We went to the zoo on a weekend day for the first time ever and could immediately understand why we have never done that in the past. It was swamped, teeming with strollers and screamers and cotton candy laced tantrum storms. The poor animals probably really appreciate those bars come Saturday afternoon.
But it also turned out to be costume day and the place was crawling with pint-sized Doras and Thomases. When we got to the train, we waited in line just behind Winnie the Pooh and what appeared to be a very disgruntled Han Solo. At one point Emmeline buried her head behind my knee and hid her eyes.
“Don’t look!” she shouted, “Don’t look!”
It took me a few moments to figure out what had spooked her: Medusa. A young girl, 8 or 9, casually strolled up behind us in line and leaned against the rope railing, while Emme gaped in horror.
“She’ll turn you to stone!” Emme said, “Don’t look!”
Once we convinced her the girl was not, in fact, a gorgon, Emme decided she wanted to be a Medusa, too. When we got home, she made us put snakes in her hair and then spent the afternoon chasing us around, warning us to avoid eye contact.
“Or else,” she hissed.
In a lot of ways, it mimicked the way she plays “princess” — complete with requests to chop off her head. Only, instead of ending a spiteful reign in which all her dolls and stuffed animals were forced to eat nothing but cake, she pretended the decapitation made Pegasus form from her blood and take flight.
Her real Halloween costume will be posted later today on the main blog.
Oh, and that’s supposed to be an “owl ghost” on her shirt, but I messed it up in so many ways. Blurg. Next year.
One Comment
it’s Halloween so I’m going to be creepy…
I love that kid!