Mommy shamed

Gael's 1st Halloween trick o' treating was great, but disheartening. Everyone knows you dress up your infant children to see how cute they will look as little human dressed as princesses & superheroes and yes, at that age, the candy is mostly for the parents. After having these firsts with my little brothers, cousins & niece, as a first-time mom I couldn't wait to finally experience it with my own. Walking a couple blocks around our house with Dylan, my niece Anette & nephew Eddy was great but not nearly enough houses giving candy around us for the older kids. So we decided to drive down the street to the houses near the Equestrian center in Burbank. It was at the third house we get to and I go up with Gael, holding his hand out w/his little bucket of candy and the old lady giving candy stops and says "Seriously?" Looking at him and then looking at me. At first, I'm thinking she's going to comment on how cute he looks..She says it 3 more times along with "I can't believe mom's are taking their little babies out to get candy." Me: (awkward giggling) yeah trick o' treat. Then she says "ughh, so ridiculous, I can't believe it! Plus you don't need to eat candy, you should lose some weight." And puts one candy in the bucket. I take the candy out, return it and say "no thanks. Happy Halloween".

I walk away wishing I could scream to everyone walking up to this lady what a horrible person she is and not to take her disgusting candy, but I don't. Next I want to cry over her weight comment, but I don't because it's not true. Then start thinking "does every person we visited or will visit feel the same about parading my 5-month old to get candy for myself? Should I not be taking him out?" As we continue walking a disappointing feeling comes over me that this woman thinks it's okay to criticize me and make a rude comment about me & my child, and potentially ruin the 1st Halloween I am experiencing with him. We ask for candy at one more house then Gael gets cranky and falls asleep.

So to sum up my thoughts on Gael's 1st Halloween: Lady has balls, but I don't give a F*** if you think it's ridiculous for me to take my baby out to get candy, he's too cute not to take out. Yes the candy is for me & my husband to eat. I have worked out 4 times since birth, lost the baby weight gained and a little more (high-five breastfeeding). And I "don't" promise to come back next year and have Gael & I egg your house 👻!! Lastly, Gael was the cutest "King of all Wild Things" and smiled at everyone. My husband, Gael & I experienced our first Halloween with family and that moment is what counts and no one could ruin it.