First, let me say how awesome I’m feeling that Obama won the election last night! I couldn’t believe how early they called it, just three hours after the polls closed on the opposite coast. A landslide by any measure, just what I was hoping for! And kudos to McCain for such a gracious and unifying message in his farewell speech. I really think the country is ready to move forward and support the new president elect now.

And now, the long overdue Halloween photos! We managed to snap a few photos of Gianna in her elf costume before her cold really set in for the day and made her grumpy and feverish. Here they are along with some we took weeks before at a costume dinner party with all three of us dressed up.

I’ve been waiting and waiting for this all year long! I love pumpkin season and we found the perfect place to introduce Gianna to the world of delicious orange gourds up here, Loma Rica Ranch. (Check it out by clicking here.) They held a beautiful harvest festival on their organic farm and we let Gianna sit among the organic pumpkins for sale and snapped her picture by the dozens. It was the perfect day for her little crochet pumpkin hat from Janie and Jack–I LOVE that store! And, she used her freebie gourd, picked from a bathtub just for the kids, as a wonderful new teething toy. I’m pretty sure the doctor didn’t mean for us to introduce raw squash quite so soon but Gianna didn’t seem to mind.

Sorry in advance for the little smudge on the camera lens, courtesy of Gianna’s ever-exploring hands. We may take her to another pumpkin patch next weekend so we can get better photos and pick up some pumpkins for cheaper than the organic prices we saw this weekend.

Oh! And, here’s her first hands-on goat-ear experience at the farm too…

I could do a little jig, I’m so happy to finally be able to say good riddance to summer and HELLLLOOO fall! The leaves on our Japanese maple tree are slightly less green, now more yellow-green and soon they will be red red red!

But the best part of all this cooler weather, longer nights and spectacular scenery changes is that these are all harbingers of the coming of Halloween. This holiday is like no other, seizing me in it’s grips and childish delight at dress up and sweets. I’ve already bought a bag of M&M’s that’s far too large for the amount of kiddies might walk down our driveway this year but that’s the point. They’re for me!

So, I’ve begun to worry and anguish over what costume to put Gianna in this year. It’s inevitable that a child’s first costume be given this much attention–I started perusing costumes back in April–because when I was a little girl I never felt I got a good start in this department. I don’t have pictures of my first costume but I did have a series of homemade (not bad unless your mom gave up sewing years before you came along) costumes inspired by grandmotherly appeal not a youngster’s whims. So, never once was I the proverbial princess or flighty fairy. Instead, I was saddled with such designs as (drum roll please) a pumpkin and a mouse. One year when I was still under 10 years old–and Halloween still meant masquerading around the neighborhood and being gawked at and showered with compliments at each door–my mom dressed me in an old sheet and called me a ghost.

I have vowed to take this part of Gianna’s childhood more seriously because of those dim memories of my own haphazard costuming experiences. So, with no further ado, I hereby unveil our pick for her first Halloween costume. It’s sure to go down in her baby book photos as simply the most Gianna-esque personification possible.

We will accompany her as Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus (which will come in handy a few months later too!). Oh dear lord I’m SO excited!

Update: I found the best looking Ms. Claus costume at Halloween Costumes 4 U online. You can’t believe how difficult it was to find something other than a costume made by Playboy or the old-fashioned Victorian Mrs. Claus. Check it out!