The minute I found out I was pregnant I started contemplating traditions (well….maybe not the EXACT minute, because I did have that week or two of freaking out first). Traditions have been a HUGE part of growing up and my memories of holidays while growing up. My Mom made a big deal out of everything….with green food-colored mashed potatoes on St. Patricks day and heart shaped lunch sandwiches on Valentines day (just to name a few)! She was creative and I just ate it up as a kid…..I believe that it was one of the many factors that makes me such an imaginative and creative person today!
And Halloween was a HUGE one for us (you may remember the story of her picnic table costume)! I remember going to the JoAnn Fabric’s and tumping open the giant McCalls or Simplicity pattern book year after year as I sat and contemplated what I wanted to “BE” for Halloween. And often times we’d find a pattern and discuss various ways to alter it or make it “better” in my mind! I would sit down in Mom’s sewing room the week before Halloween (or often times just a few nights before because Mom was the BIGGEST procrastinator ever) and watch her cut, sew, re-cut, and embellish all to end in a big smile on my face as I paraded around the house in our newest creation to my Dad and our cats. Dad had a great way of pretending to be interested in our shenanigans, but I know secretly he was always watching the World Series out of the corner of his eye! :)
So, this year, has been a BIG anticipation of this “tradition” for me with little Zeke! I know that he’s a boy and will likely not get “as into it” as I did with my Mom, but it’s important for me! I treasured the way that I could “dream up” anything I wanted to dress up as….and I want this for him too. I want to talk about Grandma to him and her various Halloween quirks as I sit at my sewing machine doing the same for him. I want to tell him stories of my childhood traditions and, more importantly, tell him stories of his Grandma and Grandpa. The things we did in the fall and the things that made me so happy to grow up with amazing parents like them!
I guess it’s just a small way that I can bring my parents alive to him!
So, this year……his first Halloween…..I thought and thought and thought about what I could make for him. I mean, he can’t sit up or crawl or (of course) he can’t walk yet. I have to admit it’s a bit tough thinking about Halloween costumes for squirmy, little boys but then it came to me….A PEAR! A bartlett pear. It’s basically just a glorified sleep sack (which he sleeps in every night) so I knew he would be used to the shape and “wearability”! :) I began my design and cut out a few ideas on paper, until I finally had each piece just exactly as I wanted it. A trip to the store for supplies and a few hours in front of the sewing machine and here we have it…..Zeke the Barlett Pear! :)
I love it! :) And I think he looks adorable in it! :)
**And for the record, I did have Zeke in the room most of the time while I was sewing….I feel like it was necessary to the tradition….and through some tears and song singing, I began to paint the picture of his Grandma and her Halloween traditions! It was so fulfilling and will be so necessary every single year! :) I already can’t wait for Halloween next year as we continue this tradition! :)