I guess my worries were for nothing. Ghost, doctor, pirate for Halloween — nope. She wants to be a princess.
That fact would have been nice to know before I spent two days going to seven different stores trying to find a pirate costume. We go for a treasure hunt at least once a day as Mommy Pirate and Kiddo Pirate, searching under chairs and on top of dressers to find the treasure chest and key. I only assumed that she would be excited to have an actual pirate costume complete with eye patch, sword and hat. I was wrong, so very wrong.
Saturday we planned to attend the library Halloween event decked out in our brand new costumes. My youngest has been really into roaring and scaring us lately, so she was delighted with her pink and purple ensemble. She even tried to wear it to bed the night I brought it home. Very excited about the pirate costume I finally found, my oldest started putting on her red tights when I hear “Mommy, I don’t want to be a pirate. I want to be a princess.”
My heart sunk. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not anti-princess. I was just looking forward to having a cute little pirate search for her treasure at all of the Halloween events in the coming weeks.
The bigger obstacle was I had no princess costume for her to wear. My mom was Pork Queen when she was in high school and still has the crown she wore as well as costume jewelry from different auctions throughout the year. I hoped we could be a pirate princess, still keeping her costume and adding some sparkle. It was a no go. She wanted nothing to do with her pirate costume.
I was a little beside myself. We had only a few minutes until the we were to be at the library and I had a 3 year old refusing the only costume I had available. My mom took over as I dressed my youngest, searching in old dance costumes and past dresses I had as a kid. What they came up with was quite a sight..
Still in her red tights, they added a white tutu slip with a pink star and a purple suit jacket with gold trim that was used for the beast costume in a Beauty and the Beast outfit I once had. With the addition of the tiara, rhinestone necklace and bracelet, she was a happy princess and I was shaking my head. I was reminded that she was happy and that is what was important, but I still cringed a little as we headed out the door.
Through all of my worries, we made it to the library, and after we were home, I set out to make a princess costume. I gave the pirate one last try, but after getting turned down again, I packed it up to be returned.
After 15 years of dance, I figured I could find something for her to wear that would resemble a princess dress. I looked through tote after tote of long forgotten dresses and costumes and settled on a semi-formal dress I wore my sophomore year. It was pink with sparkles and could be tailored to fit a 3 year old, at least I hoped.
Excited with my find, I showed the kiddo, who looked at me and said she wanted to wear the purple. I love her and I want her to be happy, but that outfit just wasn’t going to cut it for this mommy. After cuts and hemming, sizing and the addition of numerous rhinestones, her new princess dress was ready.
I think the final result was acceptable, especially after we added the tiara. Having had enough of costumes, I changed the plans a little bit and the girls headed to Night Eyes in their Halloween outfits, leaving the costumes hanging in the closet.
Contact Jamee A. Pierson at
641-792-3121 ext. 6534 or
jpierson@newtondailynews.com.