Nyla and James had been looking forward to Leah's second Halloween for a while - she had been too young and tiny for the first one, even as adorable as she was in the little costume they had picked out for her. This year was going to be different - they planned to take her out trick or treating with their older kids. Nyla slipped her protesting toddler into her pumpkin and tried not to feel guilty when tears started pouring down Leah's face. "Momma's not falling for the crocodile tears, little one, but A for effort," she told the baby.
"Daddy might," James ribbed with a smile as he made his way into the kitchen. "Look at my beautiful girl! The world's smallest and cutest pumpkin."
Leah giggled as he leaned down to ruffle her hair and gave her a kiss. "Dada!" she squealed.
"Can you say mama yet?" Nyla asked hopefully. As expected, Leah clammed up and refused to say anything but she did giggle. Nyla playfully rolled her eyes. "Yeah, that's what I thought."
The three older kids tramped into the kitchen, impatient and clearly ready to go. "Oh, we got some impatient ones. They're getting more and more pissed." James laughed at their misfortune. "Don't look at me like that - we're leaving soon," he promised them.
"You have everything?" Nyla checked, knowing they'd have to make their way back here if somebody accidentally forgot something.
Lila nodded her assent while one of the boys ran back to grab their basket from their room. "Enjoy the chaos," James urged his wife.
"Yeah, you say that every holiday, James Murray."
"And I mean it."
"Up!" Leah declared, holding her arms up. Nyla picked her up and set her on the floor. The toddler looked at her pumpkin costume mournfully and almost started crying again but Lila thankfully distracted her younger sister (she and the boys were good at that, having learned over the past year).
"Love you," James murmured to his wife as the six of them started their trip out the door a few minutes later.
"Love you too," she told him. They would have interlocked hands but Leah decided she wanted to be in the middle and hold both their hands. They trick-or-treated around the neighborhood for about an hour, before Leah tired out and started making her frustration known.
"I could take her back to the house and let you trick or treat," James offered.
"Or I could take Leah home and let you trick or treat with the kids," Nyla offered in return.
"Somebody take Leah back to the house so we can trick or treat in peace," a slightly frustrated Lila shot back.
"I'll let that go since you're all hopped up on sugar at the moment, Lila." Nyla kissed James then walked back to the house with a crying Leah in her arms.
Halloween had gone a little off track but that was to be expected with a toddler. Next year would hopefully go better but holidays were always unpredictable. Nyla and James couldn't wait for what Thanksgiving was going to throw at them.
And Nyla made sure to snap a few pictures of Leah in her pumpkin costume before she took pity on her daughter and got her into her pajamas.