VANESSA THE LIONESSA

Our little cherub celebrated her first Halloween! Family and college cronies will not be surprised to see our sweet Wahkeenah dressed as - that's right - a lion cub.

You see, my mom gave me a big stuffed lion for my first birthday- my best friend, named "Lion." You've heard of Calvin & Hobbes? We were Mary & Lion. Maybe you've heard of us. Then, thanks to an '80s hair mane and a penchant for the prowl, I got the nickname "the Lioness" in college. No surprizes, baby Nessa is a natural jungle cat.

The poor dear cried pretty hard when we put her in her suit. We thought she was uncomfortable, but really she needed a snack. Lions get hungry.

The evening walk with Daddio was really trick-or-treating to the three houses next to us. Then mama ducked out to go grocery shopping while the lion cub answered the door and passed out treats to a host of strangers. She loved it.

Nanners was a believable lion cub, and drew many comments of, "Her hair matches the lion costume!" I guess both Vanny and Milo have lion-colored hair.

I can't tell you how it felt to hold a live, stuffed lion in my arms. What a cuddly critter! How many times, as a little girl, did I wish my Lion was really alive? Purrrrrr.

We've decided she can wear her lion suit in lieu of a snowsuit when we go back East for Thanksgiving. What? There have been lion sightings in Vermont. Heck, ever heard of the University of Vermont Catamounts?