By Kirsten Hawkins

There are lots of great things about being a new parent. For example, the joy of bringing a new life into the world, the thrill of shaping a young mind, the pride with each new stage of your baby's life. Few things are more exciting, however, than the license to be a kid again. What better way to celebrate your newfound childhood with your baby than by dressing up with them for Halloween?

There are a few basic rules of babies and Halloween. First, it is probably best to attach yourself to a group of friends with children who are a little bit older, otherwise it is obvious that you are just out getting candy and playing dress up. This is not vital, however, since many candy givers will be too distracted by how darned cute your baby is to care if you're the one who's going to eat the candy. The second is to be careful of the material of your baby's costume. A lot of store bought costumes are made of synthetic materials that are highly flammable, and not very breathable for baby's sensitive skin. The third is to make sure that the costume is weather appropriate. You don't want the baby to be too hot or too cold because of a hat or a lack of mittens.

As far as materials go, a great way to avoid irritation to the baby's skin, or undue worry over the safety of the baby's costume is to use a base that is already clothing that the baby is used to. For example, adding a headband with ears and some painted on whiskers to a grey fuzzy pajama set makes for an adorable little mouse. In colder weather, the same idea works with outerwear. Does your baby have a black coverall snowsuit? Well then you have an adorable little baby seal.

For warmer weather, avoiding face paints that are likely to melt or animal themed costumes that require a lot of coverage is a good idea. For something like a cat or zoo animal, the same basic idea applies, but a onesie or thin cotton romper with sleeves and legs works. Make sure you bring a blanket, because once the sun goes down the temperature is unpredictable.

Another great thing about dressing up with your baby is that you can literally dress up with your baby. You can have a living, breathing accessory for your own grown up costume. Some fun ideas include: *A baby bumblebee and a mother or father flower *A baby tinkerbell and a daddy Peter Pan *Mom, Dad, and baby dressed identically as three sizes of Russian dolls *A baby moth and a mommy or daddy flame The imagination can wander pretty far with the several different possible themes. Perhaps your baby would make a cute purse. It might be a little bit of a stretch, but how about a baby lime and a mommy coconut? Think about it. The possibilities are endless.

About the author:
Kirsten Hawkins is a baby and parenting expert specializing new mothers and single parent issues. Visit http://www.babyhelp411.com/for more information on how to raising healthy, happy children.


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