Caleb suffers from last child syndrome. It’s a terrible, horrible, no good syndrome that I plagued him with. It’s where the last child suffer because the parents are too tired after four previous kids to do things like update baby books or take lots of pictures or video tape his/her every move.

Keaton’s baby book is overflowing with information and photos taken almost every day of his few years of life. Caleb’s baby book? Has info about his birth day. And that’s about it. [Although Caleb did have his own blog that I made in to a book so I'm hoping to win some points there.]

We religiously had Keaton’s pictures taken professionally at 3, 6, 9, 12, and 18 months. Then at his 2-year-old birthday and every year thereafter. Caleb? He got professional pictures when he was about 3 months old. And then not again until he started preschool.

Keaton didn’t just have one Halloween costume on his first Halloween. No he had TWO. I spent a lot of time scouring catalogs and stores (cause in 1994 the internet just wasn’t like it is today) searching for the cutest costumes for my handsome boy. By Caleb’s first Halloween I was tired. I had to go costume shopping with two 3-year-olds and an 8-year-old. Nobody could make up their mind about what they wanted to be for Halloween. And I’m pretty sure there were some tears when we left the store. At least I likely had some tears. Of frustration.

So picking out a costume for a six-month-old wasn’t exactly at the top of my “fun” list. There were no catalogs. Or trips to the mall. Or even an internet search. Nope. For Caleb’s first Halloween I picked up a costume I happened upon at a thrift shop. It was an orange vest that looked like a pumpkin. And it had a little hat attached with the stem sticking up. It was nothing spectacular. But it was really cute.

And I’d show you just how cute it was. If I could find a picture. But I’ve already packed up the photo albums in anticipation of our move. [Please dear God. Bring a perspective buyer to our door with an awesome offer...or any offer at all really.] And for some reason I don’t have a photo already on my computer. So once again, Caleb is totally robbed of the spotlight. Bad mommy.

Skyler and Spencer were born on October 4th. So for their first Halloween they were a mere 27 days old. But that doesn’t mean they didn’t dress up. We still had trick-or-treating to do.

In our house Lee stays home to hand out candy while I take the kids out to beg for candy trick-or-treating. So in 1999 Skyler & Spencer chilled in their car seats and watched Daddy give kids candy while Keaton and I prowled the neighborhood for candy.

Keaton, having moved on from his Batman phase, was a Dallas Cowboy football player (Lee’s favorite team since Lee was about 3-years-old). Skyler was a pretty pink pansy. And Spencer was the cutest little peapod ever.

After trick-or-treating we made the rounds to the relatives houses so grandmas, grandpas, aunts and uncles could check out our little garden that was Skyler & Spencer.

We ended the night with some sweet treats. I scoured Keaton’s Halloween bucket for all the Smarties I could find. Keaton stuffed as much candy as he could fit in to his mouth. And Skyler & Spencer enjoyed a refreshing drink of formula. A good Halloween was had by all.

When Keaton was a toddler the Batman movies (the older ones with Micheal Keaton and then Val Kilmer) were really hot. Keaton was just one-year-old when Batman Forever came out. But he was mesmerized by the whole Batman phenomenon.

When he started walking I bought him a pair of Batman tennis shoes. And the obsession took off from there. [So I guess I really should admit to some of the blame here.]

We bought all of the Batman movies on VHS and watched them over and over and over and over. At a mere two years of age he could tell you the names of all the characters and what happens in each of the movies. He probably could have recited dialogue if you asked.

He had every single Batman figurine they made. The good guys and the bad guys. Plus all of the cars and planes and motorcycles from the movies. He would play with them for hours. He didn’t ask for, nor did he need any other toys. He would only play with his Batmans.

He owned plenty of Batman clothing. T-shirts, sweatshirts, and, of course, his favorite shoes. He had Batman and Robin pajamas. And the best part? They came with a cape attached. He even got his big brother, Justis, on the bandwagon. They ran around the house in their Batman & Robin pajamas with their capes flowing behind them like they were off to save the world. Or at least our house.

Keaton’s obsession with Batman last for may years. And that obsession flowed in to his Halloween costumes. As you know, he was an alligator and cow for his first Halloween in 1994. But in 1995 he was Batman. In 1996 he was Batman. And in 1997, he changed it up a bit. He was Robin. Finally in 1998 we got him out of a Batman costume and in to something else. He was Barney. [I know, what were we thinking letting him be that stupid purple dinosaur.] But, ironically, that year Lee and I dressed up as Batman and Batgirl for a Halloween party we went to. What can I say? We just couldn’t get enough of Batman.

