rapunzel, rapunzel, let down your hair

i'm pretty sure it was july when i first asked leah what she wanted to be for halloween. i figured if i was going to play a guessing game, i should get a head start. it might take me a long time to read the mind of a four year old. 

our first "conversation" when something like this:

mom: "leah, we need to figure out what you want to be for halloween. i'll give you some options and you tell me if you like them or not. okay?"

miss ribbons: looked me straight in the eyes {her way of saying "yes" or "okay."}

mom: "great. okay, um...would you like to be rapunzel?"

miss ribbons: looked me straight in the eyes. 

mom: "wow. that was quick. you really want to be rapunzel?"

miss ribbons: looked me straight in the eyes. 

mom: "do you want me to give you any other options?"

miss ribbons: immediately looked away, avoiding all eye contact. 

mom: "alright, rapunzel it is!"

and then i truly was speechless. i just kept chuckling to myself. i only started this guessing game in the summer expecting it would take a few months to really be certain of what she wanted.

we double and triple checked about once a month before all the costume-wearing festivities began, but she was still certain. i had hoped to make her dress, but when time ran out and joann fabric was ruined in the flooding aftermath of hurricane irene, i knew it was meant to be that the one time i was at target in the last three months, rapunzel's dress was on sale. i did make her wig, which ended up being quite comical {especially when i had to use one of my friends as a model to get it all braided and trimmed}. but i think it was an overall success. 

we used the costume at a party at tuck where daddy took her trick or treating through the administrative offices {and only one person thought she was rumpelstiltskin, not rapunzel}.

we would have used it at the ward party, but miss ribbons decided to have seven seizures that day {her worst day ever}, so we went to dinner with grandma and grandpa instead. 

we used it at her preschool class party. {where she got to sing scary halloween songs with her class to the librarian and everyone in the front office. and they got to play fun halloween games and eat scary treats.}

and at a neighborhood party later that day. {whoops! no pictures.}

and finally trick or treating with dad. 

and we only had to cover it up with a coat once!

a true success when she chose her costume in july and stuck to it through october. i guess i'm better at this mind reading thing that i thought.