Halloween in a Children's Hospital

... is not bad.

Little Warrior's counts were good and a room was available, so we checked in yesterday. We should be able to leave at 4 on Friday, which means we'll get home for trick or treating, which doesn't start in our neighborhood til it gets dark.

We have tons of costumes at home, the result of having four children and me going through a garage sale-ing phase when the first was a baby and buying up every costume I saw that was $3 or cheaper.

Financial tip: tons and tons of costumes fit into that category. Come spring, people just want to get rid of costumes. Even the homemade ones.

I'm pretty sure that the one she is wearing today was lovingly homemade. Not by me, of course. (Shudders.)

Back to my point ... we have lots of costumes, so I told LW she could bring 3 costumes to the hospital. Today is clown day, and you'd better believe that we attract boatloads and oohs and aahs. And by "we," I mean, "she," which is just fine with "me." Invisibility is a good look for me these days.

Anyway, first we went up to the hospital library. A school evidently had a pumpkin decorating contest, where they decorated craft pumpkins like book characters. Everyone who goes in the library is urged to pick one out. LW chose one decorated like Knuffle Bunny. Then we got back to our room and discovered LW's favorite Child Life specialist had left one decorated like A Bad Case of Stripes.














Lunchtime. I grabbed a sandwich out of our mini-fridge and LW and I went down to the Ronald McDonald family room to heat it up. Hey, we're just in time for a party! Some cute high-school girls were there, in costume, with treat buckets, sandwiches and face painting. They painted up LW and oohed and ahhed over her. I tried not to get too misty. I'm always touched at people -- complete strangers -- coming over just to brighten up a sick kid's day. Plus, this being LW's last round of chemo, I'm just very sentimental. Oy.

After eating lunch and playing in the playroom, we're back in our room. LW has an interesting way of letting me know it's nap time. And by "interesting," I mean "exasperating." She gets really really naughty and really really obstinate. I swear, you can actually see the horns pop out of her head. Which is an interesting look with a clown outfit. Now I'm really going to have nightmares about clowns eating me.

She's settling down and some nice ladies from an Optimists club come by with a little pillow for LW. People love to give cancer kids pillows and blankets. I think we have enough to furnish a couple of bedrooms. No disrespect intended.

But while I'm teetering on the edge of ungratefulness, let me mention that if you're making up treat buckets or bags for kids, make sure there's some toddler-safe candy in there. LW got a bucket full of gumballs, double bubble, jawbreakers and Now-and-Laters.

Hmm. I was a much nicer person when I began this post. Maybe I need a nap, too.