face.  He didn't even complain. When I met him at lunch he was nervous but excited.  I brought out the face paint and that's when I froze.  What the freak was I doing?  I've never painted anybody's face before.  Heck, I don't even know how to put on makeup.  As I'm staring at Josh I've realized I've come too far to back out now.  I grit my teeth and start painting away.  Josh can't seem to stay still and it feels like it taking forever.  I keep telling Josh that he's starting to freak me out and that he looks amazing.  This makes him smile and I can tell he's starting to feel more confident.  I'm still not so sure.  We finish and I wait for his approval.......He loves it!!

After school I asked him how it went and he said "Great! The kids didn't even recognize me."  He also said that no one thought it looked weird. 

Mike took Josh trick or treating and sure got off easy.  Josh went up and down the street and then asked if they could be done.  Here's his loot.

This was the one year I regretted having told my brothers and sisters that I didn't need any left over Halloween candy for my birthday.