Since Halloween in NYC is practically a week-long event, we decided that we'd dress Peanut up as an underage Chinese Olympic gymnast for this past weekend's neighborhood festivities. In order to convince her to play her part, all we had to do was tell her that one of her several costumes this week was going to be "Princess Gymnastics." Naturally, the magic word there was "Princess." My four-year-old daughter is a total sucker for anything princess-related.
Needless to say, the Peanut's costume was a huge hit. On the back of her gymnastics outfit, we taped a fake birth certificate stating that she was really 16. However, even without the sign, most people figured out the costume right away and immediately started laughing their asses off. We can't even count how many people came up to us to say that hers was the funniest, most politically incorrect, and ironic costume they'd ever seen.
The only time we worried about possibly offending someone was when we ran into a group of Chinese tourists. As the fifteen of them passed the Peanut, BossLady and I tepidly held our breaths. At first, they seemed very serious and looked at the Peanut very closely. When she turned around and they saw her fake birth certificate for the first time, we were absolutely sure they were going to be offended. So imagine our surprise when they suddenly started laughing hysterically and asked, through their interpreter, whether they could take photos of her. Naturally, we let out a sigh of relief and obliged.
Parenting is hard work. We do it because we love our children more than anything and we want to raise them as best as we possibly can. That's why we endure the sleepless nights, the endless worry, and the relentless tantrums. But really, you've got to have a sense of humor about the whole thing.
Because until they're old enough to run out and buy you beer, being a comedy prop is one of the best things they've got going in their favor, right?
Happy Halloween!
Leave it to you guys to avoid the typical princess ballerina costume! I miss the days when I could use my kids as comedy props on Halloween.
Posted by: keith t. | October 30, 2008 at 10:21 PM
THANK YOU for posting that pic! I'm so glad you guys decided to go with this costume... by far much better than the Good Knight my 4-year-old wants to be.
Cheers to the MD household!
Posted by: Krista | October 31, 2008 at 12:40 AM
We didn't see you at the WFC otherwise I would have requested a photo op as well! My girls were dressed as cheerleaders. BTW, didn't this year's Halloween party at WFC sucked eggs? )
Posted by: kaya | October 31, 2008 at 10:41 AM
Absolutely awesome.
Posted by: lumpyheadsmom | October 31, 2008 at 03:53 PM
That costume is genius! I'm dressed up as Sarah Palin and my son is going to be Batman for a halloween party I'm throwing for him tonigh.
Ever since he and my hubby bought me a gorgeous diamond necklace from www.idonowidont.com for my birthday recently, I decided to have a big halloween bash for my son! That gymnast costume though takes the cake!
Posted by: MichelleB | October 31, 2008 at 07:11 PM
Incredibly funny.
And very nice of the Chinese tourists to play along :)
Posted by: tracy | November 01, 2008 at 01:56 AM
Someday she'll look back at this and laaaaaaaugh!
Posted by: :: jozjozjoz :: | November 02, 2008 at 12:13 AM
Clever, creative and chuckle-inducing. :)
Posted by: HIlary | November 02, 2008 at 07:59 AM
Well done.
Posted by: LOD | November 02, 2008 at 10:21 AM
I'm laughing hysterically here!
The fake birth certificate part is pure genius.
Posted by: creative-type dad | November 02, 2008 at 01:05 PM
LOVE the costume. The fact that the Peanut is so deliciously cute makes it even better.
Posted by: Michelle | November 02, 2008 at 02:08 PM
That is soooo hilarious! She is so cute.
Awesome!
Posted by: Morandomthoughts | November 02, 2008 at 02:34 PM
Best costume I've seen or even heard of! The adorable Peanut totally rocks it.
Posted by: hetha | November 02, 2008 at 02:37 PM
I agree with another poster. PURE GENIOUS!!!
Posted by: Yoli | November 03, 2008 at 09:15 AM
That was fantastic.. ingenious!!
Posted by: Rich | November 03, 2008 at 09:54 AM
What a beautiful child! And the idea - priceless!! I especially loved that the Chinese tourists got the joke and could laugh along.
Posted by: Fiona | November 03, 2008 at 11:29 AM
LOL.
p.s. I found you via the Angry Asian Man blog.
Posted by: SolShine7 | November 03, 2008 at 12:11 PM
You'll have the complete package if you can get her to lie to the press.
