Draper ingenuity

Mark and Gabrielle were out raking up the billions of leaves that fall off our Catalpa tree each year into our side yard. I peeked out the window and noticed the toboggans were all out, with no snow in the forecast. But no, those smarty-pants Drapers weren't heading to a ski hill, they were using them to fill the leaf bags. Engineers!

A too long story about Halloween

And finally the buildup to the major event of every year... Halloween. Not just for the kids, but also for me. Parents are the purveyors of the perfect costume for the world's pickiest and most fickle clients. I always get the kids thinking about their costumes nice and early, say around July, so that they can change their mind lots of times and then hopefully settle on an idea and give me time to pull it together. I am starting to think this is not such a great strategy.

And so this year we were all on board - they were going to dress up as clowns, inspired by the Backyardigans episode "Best Clowns in Town." We had watched the show several times, I took copious, detailed notes of the various costume items needed by each character, and I prepared a shopping list for each of them. And then, one week before Halloween, when I was sure, oh so SURE that they were not going to waiver from the clown idea, Gabrielle and I hit the stores, intending to get what we need.

First stop she sees a unicorn costume and all bets are off. Mummy, I don't want to be a clown, I want to be a unicorn. Of course you do. So frantically, I start to scour the racks looking for costumes Isaac might want to wear. Race car driver? Tiger? Casper the friendly ghost? I text Mark each idea and each time Isaac quashes it. He doesn't want to be a clown if Gabrielle's not doing it but we don't have a backup plan. And so I return home, with one delighted child in a unicorn costume and no good ideas for Mr Fussy.

And so the next morning I ask him: Isaac. Dear sweet boy. If you could be ANYTHING. Anything at ALL, what would you be? A truck. A truck? How about a garbage truck? SOLD.

And so I got all my creative juices going, buying little lights and reflectors and downloading logos and I spent a glamourous Saturday night building a garbage truck costume for my boy. Oh sure, it was uncomfortable to wear and started falling apart within a few houses but he loved it and the neighbours loved it and he even got extra candy at most houses because people thought he was such a genius for coming up with that costume.

And who said my graphic design schooling was a waste?

"Baby's first haircut"

At the age of 3!!??

So as we were cruising towards the fall, we realized Isaac's hair was finally starting to get in his eyes. Hey, how about a haircut? Called our local kids' haircutters, Chiquicuts, and booked "Baby's first haircut" at a discounted rate. They were a little surprised when they saw how old he was. But still, it's his first haircut, so they honoured the discount.

I was concerned that he'd be averse to having a stranger cutting his hair. Turns out, once the TV was on, he didn't notice a thing. Below, the captivating power that is Dora.

He spent most of his time ducking from Linda and trying to see around her.

He didn't speak a word to his hairdresser, he just focused steadfastly on the TV screen.

And then, 10 minutes later, it was all over. We never made it past the previews.

Another satisfied Chiquicuts customer.