So for YEARS I was forced to listen to incessant babble about Batman on the Batman all day, every day channel that was our life (which now that I think back was still 100 times better than the Pokemon years…I despise Pokemon). But there was one thing I am grateful to Batman for. Potty training.

Keaton still wasn’t potty trained by his third birthday and I was beginning to envision him in high school wearing pull-ups. He just wasn’t in to the potty at all. I would sit on the floor in the bathroom and read books to him until he tinkled just a tiny bit. Then I’d get so excited. And we’d clap. And cheer. And then two hours later he’d pee in his pants. It was torture.

I tried bribing him. I got some skittles and told him if he’d go potty in the toilet like a big boy he’d get some Skittles. He’d tinkle a teeny-tiny bit. Just to get the Skittles. Then he’d finish in his diaper 10 minutes later.

I was becoming discouraged. It was like he was taunting me. Then one day out of desperation (and a little bit of anger) I told him, “I’m not buying you another Batman until you start going potty in the toilet.”

From that day on? He started using the toilet instead of peeing in his diaper. It was a Batman miracle. He just needed a little incentive. Something close to his heart.

And 24 hours later. After he’d been using the toilet consistently. He said, “Where’s my Batman?” It’s just all about finding what motivates them.

I’ve never been one of those moms who sews a super awesome Halloween costume for her kids. Or builds a totally rad airplane costume out of a cardboard box, paint and suspenders [like this kid in Skyler & Spencer's class a few years back). I'm more of the mom who runs to the store the night before the school Halloween party and lets the kids pick whatever costume is left on the shelves.

But buying costumes can be expensive. Especially when you're buying them in bulk 'cause you have a houseful of kids. I usually walk out of the store at least $200 poorer after we buy the costumer and then the accessories. Because apparently every. single. costume requires some sort of weapon...no matter what the costume. Spongebob Squarepants? Needs a billy club. The Scream guy? Must have a knife. Werewolf? Pointy teeth...and a gun (why? Who knows?) Even a Princess Fairy? Requires a twinkling wand.

So I made this rule that once the kids were out of elementary school [when the school parties ended] I wasn’t buying anymore costumes. Doesn’t mean the kids can’t dress up for Halloween. Just means they need to plan ahead (unlike mom…’cause, um, do as I say, not as I do, duh) and come up with their own costume. If they need some face paint or a jacket from Goodwill? I’ll help them out. But there will be no $50 ninja costume that barely makes it through Halloween night.

Last year the school district made some changes. The 5th graders are no longer in the elementary schools. Now they have their own intermediate school. So Skyler & Spencer feel like they were ROBBED of an extra year of costumes. And they wrote up this petition about how it’s not fair. When Keaton was in 5th grade he got a costume. And so on. I give them an ‘A’ for effort, but I’m still not buying them a costume. Imagination kids. It’s not something you should be wasting. Just sayin’.

But all of this made me a little reminiscent of the old days. And, although I’ve already packed up our photo albums in the hopes that somebody will buy our freaking house…SOON, I was able to find some photos scanned on my laptop of the kids’ first Halloweens.

Keaton was just 2 1/2 months old on October 31, 1994. But that doesn’t mean he didn’t dress up. In fact…I got him TWO costumes that year. Because what 2 1/2 month old doesn’t need TWO Halloween costumes. RIght?

For his Halloween party at school, he was an alligator. I’m not really sure what they did at their school party. I mean they were all babies. I guess they got dressed up, had a toast of baby formula, and then took a nap. You know how wild and crazy babies can be.

But in any event, Keaton was the most adorable alligator ever. If I do say so myself. And I do.

For Trick-or-Treating (cause what 2 1/2 month old doesn’t go Trick-or-Treating?), Keaton donned a cow costume. But it gets better. Not only was Keaton in the cutest cow costume ever. But I was also in a cow costume. And I ask. Who doesn’t love a grown woman in a cow costume? With udders? Udders, people? What was I thinking? But, to this day, this is one of my favorite pictures of Keaton and I together.

Awww…memories. Of Keaton. When he was young and innocent. Now? At 16? Not so innocent.