Happy Halloween!

Dear Mom and Dad,

October 31, 2009, and we have made it to the end of another month you and I.   Hard as it has been, being apart  – we are so much closer to our reunion.  That’s what is known as the the Poppy “half full” mentality – rubbing off on your little spirit stick.  We are weeks away from our visit and only a few more months before just maybe… your time in the land of sand will be complete, and you will be home!

Today was my first Halloween as you know, and as you probably also know, that means…THE BLACK BEAST, aka Mr. Nikon had a field day today… and I was to the beast,what ‘Heidi Klum’ is to Victoria’s Secret…

This photo extravaganza also means… much uploading,  and a selection process that is excruciating to just select a “few” to view.  It will require patience because it is 11:00 here, and chances are Nana will not get this love letter done for quite some time… for now, just know…. I had such a spooktacular day!

Mommy had a Halloween skirt and shirt for me, and Nana got me the onesie I am wearing that say’s MY FIRST HALLOWEEN!   Here I am in the skirt and shirt Mommy gave me…..

Here I am askin’  WHO NEEDS A COSTUME WHEN YOU ARE ALREADY A PRINCESS?  Today was full of all kinds of wonderful things… Nana had explained to me that TRICK or TREAT meant you go and get candy one night a year…. you put on a costume and ta-dah… candy!   So I was pretty excited… I don’t know what this candy stuff is, but okay.. sounded fun… inquisitive little Gugu Bug that I am, I thought hmmmm, what costume and where does one trick or treat?  I woke up late this morning after my first babysitter episode ever… which was totally awesome.   Nana and Poppy had tucked me into my crib and I slept until nearly 10 am… CRAZY HUH!

We had some important stuff to do before TRICK or TREAT time, so we picked up Aunt Alyx from school, and Aunt Mikayla and Aunt Arri from work, but Aunt Allyssa had class until three.  Poppy too had to work all afternoon, but  Uncle Nick was in Novi at school, and  when finished we were all to meet. 

Great Aunt Pam was coming to TRICK or TREAT with me.  And Great Grandma and Great Papa were meeting us too… why you ask…?  Not for TRICK or TREAT but because today Aunt Mikayla got her very first car.   She is about to begin student teaching, and all the campers have been sharing a car.   She so needed one, and thanks to some really wonderful friends – special people who have watched her grow up, she was able to get one!  She has a 2005 Pontiac G-6 and a smile on her face that made Nana so happy for her.  Now she as a senior in school can get to her student teaching and fulfill her requirements to become a teacher, her dream come true… I am still not clear on this happy tears thing… but Nana says, her tears are happy…. “what ever”, when this happens to me, and I start crying happy tears well someone just better give me a heads up on that one… for now it is just plain confusing.   Like Trick or Treat for example…. Nana says you go out, in a costume, and get Candy!  Okay… I am game, let’s go!… So here I am going out to my very first TRICK or TREAT….. where you ask?… not next door, no…not in a subdivision… no….but in FLINT Michigan! 

Now what do I say… TRICK or TREAT?   and I am a LADY Gugu BUG!

Well alright…. let’s do this… and we were off to Flint to see Great Great Aunt Ida, and Cuz Nanc… who are always checking up on me.   We go to her home and ring a bell… and hang out eating cookies and some pineapple!   Yes I tasted both, and loved both!  The beast tried to snap a few of Great Aunt Ida and Cuz Nanc, but he captured them with closed eyes, and they would shoot Nana if she had posted them!   Even their mouths were open at my bug beauty I guess?  Because clearly it couldn’t be the fault of Nana whos eyesight lately is slacking..   and I mean slacking…. don’t be surprised if my photo shoots are blurry, because Nana’s havin’ some eye trouble!

   I was totally cute, and all LADY bug….

You want me to do what?    CRAWL…. Hmmmm…. Let’s think about this… yes bugs crawl… baby Guillianna, hmmm not so much…well fine we can try!

So now … Nana said… candy?   What is this…?  Giselle my Giraffe?  Here in Flint?

But no… this was not Giselle, this was a TREAT.   Was this CANDY?   It was a treat for me!   I cannot believe it… so amazing this Trick or Treat thingy…

I tell you… I could get to love this “candy” thing… what, you say Nana didn’t explain it right?   Not Nana… she says she never lies…. but yes… I thought candy was something you ate… maybe I should try to chew on this… I do everything else!  Come on Nana… I am asking her…. fess up… did you tell it to me straight or are you just trying to confuse me more?  Just askin’!

Well, to be sure, that was pretty awesome… I had fun, I dressed up, I was adorable, and… I got a present… and I will cut Nana a little slack  AGAIN, because Great Aunt Ida, proved Nana is not a liar… she even had a package wrapped for the other campers and guess what…IT WAS CANDY and LOTS OF IT! 

