Her first year of Halloween, all we did was dress her up and take pictures. I was pregnant with Gabe and didn’t want to go trick-or-treating. I didn’t need any candy either!
The next year, my little giraffe and I went to grandparents’ houses and that was it. No real trick-or-treating again that year.
We tried this year but my little Devil just couldn’t handle it. We only made it 3 houses before we turned around and went home.
My little 50’s girl tried to make it around the block with her walker, but it just didn’t happen. She would start crying when we would get to someone’s house she knew and then we didn’t stay. Back home we went.
Not much changed the year she was an angel. Crying, screaming and back home really quickly.
I remember being so sad the year she was Tinkerbell. She looked so beautiful and she loved her costume. I thought for sure this would be the year she would finally trick-or-treat. No such luck. We both ended up home and in tears after 3 or 4 houses. I began to wonder if we should just skip Halloween altogether.
And then something clicked when she was Princess Leia. She loved it. She made it all the way down the block. She said “trick or treat!” and “thank you” and laughed and smiled and enjoyed it. I was over the moon.
The next years were even better. More houses, more walking, no tears.
This year she had come home from school early because she wasn’t feeling well. I thought for sure we’d just take a few pictures in her costume and then she’d want her jammies and bed. I asked her “Do you want to go trick or treating, or do you want to stay home?”
“I want to go trick-or-treating!”
So we did. She was amazing. My little Barry Bee (from Bee Movie? It’s one of her favorites.) not only went trick-or-treating but she did it all by herself. I stayed on the sidewalk. She walked up to each house by herself, said “trick-or-treat” and “thank you” and walked back to me. We then continued on to the next house. And the next. And the next. She blew me away. She was just like any other 10-year-old girl on Halloween. Amazing.
Elastamom's Excerpts 
So happy for you! Olivia looked amazing every year. That Little Mermaid picture , though, is the most adorable thing ever. I just want to pick her up and give her a squeeze!!
Beautiful! I’m glad it was another joyous Halloween!
I like that you added the photos from all the years past.
The dogs cracked me up in the 2nd to last photo. They made sure to get in on the shot. 🙂
Olivia’s bee costume is awesome! I’m so excited for both of you. What a wonderful Halloween celebration.
Great job Olivia! You are growing up fast!
Maybe next year you will come over to see the Bloody Bride!
Yay for Olivia! I always think of Olivia on Halloween and remember the story from the first year that she started to really enjoy the holiday. Gave me hope and something to shoot for. This year Janine opened her eyes wide and took a big breath and smiled when she woke up and remembered that it was Halloween. She was able to ring the doorbells or knock and say, ” ‘treat” and “Thank you” verbally for the first time this year. After going down the block and back up the other side, she decided she was done and said, “Home!” Funny how we can gauge progress by how they do on Halloween.
Awesome!
hahahahah all of those photos were amazing!!! I love that she had a wig on as Ariel ahahhaha and little shells hahaha. I love them all three as The Chipmunks. She is so darling and I loved reading about her progress. And that little stinger on her bottom ahhahaha!! She makes the best bee ever!
Me too! I used to love the Chipmunks when I was younger. Here’s something Olivia should know: Simon was my favorite too, when I was last into the Chipmunks. She looks very cute!
PS I love how O is posing in her Snow White dress… I feel like that is something Snow White would totally do!!! haha I love love love it. I keep coming back and looking at all these photos because they are so darling!
i love her little pouty lips in the first picture. the tinkerbell one is probably my favorite. looking at the one of the three of them as alvin and the chipmunks made me sad- i feel like that was just last year! where has the time gone!?!? very cute!
Hooray!! Love this,
I love love love that you never gave up.
I love this montage of Olivia in her Halloween costumes. Glad it was a great Halloween.
Loved looking at all of the pictures! Loved hearing that Olivia loved it this year!
ok… I still have the mermaid picture hanging in my office! I love it 🙂 I love that she is loving Halloween now! My favorite, by far, is still the Snow White. That picture shows all of her beauty!