About Sweetmama Editor
Nadine Silverthorne’s love of journaling began in Grade One with the entry, “I am the greatest dancer!” Two babies (and countless diaper changes) later, she has found her home away from home as editor of SweetMama. Don’t miss her humorous bi-weekly accounts of the joys and pains of working while raising them fabulous.
HAPPY Halloween
silver spoons canada
(Oct.26.09)
I always thought I'd be the kind of mom who made my kids' costumes. Pre-kids we'd been Archie and Veronica, Trinity and Neo from the Matrix, and even a four-way Skipper, Ginger, Gilligan and Mary Ann (with my BFF and her husband) -- all sourced with finds from Value Village and some haphazard sewing by me. I was crafty and I truly enjoyed re-creating these characters.
When Nate was a baby, Jan was fixated on this hot dog costume and wanted me to also make a French fries costume for him. A tired new mom, I picked up a Tigger costume at Zellers the day before. The next year Jan was obsessed with Nate being King Kong with an Empire State Building father toting him around. I managed to scrounge up the store bought parts of a Superman costume at the last minute (which Dad managed to coordinate a Clark Kent outfit for).
Then Jan took matters into his own hands, spending two days on a robot costume that didn't quite fit. I pulled out a plaid shirt, Tonka hard hat and some play tools and we told Nate he was Bob the Builder. Last year I totally gave up and bought him the Batman costume that blew his mind (and has had dozens of repeat wears) and that pretty much solidified it. I might never be the mom I thought I'd be.
This year Nate said he wanted to be Pikachu from Pokemon. "What? Are you sure?" we asked repeatedly. He's never seen the show or the movie, but the obsession started in daycare and then was fueled by a stack of cards given to him by one of our neighbours. How was I going to make that happen? And what do you do when you can't stand what your kid chooses to be for Halloween?
For about a week or two, I mentally designed the costume in my head, seeking out yellow tracksuits and black felt. Then frustrated, I went on eBay and clicked the "Buy it now" button. After shipping, etc. the sum was a ridiculous $50. What did I do?
"I'm at Goodwill and there are four Pokemon costumes here. They're $8 each..." my resourceful friend Marla reported, only to hear me groan on the other end of the line. What did I do? Why didn't I wait? Why did I spend so much so spontaneously?
And then the package came and I instantly knew why. The look on my son's face as he took out his amazing costume was priceless. "Whoa-ho-ho! It's SO COOL!" Little kids don't care where their costume comes from, they just want to eat copious amounts of candy enjoy the spirit of Halloween in an outfit that makes them kinda-sorta look like whatever thing they are into at that moment. Their path to happiness is simple. Maybe we all need to be in costume to remind us just how simple it is.
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Speaking of the path to happiness... Genuine Health is asking you to submit your happy place for the chance to win 1 of 20 Genuine Health prize packs, as well as raise $20000 for the David Suzuki Foundation. (50 cents is being donated for every submission.) Their new product, Omega 3 + Joy is supposed to make you happy after taking it for three weeks or so. I suck at taking vitamins, but I am keeping these on my desk -- and usually remember to take them at 11AM or 3PM, when I'm hunting for chocolate. Who can say no to the promise of happiness in a bottle?