Fright Fest

After a teeny bit of costume drama, H and C finally settled on Woody and Snow White.  And I'm pretty sure they were the cutest cowboy and princess you've ever seen...

So Sunday night we got all dressed up and headed to my sisters' church's trunk or treat.  We actually beat them there, but saw H and C's friends, Miley and Zoey...

It was a little sunny from that angle, so we tried again...

Halloween is definitely not Hunter's favorite holiday.  He becomes increasingly terrified with each semi-frightening thing or person we encounter.  So he was really reluctant to play with the other kids when we got there.  He had to examine all of the costumes first...

Char ran straight for the playground, though...

During dinner, some kids in zombie-like costumes got there.  You know H was thrilled with that.  He did manage to eat his dinner, though, and eventually walked over with Aunt Katie to set up her car.

When it was time to start trick or treating, Hunter stood with me at the front of the line repeatedly telling me that he didn't want to go to the first 2 cars because they were scary.  To his defense, the decorations on the first car were a little creepy.  I reassured him multiple times that I'd hold his hand and we'd skip the scary ones.  He seemed okay with that answer for about.8 seconds and then he'd once again tell me that he didn't want to go to the scary cars and I'd once again assure him we'd skip them.  This went on until it was time to start walking toward the cars.

Once we did start walking, he freaked. out.  I eventually knelt down in front of my hysterical, screaming 4 year old, and when I realized there was no way I could reason with him while he was in that state, I picked up his terrified, screaming self and carried him to the third car.  He was able to walk through the rest of the way without any more screaming, although we did skip a couple of cars because they were "scary".  By the end of it, though, he was exclaiming to everyone that he "got so much candy!"

Tonight we met up with my sisters again to go trick or treating in their neighborhood.  The experience was really similar.  Both kids were thrilled to get candy, but Hunter had his moments of terror.  He and I decided to end a little earlier than everyone because he had gotten to the point where he didn't want to go up to any of the houses anymore because of how scared he was.  When we came to a house with a single spider decoration and Hunter began telling us in the most dramatic, speedy way ever (wonder who he got that from?) that he refused to go because he was frustrated with how scary everything was, I realized it was time to head back.

Before any of that, though we all met at Nanny and Grandad's house...

The kids were being so goofy in the yard...

After a little while, we headed over to V and Z's neighborhood...

Here Hunter is pointing out a particularly scary item to James...

I really do love every eccentricity that Hunter has.  I'm thankful that he knows what he wants, and he's content to be who he is without worrying what others think.  Oh how I pray that he'll hold tight to that.  And although I don't want him to be afraid of things, I'd much rather have this than have him wanting to wear the scary masks.  Hopefully the day will never come when he's the one who wants to wear those gory or scary costumes!