HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

I think this was my favorite costume that I came across this season:



Find the instructions here. Via Super Punch.

Halloween Safety Tips

Sarah from AT&T asked me to share these Halloween safety tips with you:

• Program emergency contact numbers for nearby family and close friends to the speed-dial list on your and your children’s cell phones.
• Have a family communications plan in place. Tell your kids to call home if they become separated from the group or if they ever feel scared or lost.
• Capture/share the moment by using your camera or video phone feature to snap those funny, spur-of-the-moment photos or videos of your kids in their Halloween costumes.
• Create a "Trick-or-Treat" patrol. Have a group of adults monitoring Halloween activities by posting people with wireless phones throughout the neighborhood. It's a great way to keep neighborhoods safe and builds camaraderie.
• Make sure your wireless phone has a fully charged battery. That way, you can be assured the phone is working while out and around the neighborhood.
• Raise the volume. With all the noise of a group, it can be hard to hear the phone ring, so be sure to put the volume on high and select a clearly audible ring tone.
• Make sure kids can easily access their wireless phone. Costumes and candy can get cumbersome -- use a belt clip or other accessory that leaves hands free but keeps the phone within easy reach.
• Establish a periodic check-in time. For older children who may venture out with less supervision, set a periodic check-in time to call or text home through the evening to ensure they are OK.
• Keep a list of adults’ contact information. Trade phone numbers will all parents who are in your party, especially if you can’t physically be with your kids.
• Be a Wireless Samaritan. If you see anything suspicious or out of place, call 9-1-1 or notify local law enforcement authorities.
• Drive responsibly. Don’t let phone conversations be a distraction as you cruise the neighborhood.

By the way, Sarah said that Halloween is one of AT&T's heaviest wireless calling days each year, though she couldn't explain except to say that calls are generally heavier on holidays.

Trick-or-treating alternatives for babies and toddlers

I don't see the point in taking my kids door-to-door on Halloween. We just don't live on a street where there are a lot of families, let alone where everyone is friendly and the kids all play together. Plus, it's not like our kids can walk all that far, being so little. But it's fun to dress the kids up, so we've come up with some ways to enjoy Halloween all the same:

• As I've mentioned before, we celebrate each year with a Halloween party with my mom's group. It's a pot-luck, which makes it easier on the host, and a chance for us moms (and dads) to catch up.
• Our local shopping mall has a trick-or-treat event in the early evening on Halloween. We took Alex last year and plan to take him back this year, since this gives his grandparents a chance to see him in action. I recommend going early, since some of the stores ran out of supplies within the first half-hour. The great thing about this is that there are stores that give out things beside candy - last year, the Apple store gave out key chains.
• Reverse trick-or-treating. I got this idea from my friend Shanna, who took her son to her husband's office and handed out candy. It was a meet-and-greet for her husband's co-workers, some of whom had only heard about their son but not seen him. This would be especially wonderful to do if you know of a hospital or retirement home that would welcome your child.
• Go to a friend's house. We did this for Alex's first Halloween, since a good friend lives on a street with lots of families. This is similar to the Halloween party idea, but on a smaller scale, and you (or your child) will be handing out candy to older trick-or-treaters.

Do you have any other suggestions?

Baby Halloween Party

After Alex was born, I had the good fortune to become part of a wonderful group of mommies who all have kids about Alex's age. We've had a Halloween party every year, and I highly recommend it since Halloween for babies is all about the parents. The party doesn't have to be on Halloween if that's inconvenient - instead, have it the weekend before. After all, that just gives you another chance to put baby in the costume.

Wholesome Baby Food has some great ideas for a Baby's Halloween Party, including some pumpkin-themed baby treats like Pumpkin Yogurt (scroll down to the bottom of the smoothie and yogurt recipes). Their pumpkin page has instructions on how to choose and cook a pumpkin for baby, and recipes like Baked Pumpkin Slices. (If you can find it, I highly recommend Japanese pumpkin, or kabocha.)

(pictured is Babystyle's octopus costume, which Marc would not let me buy :( )

Today's Reading: September 13, 2007

• lots of photos? here's an easy way to show them off at ikea hacker - An easy and inexpensive way to display a whole bunch of photos.
• Free and Easy Halloween Costumes for Kids at Free Stuff 4 Kids
• 52 Weeks of Baking: Baked Doughnuts at Yum Sugar (Yes, you read that right - baked donuts!)
• Sack Lunch Ideas: Keeping it Cool at scribbit - I would not have thought of freezing pudding cups but I may start doing this for my own lunches now :)
• How Many Diapers are in That Pack, Anyway? at Baby Cheapskate - This is a very handy chart for comparison shopping and calculating the price per diaper.

And speaking of donuts ... Krispy Kreme is holding The Ultimate Krispy Kreme® Recipe Contest. Via Super Punch.

Halloween Safety Tips from the CPSC

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission offers these tips for a safe Halloween:

Costumes

• When purchasing costumes, masks, beards and wigs, look for flame-resistant fabrics such as nylon or polyester, or look for the label "Flame Resistant." Flame-resistant fabrics will resist burning and should extinguish quickly. To minimize the risk of contact with candles and other fire sources, avoid costumes made with flimsy materials and outfits with big, baggy sleeves or billowing skirts.
• Purchase or make costumes that are light, bright and clearly visible to motorists.
• For greater visibility during dusk and darkness, decorate or trim costumes with reflective tape that will glow in the beam of a car's headlights. Bags or sacks also should be light colored or decorated with reflective tape. Reflective tape is usually available in hardware, bicycle and sporting goods stores.
• Children should carry flashlights to see and be seen.
• Costumes should fit well and not drag on the ground to guard against trips and falls.
• Children should wear well-fitting, sturdy shoes. Oversized high heels are not a good idea.
• Tie hats and scarves securely to prevent them from slipping over children's eyes and obstructing vision.
• If your child wears a mask, make sure it fits securely, provides adequate ventilation, and has eye holes large enough to allow full vision.
• Swords, knives and similar costume accessories should be made of soft, flexible materials.

Treats

• Warn children not to eat any treats until an adult has examined them carefully for evidence of tampering.
• Carefully examine any toys or novelty items received by trick-or-treaters under three years of age. Do not allow young children to have any items that are small enough to present a choking hazard or that have small parts or components that could separate during use and present a choking hazard.

Decorations

• Keep candles and Jack O' Lanterns away from landings and doorsteps where costumes could brush against the flame.
• Remove obstacles from lawns, steps and porches when expecting trick-or-treaters.
• Indoors, keep candles and Jack O' Lanterns away from curtains, decorations and other combustibles that could catch fire. Do not leave burning candles unattended.
• Indoors or outside, use only lights that have been tested for safety by a recognized testing laboratory. Check each set of lights, new or old, for broken or cracked sockets, frayed or bare wires, or loose connections. Discard damaged sets.
• Don't overload extension cords.

Note: If you have children, I highly recommend signing up for the CPSC's recall list here.