Ah, the best laid plans…

So, this year I informed the children that I would *not* be making their Halloween costumes. That I had far too many other things going on and they were quite capable and creative enough to come up with something on their own. I would still, of course, make Galen’s as he’s a bit to young to do his own, and I would provide any supplies needed, as well as advice and ideas as to how to best go about things, but that was it.

It all worked out with Elijah. Resourceful boy that he is, he played the Grandparent card and called Pop-pop to see if he could borrow his Santa hat. And in grandparently fashion, Pop-pop promptly went out and bought him a hat of his own. With a pair of red sweat pants and a red shirt (both borrowed from Iain), stuffed with his bed pillow, and he was well on his way to being a right jolly old elf. I gave him some ideas for the beard and the belt and with just a bit of help he managed them both quite well.

Then came Iain.

We came up with many, easily executable ideas for parts of his costume. He was to borrow a hat from Elijah and make himself a tunic of felt. He could easily put together a little sword out of scrap wood. He remained quite bothered by the fact that he couldn’t seem to come up with anything suitable to wear underneath said tunic.

There came a Friday when I was sorting through his clothes with him, only to find that somehow virtually ALL of his pajama and long-john pants no longer fit. How does that happen seemingly overnight?!?

Flash forward to Saturday morning. I’m standing in the fabric store, with elastic and sewing machine bulb in hand, waiting for the lady to come back from checking on my special order. People buzzed about me. Unbeknownst to me, I’d wandered into a huge sale. And so there I stood….waiting and staring at some bright green cotton rib knit, marked 40% off.

“40% off”

“You said you weren’t making anything…”

“It’s just the right color and he does need pajamas anyway…”

“You said you weren’t making anything *because* you already have far too much to do…”

“I already have just the right pattern…”

“You’d have to trace the next size up.”

“I’ll have to trace it anyway to make his Christmas pajamas.”

“What happened to that lady?!? I mean seriously, how big can that store room be?!?”

“I can make them for far less money then I could by them.”

“Think of all the bags of apples you have waiting to be processed at home….”

“and I’m going to have to do something about it eventually, it’s getting cold out.”

“and Galen’s, still as of yet, uncompleted costume”

“maybe I’ll just check the original price…”

“sigh. What’s the point?”

The lady came back with my lace and I went home with two yards of bright green ribbing.

Another of my frequently used Kwik Sew patterns. Number 3234.

Tunic by Iain, long-johns by Mama (with a good bit of room to grow!)….

And what would Peter Pan be without the faithful Tink??

Crafted by the Pan-boy himself.

And surprise!

Notice anything different??

Apparently Peter Pan does not have long hair (the book was referenced). Oh, we’re all about the authenticity here….

This decision came about an hour before we were due to leave for the party. He’s shown no desire for a haircut since the last time he abruptly decided to cut it all off. And he hasn’t had so much as a trim since then (then being April of 2007).

I’ll admit I was a little hesitant, fearing that he would change his mind half-way through. I stood poised with my scissors asking for one last time if he was absolutely sure. I have many skills as a mother, but no matter how distraught the child, reattaching severed hair is not among them. Apparently my trepidation was unfounded as he is completely content. I can’t remember a time since infancy when his hair was this short! He’s always been my long-haired boy. It’s most interesting, the changes that time brings.