Brocktopus takeover.

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Happy Halloween!! 


As legend recalls:  It came from the sea, a raging sea, aghast with tumult!  From its moistened frothing maw flashed a streak of orange iridescence; a tiny flame was burning across the watery crests.  From the beach it crawled, then walked, then high five'd!  Twas cute; fussy, yet smiley.  It was dubbed, the Brocktopus.  Feared by many, but more often snuggled.



Here the beast's first land traverse is captured - behold his tentacled glory!


 

Abbey Road tribute photo.



This year's Halloween festivus was quite tame.  We took the Brocktopus to a neighborhood event, "Boo Palooza", sponsored by the Chicago Park District.  Mostly it was an opportunity for advertisers.  There were more activities for slightly older children, but it was the most beautiful fall day and they had a pumpkin patch so it was well worth it.





This year we spent our first (of probably many) Halloween as respectable adults.  We did not dress up, but focused our energies on our young protege.  My Halloween history is rich indeed, blessed by the amazing creativity and technique of Mom and a homespun culture of creation.  Mom helped Jake and I go all out most years in terms of costumes; a fairy on a toadstool, an enormous jellyfish, Muppets and Ewoks to name a few.  Matt had a similar history filled with a feisty fox and the nearly unmentionable incident of a visit from Honey Boo Boo.  I think we were the absolutely only people in Chicago who made their child's costume.  Best to do it now before the inevitable future protests of what he wants to be and what costume his friend is buying come into play.






 

Brock did have the pleasure of successfully navigating a hay maze and locating a Popsicle stick that could be traded in for the prize of his choice.  Brock chose an eraser... what a square.



Archived above is Brock's first photo bomb.  The subject of this nearly perfect portrait will get a little surprise in the background.  He was lucky the Brocktopus was distracted by a charming pumpkin, avoiding a potential sucker-swipe.



Happily, no revenge photo bomb was attempted.   Here is my ever-pensive cuddlefish.





A daddy high five can turn any photo, or really any gray moment, around.



Our homage to David Attenborough's "Trials of Life" Nature Series - Shark vs. Brocktopus; shark wins!



Brock has been going to "Wiggleworms", a toddler music class that meets on Tuesday.  They have a strict no phone picture policy that they were lax on for the Halloween party.  Here Brock poses with our instructor, Bill.  Bill was taken with Brock's costume couture and wanted to capture the moment.



Class of cuties.



Brock's favorite part of class are the maracas... there is also a big drum that makes him happy.



Brock really loved his costume, except for the hat.  According to Matt he saw it laying in the office and insisted to wear round the house.  Here he is getting ready to go out to Boo-Palooza.  On actual Halloween we wanted one last show-off-our-baby-awesome-costume-yes-we-made-it-I-know-we-are-really-exceptional-parents opportunity so we went for a glass of wine at my dear friend Leah's restaurant that is within walking distance.  Our weather was terrible.  Hail and insane winds; we were happy to not be going door to door in search of mini-Snickers.  



The Brocktopus returned to his alter ego after a grand day of tricks and treats.



Goodbye from a glamorous Halloween cephalopod.

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