Nope.  I will blame it on marketing.  The costume store had the Dora costume hanging right at 3 Year Old’s Eye Level.  Frankly, they could’ve doubled the price on it, and I’ll bet dozens of parents like us would’ve had to get it.

So she chose to be Dora.  I tried to talk her into Zombie Dora.  I could do it.  But no.  Dora. 

These costumes were bought several weeks ago.  Yesterday, as I’m spreading the blood and gore on my costume, the day of Beggar’s Night in our town (we do it on any day but Fridays and Saturdays, to avoid older kids causing too many problems…)… and she says she wants to be a zombie.

Needless to say, my heart burst with pride, but with only hours to go before we head out the door to claim our bounty, I am left with only a cute, colorful Dora costume to manipulate.  As I looked at the babe and thought about what has to be done there, thought about the decor that still had to go outside (all the stuff that plugs in/turns on/spews gas/jumps out), thought about still feeding four kids dinner… I actually TALKED HER INTO KEEPING HER DORA COSTUME.

One would think I had been drinking at this point, but no.  I’m still shocked I did it.  And it was good.  She was happy.  I was sort of happy.  But my hubby, in his words of wisdom as usual, reminded me that I still have Ayla to corrupt.  And it was good.

(for the record, I have several layers of clothes on, I’m no Kate Moss, but I’m not 10 of her either… lol)

She actually wore the wig all night. 

Putting makeup on a 10 month old is like trying to bend a potato chip.  But she thought it was HYSTERICAL.  She kept the Zombie Baby cape on the whole evening!

And with Daddy the silly clown…

We had a great time, the girls were phenom.  Autumn’s already talking about next year!