The Most Precious Sea Otter In The World

You already had a sneak peek, but here is the real deal!

Monday night was trick-or-treating at our local downtown Main Street.  A line stretched around the block, people kept cutting in line, there were teenagers with bad attitudes, and it was all around a pretty lousy time.  But it was a good first run for the Sea Otter.  And the first time someone put candy in her Elmo bucket - watch out, we have created a serious candy monster here.

Most common question.  Is that a Beaver?

Thursday night was trick-or-treating at the Zoo.  I was totally thinking "okay, we'll go for a short while, hit a few stations, show off the costume, pick up some candy, get a few photos.  But then we'll leave.  We won't, like, walk the ENTIRE zoo or anything.  That's freaking crazy."

Only, there's one way in, and one way out, and they have ropes and characters and security to keep you moving in one direction.  Forward.  Ahead.  Through the Zoo.  The entire.  freaking.  zoo. 

It was also my mom's birthday, and I had asked if she wanted to go with us.  So I didn't bother to get the stroller from her and put in my car, since we'd be meeting up with her later.  Then later we were talking about logistics - the Wee One and I were already on the other side of the river at our respective schools, and she had a work appointment she needed to keep - so the Wee One and I end up at the zoo sans stroller.

Have I mentioned that the feet on the costume are too huge for words?  I mean, they are supposed to be completely and totally realistic, it is a certified Animal Planet Special Edition costume here.  But my girl who is still in size 3 shoes?  Can't walk in the damn thing.

I carried 21 pounds of Sea Otter through the entire zoo.

The zoo people all knew it was an Otter.  Noone even said Beaver.  Not even the Princesses.

Even the Peacock knew she was an Otter.  I think.  It was hard to tell.

Friday was her daycare trick-or-treating event at a nearby business.  It is a large company, and the departments had a contest to decorate booths in the large atrium.  The children visit there often for events like a Derby Parade.  The employees really get into it and look forward to the children coming.

When I got to the daycare to put her into her costume, she started screaming.  Seriously screaming.  As soon as I put her feet into the costume, she threw a fit like I had really never seen before.  I'm sitting in a room full of parents, her caregivers, and other children, and I really didn't know what to do.  I knew that what I should do was say to her that it was okay if she didn't want to wear her costume.  But I was embarassed about taking her to get candy if she wasn't in a costume.  And I didn't want to just leave.  I really struggled about it, but she kept screaming and refusing, so I just put her back into her outfit.  She at least wore the hood for a little while.  Then it came off too.

At least I had her in orange-and-black.  And seasonal Babylegs.

Saturday we went to see our Miss Lori for costume Quick Takes.  After Friday's episode I was really worried, but she put her costume on fine and let some photos be taken of her.

Sunday she was ready.  She could tell something big was going on.  I was cooking dinner - I had decided that our traditional Halloween dinner would be Bubble and Squeak, and it wasn't going well at the stove - but she was READY.  She brought me her shoes, then a diaper, then some socks, and finally her coat.  I got the idea she wanted to head out the door.  So I packaged up her costume, two flashlights, and the potatoes-and-cabbage-that-wasn't-frying and we headed to Nan and Grandpa's.

My mother actually said (after two glasses of chocolate wine) that she admits that the Sea Otter costume did end up being pretty cute.  I am SO glad that I went with it.  I saw tons of ladybugs and kitties and even some cute frogs, but I have yet to see another Sea Otter this year.  Even if we did see one, it would have been impossible to be this cute!

Hope everyone had a fun and safe Halloween!