if memory serves, aleo fell asleep before the twentieth house, not surprising given the interior of that costume had to be balmy 120 degrees. bella continued on, possibly hitting almost 100 homes (a modest number compared to her post-ten coverage) that night. and at each one she'd point down at the sidewalk to the stroller with two brown, furry feet protruding and ask, "can i have a piece of candy for my brother. he fell asleep a long time ago." after they'd pass it over, she'd promise them she would see that he got it.

aleo's costume was a hand-made, hand-me-down from one of marty's sisters, a woman who outdid herself each year with meticulously crafted designs for her own children, who are fotunate-for-us a few years older than our children.