November 2, 2008 Modeling the Duck Costume Great Grandma

Sophia and her Soap Box

Great Grandma and Uncle Mike came over to see the Lil' Ducky. Sophia was playing on the floor next to all her toys with her new found interest in a box of soap. This new toy was all the rage after our return from Costco. She pushed this soap box all over the floor for hours. Then, when she was modeling her costume for my grandmother, Sophia's Great Grandma she once again started playing with this soap box. Isn't it funny what entertains kids. You can buy them the fanciest, coolest toys in the world and they still play with boxes like this. She had more fun with this box scooting around in her duck costume than I thought possible.

Sophia enjoyed playing with her Great Grandma and demonstrating her ducky moves. It was an awfully hot night for a furry warm costume so Sophia started to take it off by herself. Even Great Grandma got into the fun and tried on the ducky hat. I know, I know, where is the air conditioning Mom? Sorry, I am not that good at costume making yet or will I ever be for that matter. I hear they do have coolants in those character costumes they use in the big theme parks and such. How was I to know it would be in the 70 degree temperatures for Halloween. It is always cold or raining or snowing in St. Louis. This unseasonal weather made it too hot for the poor furry little duck dressed for a cold night

October 31, 2008 Happy Halloween Sophia - Trick or Treating

Happy Halloween Sophia! We took pictures of Sophia Halloween night in her Lil' Ducky Costume. I chose to make a duck costume because Sophia can say "Ducky" and "Quack Quack". As I sewed frantically trying to make her costume in just a couple weeks, I broke two sewing machines. Unbelievable! I still managed to finish the entire costume with all the adjustments for size and shape before Halloween night.

I enjoy sewing but don't often have the opportunity. I thought this was the perfect excuse to practice my skills. I chose a really difficult fabric to work with, fur. Need I say more to anyone who has sewn before. Ugh. It was shedding all over my work area and got caught in the bobbin and the feed dogs several times. I have vacuumed the carpet several times and I am still finding yellow flecks of fur around the house. I tweaked the costume just a bit to make it fit better, but I think in the end it all worked out. I added a few embellishments to make it cuter than the original pattern showed on the envelope. I really enjoyed making this for Sophia and plan to make all her future costumes.

Sorry about last year Sweet Sophia, mommy just wasn't up to sewing your costume last year for your very first Halloween since you were just a month old and mommy was just an overwhelmed, tired new mommy.

As a tribute to my parents who always made my costumes, I have a new found respect for all the work that goes into getting the costume done by Halloween. May I say, "Big Bird for me and Oscar for Mike", and "Strawberry Shortcake" were some of the really tough ones. Whew! Next year, I will start much earlier in case I have any set-backs like broken sewing machines, etc.

Pictured in the slideshow you will see us getting Sophia ready to go out Trick or Treating. Uncle Mike is showing Sophia how to play the piano while I answer the door to give out candy to all the little ghosts and goblins running around our street. Also, Scott took the camera out and followed us around the neighborhood as Sophia and I went Trick or Treating at our neighbors' houses. I think Sophia almost understood what we were doing. Although, she was trying to give her candy to our neighbors rather than take candy from them. Too funny. She also liked playing with the candy wrappers because they make a funny crinkle sound.

Although it was a lot of work, I feel happy with the results of making her costume and think Sophia had fun being a Ducky for Halloween. She even said, "Quack Quack" a few times with her costume on while Trick or Treating. Thanks to Sophia's Uncle Mike for stopping in to watch Sophia go out Trick or Treating. This was a great Halloween!