File Under: Classic

A month ago I saw adorable baby costumes at Costco and bought Xavi a little tiger outfit.

Yes! Sooooo on top of things, Annie!  Good work!  One down, one to go.

I was certain that Carlitos was going to want to be a dinosaur, so this way I would have two roaring little boys.

Perfect.

A month ago:

Carlitos, what do you want to be for Halloween?

Halloween.

Um, okay, that response makes about as much sense as when I asked you for a birthday theme.  Let’s try again.  You can dress up as anything you want for Halloween.  What costume do you want to wear?

(I wonder if he will just say ‘dinosaur’ or if he will clarify.  I think most costumes are of T-Rex…what if he wants to be an Iguanodon? Shoot, or a Stegosaurus!  How can I add spikes, I wonder….?)

A bunny rabbit.

I’m sorry, Carlitos, a what?

A bunny rabbit.

A conejito?  (Perhaps some Spanglish will get me the answer I am looking for.)

Si, mommy.

Um….okay….

So, I looked all around and couldn’t find a bunny rabbit outfit that didn’t involve the color pink and/or tights.  (I know,  I know, Park Slope, boys can wear pink.  Heck, they can wear pink tights if they want to.  Boys and girls can both wear anything they want.  Gender doesn’t matter…yada, yada, yada.)

Here’s the thing:  I know my son.  He does not like feeling that people are laughing at him.  He is young, but I have still seen him get embarrassed.  And I know that if an adorable little boy goes out in an adorable little bunny rabbit costume people WILL giggle.  They might mean it in a nice, sweet way, but that isn’t how he will take it.

And I don’t want to see that look of confusion and embarrassment on my son’s face…especially on a holiday that should just be light-hearted fun.

So, my husband and I asked him at least 5 more times.  Different days of the week.  Different times of day.  Different intonations.  “Bunicula?”, my husband offered.  “The rabbit from Alice in Wonderland?”, he suggested.

Bunny rabbit.  Bunny rabbit.  Bunny rabbit.

Okay, we get it.

So I scrounged up some white bunny ears from two Easters ago.  Bought a little rubber bunny nose and mouth and worked on finding two items of his clothing that are gray or white.  I even have a plan for his cottontail!  Cotton balls glued to his wooden Brontosaurus pin.  Genius!

So, obviously.  I mean, just obviously…

Yesterday I ask him to tell someone what he is going to be for Halloween.

A DINOSAUR!!!!!!!!!!!!  With a LONG, LONG, LONG tail!!!!  And I will say ROARRRRRR!!

Excuse me?  You mean a little bunny rabbit?  (Like you have been saying NON STOP for a MONTH!)

No, mommy, a dinosaur.  Or a dragon.  I want a long tail.

Perhaps he saw Willow Smith’s video and got inspired or something?

This morning I double checked.  Same answer.

Dinosaur, mommy.  I want a long, dinosaur tail and I will say ROAR!

Of course, today he needs to wear his costume at school for the Halloween activities.  Today.  Like, less than 6 hours from now.

Alright, on a day when I already literally have more obligations than I can fit into 24 hours, I will go out and try to find you a dinosaur costume. On October 29th.

This is a mother’s love.

And this is also something I will be showing you 12 years from now when you think I am the meanest mother in the world.