Good Sports
From the beginning, Middle Boy said he didn't want to do it. Oldest Boy and 4-Year-Old Boy were in. Mary [the dog] seems to enjoy the attention when I fiddle with her, so she's usually cooperative as long as her outfit isn't too tight.
I managed to talk Middle Boy into wearing the costume for pictures only. Oldest Boy tried to persuade him to wear it trick-or-treating, but Middle Boy was firm. He wanted to be Plo Koon, a Star Wars Jedi Master. As far as he was concerned, his brothers and the dog could dress in The Wizard of Oz costumes I so lovingly purchased.
![Oldest Boy [12-Tin Man], Middle Boy [10 - Scarecrow], 4YO Boy [Cowardly Lion], and Mary as Dorothy](http://s3.media.squarespace.com/production/789590/12149748/.a/6a00e5527bf30888330120a64a53c9970b-500wi "Oldest Boy [12-Tin Man], Middle Boy [10 - Scarecrow], 4YO Boy [Cowardly Lion], and Mary as Dorothy")
The Tin Man, Cowardly Lion and Dorothy embraced their roles!
![Oldset Boy [12] and Mary](http://s3.media.squarespace.com/production/789590/12149748/.a/6a00e5527bf30888330120a64a54e2970b-250wi "Oldset Boy [12] and Mary")
The Scarecrow? Not so much...
![Middle Boy [10] not happy as the Scarecrow](http://s3.media.squarespace.com/production/789590/12149748/.a/6a00e5527bf30888330120a69fdccc970c-500wi "Middle Boy [10] not happy as the Scarecrow")
After we took pictures, Oldest Boy began feeling... awkward. I think I said, "Adorable!" a few too many times. Middle Boy quickly changed into his Plo Koon costume. Oldest Boy watched his brother don a cool mask and a light saber. His feet were growing colder by the second.
"I don't think I want to trick-or-treat as the Tin Man."
"You look awesome! With [4YO Boy] and Mary, you'll be the hit of the neighborhood. Just wear it with confidence!"
His eyes started to well. Chris, standing behind Oldest Boy, looked at me and gently shook his head, as if to say, "Surrender, Dorothy."
"What are you going to be?" I asked.
"I can be a Jedi. It's easy."
Oldest Boy scrambled, removed his make-up and appeared on the front porch ready to trick-or-treat as a Jedi. Our Cowardly Lion was confused and disappointed. At four-years-old, he was young enough to want to remain in his costume, but old enough to know he'd been duped.
Mary dressed as Princess Leia for Halloween three years ago. I thought it would be inappropriate for her to be Jabba's slave Leia [in the metal bikini], but I'm rethinking for next year...
[Click on all photos to enlarge.]