Ava's first Halloween

Ava is going to be a red hot chili pepper for Halloween.

That's chili pepper as in the fruit (yes, fruit), not the 80s funk rock band  with a bass guitarist named Flea.

Ava and her cousin, Landry, are sticking with a produce theme for their first trick-or-treat experience.

Six-month-old Landry, who is just five weeks older than Ava, is going to be a pea in a pod. Landry's mommy and I picked out the costumes about a month ago. We couldn't help ourselves. The idea of dressing the girls as little felt fruits and vegetables was just too irresistible.

Because let's face it, at this age, the fun is really for the parents, not the kids. Ava can't say, "Trick or treat." She certainly can't knock on doors or eat candy. But bye gosh, she can rock a chili pepper costume.

Our trick-or-treating route is pretty basic. We plan to knock on one door -- Grammy and Grandaddy's house.

I'm just hoping the whole experience is a little less traumatic than our recent backyard attempt to get a couple snapshots of the girls in their Christmas dresses. They were perfectly content for about 15 seconds. Then Landry's big brother, Dash, startled her and she started wailing. This, of course, was disconcerting to Ava, who quickly descended into sobs. Landry's mommy and I were so entertained by the crying "duet," we started taking pictures.

So here's hoping Halloween is a little more fun for them. Who knows? If we're lucky, we may even get a picture of some smiling produce.

Rachel Raya is a Public Relations Manager for Texas Health Resources and New Mom.