Anyone who knows me knows I love Hallowe’en (and I do mean love).

I’ve dressed up with F every year, and I’ll continue to do so as long as he’s cool with it. It’s become a fun tradition, from the year we were Mickey and Minnie, to the time I surprised him in his giraffe costume when I showed up in a head-to-toe elephant onesie complete with a trunk I had a hard time controlling. It’s one of those silly things we do that creates the memories I know I’ll never forget.

I don’t know how many years of dressing up with F are ahead of me, so I’ve decided to really start giving it my all.

Last year for his school dance, we were Mary Poppins and Iron Man. It was fun, but most of the kids didn’t get it (GAHHHHHH) and parents thought my inspiration was Clockwork Orange. Also: it was a simple costume, and I owned all the pieces.

This year, we decided to “branch” out and knock our costumes “out of this world”.

In hindsight, I wondered whether I’d gone a little overboard on the Hallowe’en thing, but listening to F proudly tell his friends that his “deer mama” was there with him reminded me that there’s no such thing as going overboard when it comes to making memories with your kids.

And also: look at our, Hallowe’en 2017. I’m coming at you.