Another Year of Our Little Pumpkin

I honestly didn’t plan on putting Madeline in a pumpkin this year. I figured that was a one-time thing—cute, funny, and very “first Halloween.” But then a few things happened that changed my mind.

First, her pumpkin costume from last year still fit, and second, we went to Costco. You know how it goes—you go in for paper towels and somehow end up in the produce section, face-to-face with a mountain of enormous pumpkins. I caught myself holding Madeline up next to them like I was sizing her for a new car seat, trying to gauge which one she might actually fit inside. A few curious shoppers definitely noticed, but when inspiration strikes, you just have to go with it.

Sure enough, I found the one—a pumpkin big enough for our annual dose of ridiculous cuteness. I hauled it home, carved it out, and before long, there she was again: my baby in a pumpkin. Somehow it was even more fun this year. She’s older now, more aware, and she seemed to actually enjoy the whole thing. She even leaned forward and took a few little bites of the pumpkin, like she was really getting into the spirit of it. The photos turned out absolutely adorable.

Of course, I couldn’t resist doing a reprise of the ghost dog and baby pumpkin photo too. It’s become a bit of a tradition. Tex, as always, was a very good sport—patient, tolerant, and mildly offended by the whole thing. We tried to recreate last year’s outdoor shot, but it was windy and both models quickly lost interest. So we moved things inside, and honestly, I think those shots turned out even better. Madeline was completely fascinated by Tex’s costume this year. She kept pointing at him and proudly saying “doggy,” one of her favorite words right now.

After our little photo session, we officially said goodbye to the pumpkin costume. It had a good run—two years, countless smiles, and more than a few laughs. We passed it along to our neighbors so their little one could enjoy it next. I like to think that costume still has a few rounds of pumpkin-themed cuteness left in it.