so is there anywhere that I could pick up some costumes or even capes that is in town?  I looked at our target this week and they didn't have any (though they have a huge girl dress up aisle!).  would walmart have them?  any other suggestions?  and damn it I should have stocked up after halloween last year!  idiot!                
                             
        
Re: costumes
Heather, don't you have time to sew with the boys!?! I can't help you, but we went to a Harry Potter birthday party last weekend and the kids wore capes repurposed from red velvet puppet theatre curtains I had made a long time ago. They were perfect! Maybe you could find some cafe curtains and turn them into capes. Just string some ribbon through the top where the rod would go.
you better not be buying costumes for Alec's party--I have little capes for all the kids:)
I had a hard time trying to find a batman shirt so I made one from an iron-on at Wal-Mart.
pic by http://www.southernportraitanddesign.com/
Gap had a super-cute superhero shirt, actually had two velcro squares on the back with a little removable cape (on a regular t-shirt). I know they have Superman, and I think the other one was Batman.
I am probably totally late on this, but Little Shop has some. We have a red cape with yellow lightning on it that you can borrow. LMK.