Monday, November 8, 2010

Sugar High

Halloween has come and gone, and we had a fine time despite both children being ill (three cheers for Motrin). This was Isaac's second illness in two weeks, and so I resigned myself to the fact that the season of poor health has begun early this year. Already, Anna's coughing has resulted in two missed events (preschool and a sleepover at her grandparents' house) and it ain't over yet.

But anyway, back to Halloween. Isaac wore the same tiger outfit that Anna donned for two years, and boy was he cute. We loved watching him toddle up and down the driveways carrying an oversize bucket, and offering the occasional tiger growl. By the third house he figured out what was what, and often had his hand in the candy bowl even as our neighbors were handing dropping goodies into his bucket. Obviously, more than a few chocolate morsels were consumed en route.
Spooky Ghost Tiger!

After much debate and discussion, Anna elected to wear her firefighter's outfit instead of her Tinker Bell costume. I felt it was too cold for fairies to trick-or-treat without long pants or a sweater, but Anna begged to differ. We had this same discussion days earlier, mere minutes before leaving for her preschool's Halloween parade (i.e., children in costume walking in a circle - it was precious). I didn't want to push the issue, since I only spent $15 on the outfit back in September.
Luckily she was able to go pure Tinker Bell the day before, at a Halloween party that her grandmother and great-aunt put on for the cousins. They did such a great job, with themed cookies and snacks and everyone in costume. I'd say that was one of the highlights of our autumn.

After the parties and hoopla we were left with a bucket of candy and a preschooler whose "tummy is [always] rumbling for candy." So we did what my mother did with us kids, way back when, and it has worked wonderfully. Anna and I divided up her spoils into groups of three (sometimes four!) candies and put each group into a paper bag. Every day she chooses a bag, and that's the sum total of her treats and desserts for 24 hours. She can choose to eat them whenever she wants (provided it's not right before or during an actual meal), and she's demonstrated excellent self-control. Most days, that is.

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