The Fiendish Plot of Dr. Fu Momchu

Yet another sign that I'm a full-blown mommy: chocolate is now a secondary issue at Halloween. My number one priority is showcasing my girl's cuteness in innovative and original ways.

Here's a "before" shot. This is my sweet girl in her diaper and the hat from her costume. Once she realized I really, really wanted her to wear that hat, she refused to put it back on. Which is too bad, because it was my favorite part of her costume. I dressed her as my favorite Peter Sellers character, Dr. Fu Manchu. If you're unfamiliar with this cultural icon, click here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Fiendish_Plot_of_Dr._Fu_Manchu

Actually, the hat was my second-favorite part. What I was looking forward to most was the gray theatrical hair I was going to apply to her sweet face and strawberry blonde head. But Riley refused to cooperate with my efforts to paint latex glue all over her mouth. Who knew?

What's that, you say? Anyone with an IQ high enough to be legally executed in the great state of Texas -- i.e., anyone -- would know better than to try to glue foot-long strands of fake hair on 16-month-old? Point taken.

So I ended up breaking out the black eyeliner and trying to draw an artful 'stache on a squirming toddler. It was only slightly more successful than my glue project. The outfit she's sporting is one my mother and sister brought back from their trip to Thailand a couple of years ago.

And it's in keeping with a new McGinley Halloween tradition: every year she hits the holiday as a somewhat obscure and highly original character. Last year, Riley went to a baby party dressed as Frida Kahlo. http://www.elmuseo.org/gelmanpr.html I brushed on a heavy black unibrow and a lady mustache. I dressed her in an adorable Mexican dress and wrapped her in a monkey blanket. It was a huge hit with everyone but my husband, who thought it was really, really creepy. I think it was the unibrow that got him.

He thought she should go as something cuter and baby-er, like a pumpkin. I agree that babies in pumpkin outfits are adorable, but they're as common as jack-o-lanterns on front porches. I wanted my girl to stand out, which is hard to do in a field of 30 cuties.

I also know that once she starts asserting herself on costume selection, I'll give way. This is probably the last year I can get away with dressing her up any way I want. Which is too bad, because I think she'd make a great Truman Capote or Tom Wolfe.