Happy Halloween.

We had a wonderful Halloween.  This year was Clara's 2nd Halloween, but it was the first year she got into the festivities.

 

Our neighborhood has a ton of people who put up inflatable decorations in their yards from October through January.  In my opinion, they are a little over the top and I'd never own one myself, but toddlers LOVE huge, inflatable decorations! 

Across the street and a few houses down from us had a big pumpkin with two huge ghosts that take turns popping out of the pumpkin.  Clara loved it!  She talked about the "punkin" and the "goats" a lot. 

 

Clara also got into the spirit of feeling scared.  She talked about being scared and scary things a lot!  I don't know how this started, but it was at times funny, and at times a little unnerving because I worry she is actually starting to be afraid of things.  At night, sometimes she comes running into the room that we're in saying, "I scared!" or "scary!", and talking about the dark a lot.  Is this the age when kids start to do this?  Or is she taking after her Auntie Em and becoming a fan of scary things?

 

For Halloween this year, Clara dressed up as a dinosaur.  At first, she wasn't a fan of having the costume on!  But she warmed up to is as soon as she realized she could roar like a maniac and do a dino dance! 

 

On Halloween night, we had both sets of grandparents over for dinner and fun!  We took Clara trick or treating to a few neighbors houses.  She wasn't so sure about that.  She liked walking around the neighborhood at night and seeing other people out and about and hearing excited kids, but as soon as we got to a doorstep, she wanted up in our arms.  I have a feeling that next year, when she realizes that candy is involved, she'll be a little more willing to stand at the doors of neighbors and bravely say, "Trick or treat!". 

 

Here's the little dino.

 

Here she is with Auntie Em (who isn't dressed up as a nurse for Halloween, she was just on her way to work at St. Als).

Here is Clara with her "pink, pumpkin purse".  Once she realized we were calling it her purse, she was thrilled to carry it around the house!

An excited little trick-or-treater!

And here's the after shot...lips stained from her favorite candy of the night, peanut M & M's. 

We haven't given Clara straight up candy before...she's had sweet treats, but not candy, so we were curious to see what the effects would be.  She got a major sugar high, and had trouble going to sleep, but nothing too serious ensued!

Happy Halloween 2012!