How he learned the ways of the force

by PJ Mullen on November 5, 2009

in Tell Me Thursday

Halloween & Neighborhood ParadeAs we started thinking about what little man could be for Halloween this year we didn’t really have any preconceived notions, it just had to be something cool – as defined by me. The extent of last year’s costume was a onesie that said “this is my costume” because my wife was working and I’m not that into Halloween where I felt it was necessary to drag my six and a half month old out about town.

This year, however, was a little different because he’s a walking, jibber jabbering malestrom of activity. Our neighborhood has an annual parade where the kids walk behind a firetruck that serves as master of ceremonies and there are people lined up along the parade route offering tricks and treats. We didn’t have any designs on actually going trick or treating, but we still felt it would be fun to have him dress up for the first time.

Once we started thinking about costumes inspiration struck in the form of a catalog we received in the mail. Being the father of a fair haired child and a huge fan of Star Wars I instantly gravitated towards the Skywalker outfits. My mother happened to be visiting us that day and we asked her if she could make something like the costume we saw for little man to wear.

Halloween & Neighborhood Parade

Growing up my mom made all our costumes and she is very talented and creative when it comes to crafty things and sewing. She found a pattern and some fabric she liked and whipped the thing up in no time. As you can see from the photos she knocked it out of the park. The attention to the detail on the leg wraps totally made the outfit.

We used a pair of brown pajama pants for the leggings and a turtle neck style onesie for him to wear under the wrap. The outfit was made complete with a little blue food coloring in the water that filled up his bubble wand and put the finishing touch on our little Jedi’s weapon of choice.

After getting over his initial shyness, little man bounced around and seemed to have a great time at the parade. His costume was a hit, mostly with the other dads, and I’m glad I didn’t hear this one woman ask if he was Yoda. I might have followed her home and used “the force” on her house.  Sure, my son is on the small side, but Yoda? Besides, his light saber was green.

Since my little padawan didn’t feel like napping that day, he was totally spent at the end of the parade. Add to that the unseasonably warm weather and the fact that he was wearing several layers of clothing, we skipped the neighborhood pizza party and hung out with our good friends that lived down the street so our kids could play together.

There is no truth to the rumor that I have already asked my mom to make him an all black Jedi outfit for next year so I can say that he left the Dagobah system to try and save Han from Vader. None.

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{ 21 comments }

Danielle November 5, 2009 at 8:24 am

What a great costume. He is the perfect Luke!

Danielle November 5, 2009 at 8:24 am

What a great costume. He is the perfect Luke!

Seattledad November 5, 2009 at 2:31 pm

Great costume!! Man, now I feel like I really should have done that with Lukas. But he REALLY wanted to be a Fireman.

Next year maybe.

theteachertom November 5, 2009 at 5:35 pm

PJ, I did not have you pegged as a Star Wars geek . . . I mean fan. =) Have fun dressing him, but it won't be long before he'll be calling the shots on his own costume. We had one 3-year-old insist on dressing as a drum this year, and a 4-year-old showed up in an incredible forklift costume — he could raise and lower his “forks” by pulling cords that ran over his shoulders.

Jason @ The Devoted Dad November 5, 2009 at 7:49 pm

That was a really awesome costume! Loved the bubble wand lightsaber. Cool!

simplefather November 5, 2009 at 10:04 pm

Great costume!

We had a friend who dressed her son (1 yr old) up as yoda… it was hilarious, painted his face green and everything.

R_Mattocks November 6, 2009 at 7:48 am

She really asked if he was Yoda? What outer rim planet does she live on? That was a pretty clever youngling costume, Master Jedi Mullen.

DCUrbanDad November 6, 2009 at 8:00 am

The force is strong in that one.

melisalw November 7, 2009 at 6:13 am

Go Grandma! Great costume.

I am fairly certain that we didn't take our oldest trick or treating until he was FOUR. (bad parents? nah) We actually, when he was born, were dead-set against the whole practice, but like many other things we were “firm” on, we changed our tune…

PJ Mullen November 8, 2009 at 11:07 am

Thank you!

PJ Mullen November 8, 2009 at 11:07 am

That was a cool fireman's get up he had, I figure I have another year before he exerts his independence :)

PJ Mullen November 8, 2009 at 11:09 am

Yeah, I figure I have one more year, then he'll be the one pulling the strings. A forklift, huh? Wow. Last year my friend outfitted his daughter's barbie car thing with a UPS truck get up. I can't wait to do something creative like that.

PJ Mullen November 8, 2009 at 11:09 am

Thanks, that made it for me.

PJ Mullen November 8, 2009 at 11:10 am

Thanks, wow, that must have been a ton of work with a one year old.

PJ Mullen November 8, 2009 at 11:11 am

Yeah, I'm really glad I didn't hear her ask that. Wherever she was from, she needs to go back :)

PJ Mullen November 8, 2009 at 11:12 am

Ha! Yeah, he seems to think so too. He thinks he knows better than me most of the time.

PJ Mullen November 8, 2009 at 11:14 am

Thanks, she did a great job. We don't think trick or treating is that important either. We probably won't take him out for a few years or until he makes a big deal about it. Even then, we probably won't go out for too long.

Steve November 10, 2009 at 8:15 pm

Very cute – it is only going to get worse (or better depending on how you look at it) with a little boy and star wars. My wife and i were cleaning up the other day and we found 9 lightsabers in the toy box…not sure how that happened!

otter321 November 12, 2009 at 9:10 am

FANTASTIC COSTUME! I am sure my son will always choose his costumes from now on so I can only hope he likes some cool stuff. On a related note I watched all six episodes of Star Wars in about a week during my last trip. I have never done that before in such a short time. Shame on me. It was great.

otter321 November 12, 2009 at 12:10 pm

FANTASTIC COSTUME! I am sure my son will always choose his costumes from now on so I can only hope he likes some cool stuff. On a related note I watched all six episodes of Star Wars in about a week during my last trip. I have never done that before in such a short time. Shame on me. It was great.

otter321 November 12, 2009 at 4:10 pm

FANTASTIC COSTUME! I am sure my son will always choose his costumes from now on so I can only hope he likes some cool stuff. On a related note I watched all six episodes of Star Wars in about a week during my last trip. I have never done that before in such a short time. Shame on me. It was great.

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