Just like most kids, Shelbi found a fascination with all the holidays. It goes without saying that she loved the Christmas tree and Santa Claus, she LOVED Easter Egg hunts with her sisters, she even stayed up past 12 on New Year’s Eve this year just so she could blow her noise maker. But, Halloween was one of her favorites. She thought it was so cool that you could dress up on your own, without even playing pretend. That you could actually walk out in public and get noticed for your Halloween costume. But, most of all Shelbi loved that she would have a bag of treats from school, parties and trick-or-treating just to call her own. And just like the ice-cream in the truck, it wasn’t about the bag of treats, it was the pure joy of getting the treats, savoring them, and knowing that they were “her own!”
Our family always loved the holiday as well. We always get a kick out of picking the perfect costume for our kids, or helping them make what they want to be. Ever since the twins were born, we would make sure they had one that could fit their personality. Adelynne and Hailey were once Cookie Monster and Elmo when they were two years-old. Of course, as they got a bit older they had to be the princesses; Cinderella, Snow White, Mulan, Tinkerbell, etc…
As I sit typing this update on our little Shelbi, sitting right in front of me is a picture of the three of them in their Halloween Costumes when the kids were 4 - twins and 1 - Shelbi. When Shelbi was just one years-old she was Little Miss Muppet. She had a bonnet, a cute little dress with pink shoes, and a rather large, not-so-scary pink spider hanging from her dress. Next to her was Adelynne (Mulan) and Hailey (poor Cinderella). They were ready. They were ready to go house-to-house to have fun and get their treats. I remember taking Shelbi out that year and she held her bag of treats in her stroller. I think it was the first time I let her eat candy. It was the mini M&M’s that she loved.
When Shelbi was two she was a Purple Care Bear. She called it Boo-Boo Bear. She had an ice-pack shaped like a bear in the freezer that is for boo-boos, so she thought that was the coolest thing. She wanted to be a Boo-Boo Bear for Halloween. She was so proud of this costume as well. I still remember taking her to Gina’s/Justin’s Halloween party that year and her prancing around in her Boo-Boo Bear costume. She wanted to wear it another year, but we decided to take her out and get her excited about the other costumes the following year.
Instead of being Boo-Boo Bear for Halloween the following year, she was Pooh Bear. Shelbi LOVES Pooh very much. We found this puffy, warm costume at Disney. That year was the special year. Special because she not only got to wear it for trick-or-treating, but she got to show it off in preschool. I picked her friend, Katie, up from her house to go to preschool that day. She was her best-buddy that year. Katie and her sat in the back rather quiet, but I could see the gleam in both of their eyes from the excitement of dressing up, showing off, and having “their” first Halloween party at school. Shelbi had so much fun that day. What I remember most about that day, besides the car ride to the school, was the parade that these little preschoolers had on stage. How cute it was! You see, Shelbi went to a preschool that was in the same building as the elementary school kids. So, their parade was with the big kids. These tiny little preschoolers had to march on stage to show off their costumes. I waited in the back of the gym and watched. They were one of the first classes to go up. Well, I saw Shelbi’s class go up on stage, but I couldn’t see Shelbi. Where was Shelbi? Well, Shelbi forgot to go up and was just sitting down below watching. Oh, it was so cute. But, someone did get her to finally go up. She wasn’t scared or worried, she just didn’t realize that the rest of the class went up.
Shelbi was taking ballet that year. So, for ballet class they had to dress in costume as well. They were able to march around the ballet and show off their costumes that year. Wow, Shelbi sure was getting use out of her costume. What was funny about this and where Shelbi’s personality shined through was that all the little 3 and 4 year-olds had to be princesses. But, nope, not Shelbi. She just wanted to be a chubby ole bear. She was the only child out of 12 who was something besides a princess.
Well, that spring Shelbi was diagnosed with her cancer. So, she had to leave preschool to set out on the journey that changed our lives. Through it all, Shelbi still could not wait for the following Halloween when she could dress up again. I was so scared during her chemo, because she did not feel good most of that 4 months. So, I prayed that she could go trick-or-treating and have that holiday that year. I wanted her counts to be good for that holiday - her favorite holiday - her bag-full-of-candy holiday! She wanted once again to be Pooh Bear. Again, we said, “Don’t you want to be Dora or something else?” “No, I want Pooh Bear!” she yelled. Okay, well, we had to see if the costume still fit. We were lucky because it did fit!
Now, were her counts going to be good??? Guess, what? God said “yes.” And Shelbi had the best trick-or-treat she could have hoped for. She was so excited! And I think during her chemo that this was the first time that we saw a sparkle in her eyes! Grandma Martin even said, “Wow, Shelbi really has a sparkle in her eyes today. It is great to see her like that finally!”
We put her in her stroller, she held her bag tight and we were set on our way. On our way to get her goodies and treats with her soft Pooh Bag - one of which sits with her other bags at the end of her bed now. The cutest moment is when Shelbi was in her stroller and saying, “Pooh wants honey!” (It was cute because at this time, Shelbi had been so sick from chemo that to hear joy in her voice, brightened our day!) Spike, our dog, was also a new member of our family that year. So, we dressed him up as a spider and he got to trick-or-treat with us as well. He actually got one treat for himself that year! It was a great Halloween!
Well, in the past year she had always talked about this coming Halloween. She wanted so much to be a baby. She wanted to wear that bib and hold the bottle with her binky. That is what she would have been. That was her Halloween this year. And I am sure if I could see a glimpse of her in Heaven this year that she would be dressed-up like a baby ready to get all the treats she wants from the clouds above. Well, since she will not be an earthly baby this year, I have one member of our family who will honor that. Hailey wants to be a baby to give Shelbi her Halloween this year. She already picked out a pair of PJ’s and slippers. We have yet to get the rest of the costume. But, we will honor her and still have her baby in our family for Halloween.
As you walk into our foyer you will see a large picture of Shelbi on an Easel and sitting by the picture is a large ghostlike decoration that lights up. I bought this because I knew Shelbi would love it a couple years ago. But, the most important part of our foyer is the costume that hangs by Shelbi’s picture. It is her Pooh Costume that will forever be put up as a decoration in our foyer, next to her picture. Her chubby, soft, warm Pooh costume that Shelbi forever enjoyed and gave her happiness to get her bag of treats.
Enjoy your Halloween this year with the kids. Let the kids have fun, let them pick out their very special costume, and if they want to wear it twice, so be it. It is not about the treats, it is about the pure joy of dressing up, walking in your neighborhood, and carrying your own special bag of treats!
God Bless the Children on Halloween!
