Until she went to the dinosaur museum in St. George, Utah on our visit to the grandparents, the kid was going to be that easiest of all Halloween staples--a ghost.
Then suddenly, a few days after we got back, she announced that she was going to be a pteradactyl. I suggested that since the dinosaurs were extinct, maybe she could be a pteradactyl ghost, but she shut that idea right down: "That doesn't make any sense at all," she said.
When it became apparent to her that her parents had no idea how to make a pteradactyl costume, she sketched it out for us. An earlier version had explanatory arrows all over it. "See, the arrows are right there."
She worked through details of wings and pointy beaks and feet with my wife, and last Saturday, they set off for the fabric and craft supply stores. The tapered, batwing-shaped wings didn't produce a satisfactory flapping effect, so Jean tacked a pretty full piece of stretchy material onto a random green t-shirt, and added wriststraps.
For the head, they attached a cone to a tiara/headband deal, both made from thin foam. And that was it. I thought it was perfect, a minimal, almost sketchlike evocation of a dinosaur.
The kid wasn't done yet, though. Right before we left for the big party at the Zoo Sunday night, she insisted on drawing eyes, nostrils, and a mouth onto her pristine conehead. I protested, but ultimately handed over the Sharpie to the artist, and darned if she wasn't right after all. She is basically ecstatic every time she walks out of the house in it, as loud and proud as a pteradactyl.
Very cool. I was so thrilled when Roo decided she wanted to be the little witch from Kiki's Delivery Service. A red ribbon headband, black dress from her closet and a broom. Awesome.
We were thrilled, and quite taken by surprise, when my daughter decided she wanted to be a cat this halloween, and not a princess.
We did K2 up as a cat this year; a black foam headband cut into ear shape; black American Apparel, and some eyeliner. Universal response: "He's so cute!"
all those years going to parties filled with sexy zombies and pimps and hoes made me forgot how totally awesome this holiday is. that costume tells me you guys had a great holiday too,
we spent the morning putting up so many decorations outside our glass cube we had to add the ghost of mies van der rohe rolling in his grave.
It's pretty clear you guys had a blast, too [except for "http://www.sweet-juniper.com/2008/10/children-of-sea.html">Poseidon there; he looks pissed].
I didn't get a picture, because photographing other peoples' kids is creepy, but the best costume we saw at the zoo party was a little boy about 2yo dancing with joy in his little mermaid sheath. We were so happy his parents didn't freak out and just let him wear the costume he wanted--and then we heard this, "Annie, Annie, come on!" and she scampered off.
That is adorable! I love that she sketched it out for you as well- future designer right there. My son was a ghost last year (friendly- not scary) and it was pretty uninspiring - she went with a good choice.