TRICK OR TREAT!!!

After last year's witch debacle, (you may recall the difficulties my large head posed to certain articles of clothing like a witch's hat), I decided to try something different this year. I thought long and hard about what I should be for Halloween. The possibilities were endless: Ballerina, Elmo, wench . . . but none of these really seemed to fit my personality or style.

After many days of pondering it over with Chicken, Bear, Kitty, and Elmo (my closest friends in the hours between bedtime and actual sleep time) an idea struck me (though truthfully that may have just been the bars of my crib) - a Cheerleader. Really, when you think about it, a Cheerleader made perfect sense all along. I have all the characteristics: I'm loud, outgoing, boisterous, at times bossy, flexible, and I can turn the charm on instantly when called upon to do so.

I could tell from the beginning that Mommy was going to be a hard sell. I got the vibe she wanted me to be something cute like a lamb or bunny. My hope lay in convincing Daddy that I should be a cheerleader.

I put the bug in daddy's ear early on. I feigned interest in something daddy watches on TV called "football". I played the part beautifully. First I let him put a shirt on me that said "BREES" on the back. I would sit next to him and scream "Touchdown", "Go Tigers", or "Go Saints" at all the right moments. His resistance was futile. Within two weeks he was suggesting to mommy that I be a cheerleader. My plan was coming to fruition!

As the weeks went by talk of my Halloween apparel died down and I began to get nervous. What if Daddy had failed in convincing Mommy? What would I do? What hideous outfit would they place me in? Images flashed before my eyes of me explaining a picture from this Halloween to my friends 15 years from now because my parents have it displayed out for all to see! The horror!

The night before I couldn't sleep, I was too nervous. I did everything I could do keep Halloween off my mind. I read all 13 books in my bed, sang all my nursery rhymes, and debated what really happened to Tony Soprano with Chicken, Bear, Kitty, and Elmo. I must have dozed off because the next thing I knew I could hear daddy's voice saying "Madeline, time to get up." The moment I had been dreading was upon me. It was time to put on the big girl panties and face whatever atrocity of a costume Daddy had for me. I opened my eyes and to my delight, and relief, there hung my Halloween costume, a cheerleader outfit. I wore the costume for the school parade and later that night for the main event. I cleaned up on candy - two pumpkins worth. My sugar high didn't go down for a week!

I am already thinking about next year's outfit. The front runner right now is Princess Fiona from Shrek I (we have the same hair color you know) but I still have all year to decide . . . and to work my magic on mommy and daddy!