Trick-or-Lollipop

Although today isn't October 31st, our town has trick-or-treating schedule for this afternoon.  Now that the Babe has once again been inundated with advertising and cartoons centered around Halloween, she is well aware that it requires dressing up and trick-or-treating, or as she likes to say, "trick-or-lollipop".  Why the lollipop?  Because I generally give out safe lollipops, like Dum-Dums or Smarties, that are free of the top allergens. 

So, how to get around the obvious hazards?  I go the simple route.  I lie.  That's right- I lied to her.  I told her we can't go to any of our neighbors' houses because we don't know them.  Granted, we do know one, but I didn't plan ahead to have them give out a safe treat to her.  Instead, we did go to a friend's house, who generously had a planned non-food goodie bag for her.  I also have a goodie bag for her.  I haven't decided if she'll get it later today or on Halloween.  However, but for the candy overload (which she's not big on sweets anyways), she will make out pretty well once it's all over. 

And what did my little princess get dressed as?  No, that wasn't a hint.  She went as a Rockstar.  I got her a t-shirt with sparkly stars on it, black tights with sparkly silver circles, she wore a black sequined hat, light-up shoes, and her toy guitar.  There were a few more accessories, although we did not include the heavy makeup or hard drugs.  Guess I wasn't going for authentic, but pre-school chic.

Saying Goodbye

Over the past few days I've had to figure out how to explain some difficult news for the Babe.  My husband's grandmother passed away, and his initial response was not to explain it to the Babe.  I didn't think that was fair, even if the Babe didn't know her well.  His grandmother lived on the East Coast, and we had been to visit once before the Babe's allergy diagnosis.  Since then, although we've discussed it numerous times, the Babe and I have not made it back due to the Babe's allergies and asthma.  We talk to her about family there, and we've done Skype a few times so she knows who, and has seen, her Great-Grandma Jo.  However, there isn't as much of a tangible connection for her. 

So, how do you explain death to a four-year-old?  I first explained how Daddy, Papa and Gram were all sad right now.  Then I explained that she won't be able to see Great-Grandma Jo again.  I think by my second or third attempt I used the words "death" and "funeral", but very lightly.  I don't want her to think that if someone goes away, its necessarily permanent, or that if someone gets sick or is old, they will die.  So for now, we will focus on being sad, and one particular person being gone.  While she and I can't say our goodbye's in person, we'll be thinking of family while everyone else is gathered to say their goodbyes.

Surprise!

Payback 30 plus years later....I was generally the good one (sorry to my older sister, but we know its true).  I didn't cause many waves as a child.  However, the one thing I did do when I was little, and really enjoyed, was jumping out at my mother and yell, "surprise".  I was pretty good at it, too.  Well, my little one just got me.  Apparently, its not so much fun for the one receiving the surprise.

Unique

How do I know the Babe is my child?  Within minutes of her being born, I looked across the delivery room at her, and immediately saw a strong resemblance with a family member.  When I finally got to hold her, I noted her scent, and every time the nurses brought her back to me, there was no question she was mine (despite her ankle bracelet somehow coming loose).  My husband thought I was making that up, but she was unique, and still is, to me. 

How do I know the Babe is my child?  She loves telling jokes that she finds hilarious...and the rest of us don't get.  Yepp, that's pretty much how I used to (ok, and sometimes still do) tell jokes. 

While she may have different coloring than me (she's fair, blond, and blue-eyed, and I'm a brunette with brown eyes), the shape of her face is starting to look like mine.  It doesn't mean she'll look like me as an adult, although the matrilineal line of my family shares a strong family resemblance (translation= if you're a female on my mom's side, we all look similar).  No matter who she resembles as she gets older, she is unique.