Lazy Mom

Colin was supposed to go to school dressed as a "community helper." I had several excellent (lazy and cheap) ideas.

Football Coach -- hand-me-down football jersey.
Karate teacher -- karate outfit he already owns.
Fireman -- he has a plastic fireman's hat. Add a stuffed toy Dalmatian.
Principal -- just wear a tie.

But the night before (it's always the night before) he announced that he absolutely HAD to be a dentist. Nothing else would do. He described in elaborate detail exactly what the costume should look like.

I should note that my neighbor Debi sews beautiful costumes for her son Alex. Since Alex is Colin's best friend, he is familiar with Alex's extensive costume wardrobe, often altered to Alex's specifications.

Tragically, I am not Miss Debi.

So instead I dug through the closet, and came up with a red bathrobe, two sizes two big. It wasn't a white lab coat, but it would have to do. I took an index card a wrote on it "Dr. Colin -- dentist" and hot glued it to make a "pocket" on the robe, stuck a toothbrush in it and called it done.

Wishing I had had the time to buy a white coat, I tried to impart the importance of giving Mommy time to get the supplies. I asked him "next time you want a special costume, you know what you need to do?"

Without hesitation, Colin replied "Ask Miss Debi!"