halloween at home

lately, ben has learned the word "scary" and has started being scared by many things. halloween is not a great time of year of an easily scared 2 year old. though he went trick-or-treating last year on my parent's street, this was our first time in our own neighbourhood. the people across the street go to a TON of work to decorate their yard...i thought ben might not even want to leave our house when he saw it.

(this doesn't even show half of the scariness since it's taken from the window at our house!)

thinking that ben wouldn't be leaving the house, we prepared to trick-or-treat at the mall where i figured most of the costumes would be little kids. the stores hand out candy from 3:30 - 5pm. we left avery at gram and pop's house and we got to the mall at 3:45pm. some of the stores were already out of candy - there were SO many kids! it was a little overwhelming for a two year old but he was pretty pumped once he realized he was getting candies in his bag.

we met up with ben's friend tyson.

"people are giving me candy?"

we had to stop at many of the couches in the mall to "rest" and eat a candy. ben had a great time. but that costume was not made for indoors - it's made for colder trick-or-treating . despite just having shorts and a t-shirt underneath, he was so hot at the end of our 45min.

we picked up avery, ate a couple more treats at grams', then went home for supper. while supper cooked, i asked ben if he wanted to go out to the houses on our street and he seemed keen. we even crossed the street towards our scary neighbours house but he understandably wanted to go the opposite direction down the street. we skipped all the houses that had something scary by their doors. at one point we were walking and he said, "scaydy hands, mommy." i looked at his hands, my hands, and nothing looked scary. then i looked over and saw we were passing some "graves" with hands sticking out of them. poor kid.

ben hit quite a few houses for being on foot but after a street and cul-de-sac, when i asked if he wanted to do one more, he was tired. we headed home to eat. he had just as much fun handing out candy at our door for the next hour, until we ran out (and i was unwilling to give away ben's candy)! when it was bedtime, i put ben in bed and as soon as i'd left the room, the firecrackers/works started. one loud pop outside our house and ben was screaming. i ran in there and ben was face down with his hands over his head, crying - so sad. i pulled him out of bed and popped him in our bed. i layed there for a minute with him and then said goodnight and left. again, more fireworks. again, more terrified screaming. so ben came out of bed and sat with us on the couch and we let him watch monster trucks (very soothing...haha) until ten to 9pm - probably the latest he's ever stayed up with us. i finally tried bed again but he just cried and cried (now, totally overtired and having a major sugar crash, i'm sure). i ended up singing to him until he fell asleep.

then tim and i raided his candy bag...

so, it was a good night and it was a tough night. today, he woke up full of smiles and excitement to eat treats. i sent him to gram's house at 9am with a lollipop in hand - oh dear.