I deserve an award. I have now made four Halloween costumes in four years. My little man has been a monkey, a scarecrow, a skunk, and a T. Rex, the final two at his request.
I thought I had learned from previous years to start early. I started asking him what he wanted to be in August. He was absolutely certain from the start that he wants to be a T. Rex. So I figured if I started then that I may not have to stay up all night the week prior to Halloween trying to complete it. So, much for that plan.
The first problem was finding the pattern. Turns out that a T. Rex is not a popular costume to make. The closest I could find was a dragon pattern. My husband complained that there was no mouth with fierce-looking teeth. My son complained that the mittens had four fingers while a T. Rex only has two. My mom thought I should make it brown, my sister voted for red, and my son wanted to be blue.
Of course, right after I bought the pattern with all intention of starting it immediately, I got sick. Then, because I am apparently the only person who lives in our home that knows how to use the vacuum cleaner or washing machine, I spent the next several weeks attempting to put my house back together. By the time I so much as looked at costume again, it was October.
I spent the last two weeks of October scrambling to complete the requested costume. As it usually goes, I ran into problems the day I thought I was going to finish it. But it is done, and I have to say, I think it looks pretty good.
Last year’s costume was a skunk, that he was sooo excited to wear, until the time came to actually put it on. I was devastated when he threw that temper tantrum about donning the black and white costume he begged for and I worked my butt off making.
This year was a different story. He couldn’t contain himself while getting dressed. He loved the costume. He growled and snarled like a giant meat-eating dino and loved every moment of it.
The costume looks well-loved. There is a giant hole in the tail and the stuffing is coming out of one foot. The spines are bent to one side from pretending to fight off the less terrifying dinosaurs (aka couch cushions and pillows).
Despite the holes and dirt and lost stuffing, I thoroughly enjoyed watching him wear the costume this year. I never had to coerce him into it, but did have to peel it off him a few times. I’m just hoping next year’s costume is a little easier to make. Or maybe I’ll just buy one (but probably not!)
Stacey Sacco, www.ovparent.com
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