Posted by: Phil | November 03, 2008 at 03:21 PM
she is so cute and so funny! "brevity is the soul of wit" is actually true!
Posted by: jana | November 03, 2008 at 10:51 PM
That's just too damn funny! My daughter is also a sucker for anything "princess" but I doubt she'd wear anything red so I'm glad you were able to pull this off. I love it!
Posted by: Tyler @ Building Camelot | November 04, 2008 at 03:09 PM
that's just wrong....and absolutely fantastic!
lol...i especially love the blue eye shadow.
Posted by: Liz | November 04, 2008 at 07:50 PM
too freakin' funny!!
Posted by: brownaround | November 05, 2008 at 03:24 AM
Oh that is so funny. Glad the tourists laughed. The blue eyeshadow is a perfect touch.
Posted by: Sugarplum's Mom | November 05, 2008 at 04:34 PM
OMG that's hilarious!!
Posted by: Kit | November 05, 2008 at 04:47 PM
My fave Halloween was dressing our 4 year old in rummage-sale Lederhosen, knee socks and an Alpine cap complete with jaunty feather on the side… he was an extra from the Sound of Music.
Nobody got it, of course, and in retrospect I realize he was just a monkey away from being an organ grinder, but if nothing else it was fun for the two of us.
Posted by: Evan | November 07, 2008 at 07:13 AM
Hi there metrodad! Just wanted to come in and tell you how much I love reading your posts. Your writing is wonderful - it has made me laugh, tear, smile and even feel a rise of motherly-instinct (even though I am only 23). You've been an inspiration with your honesty and great sense of humour, so do what you do and keep up the good work! =)
cheers,
joy
Posted by: joy | November 07, 2008 at 10:14 PM
Nice!
p.s. It is great when they can go out to buy you beer. They just don't because they are poor college students. They just drink yours.
Posted by: Michele | November 08, 2008 at 09:32 AM
OMG, that is too cute. She looks great.
Posted by: Erin | November 09, 2008 at 07:09 AM
she is so cute and good for her for being so inventive! I am all for originality
Posted by: aminah | November 11, 2008 at 02:40 PM
Are you okay? We haven't heard from you.
Posted by: | November 12, 2008 at 02:28 PM
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Posted by: samantha jo campen | November 12, 2008 at 03:20 PM
Absolutely hysterical!!! Is there any better humor than politically incorrect sarcasm??!
Posted by: MommylovesRJ | November 13, 2008 at 10:59 PM
Oh, so cute!!! Did you guys teach her how to perform some princess gymnast stunts??!
Posted by: Big Pumpkin | November 14, 2008 at 10:48 PM
OMG I should Not have clicked on this at work!!! This is hilarious.... and glad even the tourists found it funny... She really looks the part! Where DID you find the medal?
Posted by: Xibee | November 18, 2008 at 07:37 PM
You made me spit my Jack & Coke everywhere.
Posted by: Bee | November 20, 2008 at 07:27 PM
thnks
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Ever since he and my hubby bought me a gorgeous diamond necklace from www.idonowidont.com for my birthday recently, I decided to have a big halloween bash for my son! That gymnast costume though takes the cake!
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Posted by: Lara Croft costume fan | September 01, 2010 at 06:28 PM
Good god, she is perfection! Frigging hilarious. Best costume EVER. But only one gold medal? She should have at least 5, being the best Chinese Gymnast ever. Marc
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OMG, my friends and I are here laughing our butts off. Every time we look at this photo, we start howling again. What a GREAT costume idea! The Peanut is absolutely adorable.
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Posted by: Jordan Spizike | October 25, 2010 at 10:22 PM
You are a genius. Not only have you bested our Halloween costumes by a mile, you are now officially the first parenting blog that Nate reads--and that includes mine.
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Posted by: Chanel J12 | January 17, 2011 at 04:29 AM
Ok so I was stumbling across the interwebz, literally using stumbleupon, and this came up: http://www.thearchnemesis.com/entertaining-halloween-costumes.html
I knew I had seen it somewhere before, and behold here it is in this post of yours. Apparently Peanut is famous.
Posted by: Adam | February 11, 2011 at 04:35 PM
Hey baby chick!Erin, you're right, she is not impressed one bit. Seriously, what's the point of this ailodhy mom? Maybe that's the Phillips coming out in her! Love the photos!
Posted by: Ella | April 15, 2012 at 11:22 AM