No thanks, I don't need any more candy!

Sometime yesterday afternoon, Matt and I discussed the fact that neither one of us would ever want to miss trick-or-treating. We wouldn't want to stay home and relax while the other took the kids out to beg for candy. We wouldn't want to miss out on the one night a year when the kids rushed to each door anticipating what kind of treat they might get or the big smile on their faces while they searched inside that plastic pumpkin looking at all that sugar! Then, last night I had to miss it all.

We went to soccer yesterday morning like we do every Saturday morning. Then, afterward we headed to a neighborhood Halloween festival to fill the morning hours before naptime. We had lunch with Nana & Papa so they could check out the kiddos in their costumes and give them some of their own Halloween treats. Then, we headed home for naps. All seemed to be going to our carefully planned Halloween schedule.

But then Abby woke up from her nap...screaming and crying. While Jackson and Matt rushed around getting ready to go, I attempted to calm Abby. She screamed, she cried and she even squirmed away from me when I attempted to soothe her. Nearly 30 minutes later, she was still crying, and it was time to go...trick or treating awaited. Jackson and Matt headed out to meet up with the Whipples, while I sat on the couch trying to calm Abby in vain. Go ahead, I told Matt....when she calms down, we will meet you there.

Abby continued to cry. I tried everything I could think of. Milk? no. Juice? no. Standing up and rocking her? no. Sitting down? no. Lying down? no. Candy? ( I was desperate!) no. Rubbing her back? no. I sat on the couch and I began to cry. Now we were both crying. After about an hour of this, she finally fell asleep lying on top of me. I didn't move...for 2 hours! Luckily, the remote control was nearby. I went through our library and caught up on the shows we tape but usually never watch. Matt called to check in and I whispered into the phone, "She's sleeping...have fun!"

Then, suddenly, Abby woke up. She looked at me, hair amess, face emplanted with marks from lying against my sweater and giggled. She just looked at me and giggled. She was fine. No more screaming and crying. No more tears. Just giggles. We missed trick-or-treating, but she was fine. We ate dinner and had some Halloween treats while we waited for the boys to return from their trick or treating adventure.

Jackson walked in full of Halloween energy and with a plastic pumpkin full of treats. How was trick or treating, I asked? Great! He replied. Then Matt filled me in on what I had missed. Jackson and Sofia had a great time. Jackson promised to share his candy with sister. House after house, Jackson and Sofia collected their treats and travelled from block to block with the other kids. With a pumpkin full of snickers, lollipops and pretzels, Jackson turned to Matt and told him, I don't need any more candy! Yet, Sofia wasn't ready to throw in the towel. They had to hit up those last couple of houses. When Jackson went up to the last door, he informed the homeowner, "No thanks, I don't need any more candy!" Seriously? Yes....he actually refused the candy. The confused homeowner left for a minute and returned with a plastic stencil to give him instead. He happily took it and trick-or-treating was over.