How Mommy Killed Halloween

Background: Christopher took a little pumpkin to daycare to carve for Halloween last month. He got to bring it home. It sat at the front door with our two big (un-carved) pumpkins. There had also been a baby pumpkin, but he took it into his bedroom so he could have it for himself. Every time we'd walk into the house he'd say "Hi Pumpkin!", every time we'd leave the house "Bye Bye Pumpkin" each with a full on wave. Background complete.

So, on to my story, I like to cook. I like to try new things and I hate for things to go to waste. I still had the two big pumpkins, still un-carved, at the front door. So I had just made Butternut Squash Soup using fresh Squash so I thought, I'll do the same with the pumpkin. Sounds yummy, I know!

So Monday night, I get Christopher all situated with dinner. He's at the table and he can see what I'm doing in the kitchen. As I've said before he's been very interested in what I'm doing so I moved him so he can see me.

So I grab one of the pumpkins and clean it up. I start cutting it up, first take the top off, then i cut down the sides like it was an apple. Then I pulled those off, cleaned out the insides then started carving off the skin/peel.

First, it was hard. It was MUCH harder than with the two little Butternut Squashs I had done before.

Second, Christopher was watching me. And watching me. And not eating. And the conversation begins...

"Momma, pumpkin?" with this look of concern on his face

Oblivious mommy - "Yes baby, I'm making soup, like we did last week with the Butternut Squash" (because he's 10 and can understand all of that... which he might have... )

Christopher, now twisted in his booster (with straps) so he is facing me "Mama, pumpkin!"

Still slightly oblivious mommy "yes! pumpkin! Dinner for tomorrow! Yeahhh!!!"

Christopher with obvious concern in his voice "Mama, no! Hurt!"

Momma, now understanding what is becoming painfully obvious. I, Momma, have chopped up the precious pumpkin. It wasn't his pumpkin he carved, that one had long ago molded and gone out with the trash (without him noticing), however, he appears to have developed an attachment to the big pumpkins in the meantime. Oops... perhaps him watching me cook isn't always a good thing.

I tried to distract him with the fact that it was going to be Yummy!!! But it didn't help. He wouldn't eat after that so I got him out of the chair and let him over to see what I was doing...

He helped me drizzle the olive oil, put the salt on and the cinnamon and then we (translation=ME) put it in the over (while he stood back and watched). He seemed much better after that.

I cleaned up the aftermath of the pumpkin murder

and we went on to play for a bit.

I did lean my lesson with the second pumpkin and did it while he was in the other room. I also ended up just cutting it in half, cleaning out the insides. then I laid the both sides on a cooking tray. Drizzled and rubbed in olive oil, then salt and cinnamon, then baked in the oven. After they had cooled, I scooped out the pumpkin. MUCH easier than the cutting.

I also learned my lesson with Christopher, let's just say he'll be somewhere else when we are chopping the Christmas tree into pieces come January!!!!