halloween 2016.

This was technically Theo's second Halloween, but the first that he actually participated in.

Last year in October we spent half of the month in Irvine, and I didn't really feel like I had enough time after we got back to put anything together for Halloween.  I had purchased a costume for Theo, but it was pretty nonspecific to Theo and we weren't planning on taking a one year old out to get treats.  So the exact day before Halloween I returned his costume, and even though he had no idea what was going on I still felt terrible.  And then I vowed that we would never leave town for two weeks right before Halloween ever again.

This year we got into the spirit wayyyy ahead of time.  Sometime this summer It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown became Theo's absolute favorite show and this influenced our trunk decorations for Trunk or Treat, the only Halloween event we were planning on participating in.  Again, my kid is only two, and does not need a boatload of candy.  But the experience!  We were in it for him to have the experience.

(Next year, I'll aim for a larger, more-sincere pumpkin patch.)

For costumes, I did the halfway-homemade approach and attempted a Batman theme.  I made Theo some batwing sleeves and he loved walking around in them no matter if he was dressed as himself or a crime-fighting vigilante.

It's not a Trunk or Treat without a cultural-hall-set picture.

As for the candy gathering, Theo wasn't fully aware of what the deal was.  He did just fine when the candy was put in his bucket, but when he got to a car that held out the bowl for him to pick a candy himself, he pulled a candy from his own bucket and put in in their bowl.  Which has to be like, the most adorable thing that has ever happened at a Trunk or Treat, right??

When Halloween was over, Theo was cool with carrying around his jack o'lantern bucket around the house all week.  His candy haul has been passed to and sorted in various containers as he does with all of his collectibles.  He has eaten some candy, just not any of the stuff he collected (Only from the giant bag leftover from passing out candy on Halloween night).  And at this point, what he did get is completely uneatable because it's crushed or melted from him constant holding and transporting.

But still!  Compared to 2015, Halloween 2016 was a success.  Let's start planning 2017!