Sleepy but pleased.

[rivka]

A few weeks ago, Alex suddenly announced that she was going to be a dolphin for "trick-or-treat." After a few quick searches for dolphin costumes, which are thin on the ground (if only she'd wanted to be a Miami Dolphins cheerleader...), we tried to expand her sense of the potential Halloween options. What about a dinosaur? Wouldn't that be cool? Or a butterfly! Or a doggy!

"No," she said firmly, again and again. "I'm going to be a dolphin."

I bid on three dolphin costumes on eBay and watched the prices rise: $30, $40, $50. Each one went far beyond my ability - or, frankly, willingness - to pay. The last one I bid on went from $10.50 to $45 in the last six minutes of bidding. And afterward, there was Alex, chirping happily, "I'm going to be a dolphin. What are you going to be, Papa? A seahorse?"

Not a lot of size 3 dolphin costumes come up for auction.

I decided to take a chance on another auction. Size 18-24 months, but the seller was sure it would fit a 2T as well. Alex still wears some of her 2T clothes. Besides, this one is just a jacket - a tailcoat, actually - not a full-body suit. There's more wiggle room in the sizing. So I held my breath during the bidding...

And I won. For $10 - about one-fifth the price of the auctions I felt so bad about losing.

I don't have to choose between being rational and sensible (people are willing to spend how much on a toddler's Halloween costume?) and granting the deep desire of Alex's heart. Yay, dolphins.

Comments

[mjlayman.livejournal.com]

That's so cute! It has a fin in the back! We'll want pictures, of course.