Halloween Costume Candidates [your input requested]

Hollah!  It's October!
In America apparently that means the government shuts down, but who wants to read about that in a mommy blog...  In Arizona, October means the weather is going to actually cool off before the end of the month, and not just for a couple days a before it gets hot again.  Herein "cool off" means the high temp is consistently 85 or lower.  Rejoice and be glad, it's time for boots.

As I've said before, I don't get all excited about pumpkin flavored coffee drinks or pumpkin decorations... but while I wait for Christmas time, I do love me some costume planning!

A history of Griffin Halloween costumes:

• When we were engaged we dressed as Mary Poppins and Burt.  This is still my favorite costume pairing ever. 
• First year of marriage, before pregnancy, we handed out candy as Elmo and Grover, then my parents and friend completed the Sesame Street Cast  for a party as Big Bird, Oscar and Cookie Monster.
• Last year for Penny's first Halloween we wore some old Sumo Wrestler costumes I already had, and dressed Penny as an elephant (so cute).

 

I love that my mother sewed almost every Halloween costume I ever wore as a kid.   I love dressing up.  I love the arts and crafts of it, the creativity.  I love how children carry themselves when they are in a Halloween costume, so stoked to present it to each door-answerer, so proud of their choice, so proud of their new persona.

I also want to stay in check with the whole time and preparation aspect of being a mother, running a house, having a job, AND coming up with a Halloween costume(s) for my kid (and family, including dogs... maybe.).  Thank goodness I'm not on Pinterest because I bet that website's crazy with costume ideas that will make any mom go manic.  I don't do well with optionitis.

Last year Penelephant was a real hit of a Halloween get up.  I loved the Carter's costume from Costco, it was so easy and so cute and so comfortable for our little three-month-old.  It was perfect.  This year we want to do something that represents our toddler daughter well in this phase of life that she is in.  The possibilities are endless.

Here are some of the ideas we've been throwing around:

• A Monkey (That's her nickname.... plus picture this: Penny as Curious George and Dan as The Man in the Yellow Hat... eh? eh?)
• Piglet (how cute would this be with me as Pooh and Dan as Tigger... I'm just not sure how I feel about my sweet little girl portraying an androgynous pig who is afraid of everything... am I overthinking it?).
• A bug of some kind (butterfly? busy bee?)
• Doggy (after all, this is her favorite animal)
• A Pixie (she's got the hair for it)

I'm also loving this section on Martha Stewart Living.

I'll make you a deal...

Anyone who suggests a different costume idea in the comments (on the blog comments, not Facebook comments), that we end up loving and using, gets a $5.00 gift card to his or her choice of Chipotle or Chic Fil'A or The Coffee Shop at Agritopia or The Cutting Board Cafe or any of Joe Johnston's restaurants.  Five dollars, I know... what a huge blog giveaway.

After we decide what she is going to be, anyone who ends up lending me the costume for Penny to wear gets the same gift card offer above as a thank you.

Or just feel free to weigh in on your thoughts... what should Penny be for Halloween?  My brain is tired and I'm feeling indecisive and I'm open to doing a family costume, including or not including the dogs, or just having Penny dress up.

Comment away!