Halloween Spirit
Two years ago (almost exactly) we took Colin into the "SPIRIT" Halloween store. They appear every year around this time, and have costumes, decorations, and general holiday paraphernalia.
Colin loved it. That is, until his father showed him some of the yard decorations, which included a zombie that popped up out of the ground at you. (I was in a different part of the store, wearing Ryan in the sling, utterly unaware of what my husband was doing.) I got a text and met Hari and a sobbing Colin out in front of the store moments later. Poor kid was done - he was terrified.
Yesterday we pulled into the parking lot at the grocery store and saw, across the way, that the SPIRIT store was back. Colin was sleeping and I took a couple of minutes getting him out of the car, and in that time Hari and Ryan had scurried off to SPIRIT. Colin and I walked over to join them, and found Hari holding Ryan just outside the store.
I was sure that this was a recreation of two years ago, since the timing was pretty near exact. But I forgot... this is Ryan.
We went inside and Ryan and Hari gleefully were activating all of the creepy zombies, pumpkin heads, and other spooky stuff. Colin was OK this time, a little hesitant but generally OK so I didn't want to push it. But Hari kept going deeper and deeper into the store.
Past the TV playing a Halloween movie, full on chainsaw chase in process, thank you very much.
Past the creepy kid-figures, with bloody sockets instead of eyes, positioned to look like they were crawling DOWN the wall.
Past the image of a girl wearing a bloody nightgown, standing at the top of a long flight of darkened stairs.
I finally found a small corner where there were kid costumes. Ninja turtles. Power Rangers. G.I. Joe. PHEW! Colin was looking at these costumes, and I turned to see Ryan grabbing a (plastic) double-headed axe and start swinging it. Yeah, three years old and he's ready for battle.
I went to redirect but Hari had already grabbed the boys. But instead of heading for a less intense area he took them into the darkened room all the way in the back where they keep the jump-out-at-you yard decorations. The semi-bloody corpse. The laughing pumpkin head. Then there was the dog that lunged snarling at you. That last one did it. Both boys jumped (I did too - dang thing!). I looked and saw how big their eyes were and quickly started ushering them out of the room.
As we were existing Hari was standing behind me laughing. I semi-playfully backhanded him in the stomach, hissing at him. "WHAT WERE YOU THINKING?!?!"
Another couple was standing looking at costumes nearby, and the husband started chuckling at me. All I could think was "Laugh it up. He's not the one that will have to wake up at 3AM when these kids are having nightmares!" I ushered Colin toward the front of the store, then realized that Hari and Ryan were no longer behind us. SIGH. NOW WHAT?!?
They caught up and Hari was all grins.
Me: What?
Hari: You'll never believe what just happened.
Me: WHAT????
Apparently when we all left the scary room, Colin and I headed for the front of the store. Ryan ran out of the room, went back over, grabbed his axe and another one for Hari, and was heading back into the room. "C'mon Daddy. Let's GET 'EM!" That's Ryan in a nutshell.
I am sometimes awed by how different our boys are. If you jump out at Colin and say "BOO!" he'll jump back, and look for shelter. Ryan will immediately try to kick/punch you while making the scariest RAWR you'll ever hear from a teeny kiddo.
I pity the poor fool who someday tries to play a prank on him or heaven forbid tries to scare him. Ryan might seem startled or fooled for a moment, but oh man! You'd better watch your back because this kid's gonna get you back x1000!
That's my boy!!!
Colin loved it. That is, until his father showed him some of the yard decorations, which included a zombie that popped up out of the ground at you. (I was in a different part of the store, wearing Ryan in the sling, utterly unaware of what my husband was doing.) I got a text and met Hari and a sobbing Colin out in front of the store moments later. Poor kid was done - he was terrified.
Yesterday we pulled into the parking lot at the grocery store and saw, across the way, that the SPIRIT store was back. Colin was sleeping and I took a couple of minutes getting him out of the car, and in that time Hari and Ryan had scurried off to SPIRIT. Colin and I walked over to join them, and found Hari holding Ryan just outside the store.
I was sure that this was a recreation of two years ago, since the timing was pretty near exact. But I forgot... this is Ryan.
We went inside and Ryan and Hari gleefully were activating all of the creepy zombies, pumpkin heads, and other spooky stuff. Colin was OK this time, a little hesitant but generally OK so I didn't want to push it. But Hari kept going deeper and deeper into the store.
Past the TV playing a Halloween movie, full on chainsaw chase in process, thank you very much.
Past the creepy kid-figures, with bloody sockets instead of eyes, positioned to look like they were crawling DOWN the wall.
Past the image of a girl wearing a bloody nightgown, standing at the top of a long flight of darkened stairs.
I finally found a small corner where there were kid costumes. Ninja turtles. Power Rangers. G.I. Joe. PHEW! Colin was looking at these costumes, and I turned to see Ryan grabbing a (plastic) double-headed axe and start swinging it. Yeah, three years old and he's ready for battle.
I went to redirect but Hari had already grabbed the boys. But instead of heading for a less intense area he took them into the darkened room all the way in the back where they keep the jump-out-at-you yard decorations. The semi-bloody corpse. The laughing pumpkin head. Then there was the dog that lunged snarling at you. That last one did it. Both boys jumped (I did too - dang thing!). I looked and saw how big their eyes were and quickly started ushering them out of the room.
As we were existing Hari was standing behind me laughing. I semi-playfully backhanded him in the stomach, hissing at him. "WHAT WERE YOU THINKING?!?!"
Another couple was standing looking at costumes nearby, and the husband started chuckling at me. All I could think was "Laugh it up. He's not the one that will have to wake up at 3AM when these kids are having nightmares!" I ushered Colin toward the front of the store, then realized that Hari and Ryan were no longer behind us. SIGH. NOW WHAT?!?
They caught up and Hari was all grins.
Me: What?
Hari: You'll never believe what just happened.
Me: WHAT????
Apparently when we all left the scary room, Colin and I headed for the front of the store. Ryan ran out of the room, went back over, grabbed his axe and another one for Hari, and was heading back into the room. "C'mon Daddy. Let's GET 'EM!" That's Ryan in a nutshell.
I am sometimes awed by how different our boys are. If you jump out at Colin and say "BOO!" he'll jump back, and look for shelter. Ryan will immediately try to kick/punch you while making the scariest RAWR you'll ever hear from a teeny kiddo.
I pity the poor fool who someday tries to play a prank on him or heaven forbid tries to scare him. Ryan might seem startled or fooled for a moment, but oh man! You'd better watch your back because this kid's gonna get you back x1000!
That's my boy!!!
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