Hoping you have a good cup of coffee or a nice cold drink of soda, because don’t think for one moment…. we are done here today… nope….we had more Trick or Treating to do… from Flint to Farminton Hills…. time was a flying by, and we didn’t make it to Seattle, where Great Grandma Sally is, or to Pensylvania, or California or to any other state where my adoring fans live… we didn’t even get anywhere else in Michigan like she had hoped, but we did get to a second Trick or Treat location… where I was greeted by my Great Grandma Sharyn who had noodles cooked to perfection for me, and my Great Papa, had brought us all pizza and salad.   I stuck with noodles, and loved it… but that was not all…  I had a special lady bug quick change to do… cause you know… big bug butt doesn’t really go in a baby car seat well… so Nana had a quick change for me… here it is…

Okay… let me see now…

I was a fluffy lady bug… who could hardly move her lady bug bottom and now…

I am a lady bug…

In a DRESS?   I have little lady bug wings?

Are you sure about this?

I mean, yes, I am adorable, but …. really? 

I am not sure about this Nana…

Not one bit..

but if you say so…

Trick or Treat Papa and GG-ma?  I am a bug in a dress….

Go figure?

I have traveled to from Flint, no not with wings, but to TRICK or TREAT, for ‘candy’…  Noodles, and cottage cheese….

You game?  I have been an awesome sport so far!  What did you say You love it… you love my costume!  Awe… gee thanks, I am so glad….I don’t look silly?   Hey do you want Nana to get you one too GG-mm?   I bet there is a boy version Papa?   Come on…. let’s do it… What do you say..Next year , we can all be princess bugs!- Okay?

So I had a blast… becoming a Princess LADY bugette… and we all had such a nice  TRICK OR TREAT together.   All the other campers stayed and passed out candy at Camp Nana to all the trick or treaters who came to visit them…they let me be the one to go visiting… and I say it was so nice of them.  THANKS CAMPERS!  Now here are a few shots taken by the beast for  you guys so you see me in my costume too.   Here I am…. my spooky look.

Hey do these stripes make my butt look big?

I can’t tell…. ?

Do I look short?

Hey where are my feet…Nana, you cut my feet out of the photo!

How will mom and dad see if I am wearing my shoes?

I am so lucky…while I would have loved to see all my family everywhere… and gone trick or treating at the homes of all who watch me…every day… I send you all HAPPY HALLOWEEN WISHES… and hope you will forgive today’s VERY LONG love letter… but that is what this site was for… to make my Mom and Dad feel close – as close as close can be, to ease them just a bit by letting them feel they were there… every step of the way.   And Nana… well sometimes there is just no stopping that woman… she runs on a bit… but it is all in the name of love…

I got more treats from Great Grandma and Great Papa…. oh so lucky! Thank you for my stacking peek a boo toy… I LOVE IT!

Priceless memories captured for you and daddy… with all our love…

And it is true, BY THE END OF MY DAY I WAS PRETTY ‘TUCKERED’ OUT, BUT NANA AND THE BEAST HAVE ONE VERY SPECIAL PHOTO JUST FOR YOU…

When we returned to Camp Nana, the Ms. Kristin, Uncle Nick, Aunt Mikayla, Aunt Alyx, Aunt Allyssa and Aunt Arrianna,  had each carved me a pumpkin!   I had six pumpkins Mom and Dad… and another treat waiting for me… one from Ms.Kristin’s parents…. Great Aunt Pam gave me the Pumpkin Bear, and Ms. Kristin and her Parents the softest Bear Blanket EVER!

I had one last costume change… and put on my Trick or Treat Jammers…. and lets just say… I had an awesome day. I am pretty loved arounnd here… and while I NEED YOU TO HOLD ME SOON, AND CANT WAIT TO BE PLAYING WITH YOU, I hope today shows you… Iam doing good, and Nana is pretty sure I am one totally LOVED BABY by all!

Night Mom and Dad, until tomorrow, I am as always, your Little Miss Adorable, your daughter,

Guillianna!  After all of the photos and the day is done…it is clear that for Nana, Halloween has never been about scary stuff, or candy… but instead it is just like every day, or any of dozens of holiday’s,  it is and always has been about the ‘treats’ that friends and family bring to our lives… IF SHE COULD HAVE, SHE WOULD HAVE VISITED WASHINGTON AND GREAT GRANDMA SALLY, AND OH SO MANY OTHERS who have held this family together with treats for years.   Thank you friends and family…we hope you have treats on Halloween, and every day!   All our Love!  Camp Nana!