Happy Halloween from My Little Blackbird

Read Time:2 Minute, 5 Second

I don’t remember how the conversation unfolded, but back in February, my kiddo was in the backseat of the car playing with her toy Blackbird. Not the bird… the aircraft.

“Mommy, I want to be the SR-71 for Halloween.”

My first thought: Well, I won’t be able to find that one at the store. How on earth would I even MAKE that costume???
Second thought: It’s only February, she will change her mind a thousand times before Halloween.

She didn’t.

My girl loves Halloween. Throughout the year, she keeps a running list of costumes that she’s mulling over. Typically the list is quite extensive. Not this year though; this year, she decided months ago. (Full disclosure: there was a brief 5 minutes that she considered Wonder Woman, but she concluded that should be next year’s costume.)

After the initial worry that I wouldn’t be able to pull it off, pieces started coming together. This summer, during one of our numerous trips to the Bronx Zoo, we spotted bat wings at the gift shop. We both knew that they would make perfect Blackbird wings! And when I came across a long narrow witch’s hat headband, I grabbed it for the front end of the aircraft. Though we removed some of the glittery bats and ribbon, she had me leave the tuft of feathers because it IS, after all, called the Blackbird. With some black duct tape, cellophane wrapping in yellow and red for the flames and a bit of discarded packaging for the cockpit, we had our SR71 Blackbird complete.

Tonight, with a few glow sticks added for increased coolness (aka- safety), this bird will take flight! I love that she wasn’t swayed by the glitz and glamour of the store bought costumes, and that she had a vision and determination to be something that she loved, regardless of it being unique. At one point I reminded her that most people won’t know exactly what she is, for fear that she would be disappointed when she finally wore it out. She didn’t care one bit, and for that moment, I felt a warm fuzzy feeling.

It is quite a humbling and heartwarming thing to be inspired by your child.

So kiddo, this love of yours (okay.. this love of ours) for space and aviation might be just a passing phase but I hope and pray that this bit of uniqueness and acceptance of your own passion is what sticks arounds and helps guide you in life.