Mother of the Year

So, I have embarked on something I've never really done before: Halloween costumes. Year 1: Baby in eggplant outfit. Why an eggplant? Not sure. All I know is she hated it. Year 2: Costume 1-- Krispy Kreme cashier. Why? Because I had Chuck Taylor's, jeans, a black t-shirt, a baby doll apron and a free hat from Krispy Kreme. Done and done. Costume 2: Pirates. Why? Because anyone can draw a beard on their face.

But this year, my friends, is different. My kid is-- get this--- something kids actually like! She's Olivia! Ok, so I confess. I took the easy way out AGAIN. (Buying costumes is such a pain.) For her birthday, Ryan and I got her Olivia dress up clothes. It had an explorer outfit and a ballerina outfit. And naturally she's the ballerina. My mother-of-the-year award comes into play with the pig accessories. (FYI--- if you haven't already caught on, Olivia is a cartoon pig girl.) Out of construction paper, we made ears AND a nose. I am SO excited to see her in this!

In fashion with other posh blogs, I will now post a how-to segment, just to really make myself feel awesome.

1) Pig Ears

Need:

Pink Construction Paper

Pink Headband

Black Sharpie

Glue

Stapler

1. Fold pink paper in half. Along the fold, draw pig ears, allowing room at the bottom to adhese to the headband and cut them out.

2. Fold ears over headband and glue. Staple once, right along the inside, close to the headband.

3. Trace outline of ear with marker.

Voila! (And I wonder how many time's I've typed that as "viola")

2-- Pig Nose: (my shining moment in motherhood)

Need:

Paper towel roll

Pink paint

Pink Construction paper

Sharpie

2 pieces of Yarn

1. Cut a 3" piece off paper towel roll.

2.Poke 2 holes symmetrically near one end. Paint pink. (We put pink paint on a paper plate and rolled it. Confession--- this is because we do not own paint brushes. Oops.)

3. Draw a circle using the end of the towel roll on the pink paper. Cut out and draw 2 nostrils. :)

4. After roll is dry, string yarn through the holes, tying knots on the inside in. You may choose to tape the inside of the roll so it does not fall out (or if you made one of the holes too big...)

5. Glue the circle to the opposite end of the paper towel roll.

6. Tie the nose around your little person's head to make all the other moms wish they were you.

So, in conclusion, I nominate myself, Liz Eagle, for the available position of Mother-of-the-Year. Yes, I may have volunteered for everything at preschool and was asked to do none of it. Yes, I may have cracker crumbs as a permanent interior for the car. Yes, I may have to quickly scrounge for a lunchbox-worthy lunch every Tuesday and Thursday. But by golly, I worked my little thinking cap off and I made a damn good Halloween costume, for the first time in my life. Take that Paul, Virginia, Betsy and all the other Episcopal Preschool Mercedes Moms. My kid looks stellar.