Happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween from the Winterhoffs!!

Trick or Treat- Part 2

Winnie has been moping around the house this week as a result of all of the attention that her little brother is receiving in response to his cute Halloween costume. In order to make her feel special, I promised her that I would put her picture on our blog so that her friends and family could see her costume, too. When Winnie was just a few weeks old, I bought her a devil costume (very fitting for our mischeivous puppy) to celebrate her first Halloween. Every year, when I get out the fall decorations, Winnie wags her tail with excitement when she sees her devil horns, and whines until I put them on her head. Last year, I "hid" her horns behind a picture frame on the mantle, and she stood patiently at the fireplace, waiting for me to give them to her, so she could proudly prance around the house (and neighborhood) in her costume. I am dedicating today's post to Winnie, who adds so much to our family with her joie d' vivre on Halloween and always.


Here is a picture of our family in 2004,
on Winnie's first Halloween.

Trick or Treat!

Here's our adorable little Winnie the Pooh Bear,
dressed up like a honey bee, ready for Halloween!
(If you look closely, you'll see his first two teeth, too!)

6 Months Ago...

Today, as Luke turns 6-months old, I realize what a huge learning curve comes with becoming a parent. As I reflect on the past half-year with my baby and celebrate the 6-month anniversary of his birth, I have summarized the top 6 lessons that I have learned so far.

6 months ago, if I only had known that:

1. Our fragile premature infant in the NICU would be a thriving, huge 6-month old, who is in the 97th percentile of height and weight for his age.




2. Only when I stopped receiving a paycheck would I begin the most rewarding job of my life.




3. One tiny baby could require so much "stuff", and take up so much space.




4. Among countless diaper changes and long nights of sleep deprivation, the strongest memories would be those treasured, peaceful moments of bliss, smelling his sweet head and touching his soft skin.




5. I would have so much fun dressing up a baby BOY in outfits galore!
(see previous blog posts)




6. Every time I think that my love for Luke couldn't possibly get any stronger, the sight of his smile causes me to melt and the miracle of my son allows my heart to grow more each day.


Happy 6-month birthday to our angel! We love you!

The Ultimate Hand-Me-Downs

One of the most special gifts that we received when I was pregnant was a box of Mark's baby clothes that his mom had saved. This afternoon, Luke patiently tolerated me as I dressed him up in each outfit and took pictures of him in his Daddy's clothes from 1980! I love knowing that our baby is wearing the same things that Mark wore so long ago. Below are a few of my favorites from our photo shoot, and a rare glimpse of baby Mark:


Mark at 9 months old (April 1981);
Notice how roomy this green outfit is on him!


Here is Luke, at almost 6 months of age,
wearing the same (tight) green outfit.


The polyester turtleneck on this one is too funny!


We love our little sailor boy in his Daddy's overalls!

Mimi's Visit

My mom came to visit this week and we had so much fun! She spent lots of time caring for Luke while I had appointments, and I really appreciated the help. Luke loved playing with his Mimi and continues to be such a happy, alert, responsive baby who smiles almost constantly. Below is a slideshow of some of our favorite new pictures from this week:

My Boys

One of my favorite parts of being a mom so far is watching Luke and Mark interact. The feeling of joy that I have when they are together is indescribable. Seeing my husband play with our son fills my heart with so much love for both of my boys. Here are some of my favorite pictures of the lights of my life:



These matching dimples and smiles are precious beyond words




Like father, like son....
My couch potatoes love snuggling together




There are never too many hugs for Daddy




And sometimes, when they think no one is watching,
there are those priceless, intimate moments
that simply take my breath away...

Weekend in Williamsburg

We had a great visit with Grams and Poppy this weekend in Williamsburg! We went to the Children's Consignment Sale at their church and found lots of great toys, books, and clothes for Luke. The weather was beautiful, and we had fun shopping at the outlets, taking walks outside, visiting Colonial Williamsburg, and spending time with our family. Winnie also loved the frequent walks and attention she received from her grandparents. Here is a slideshow of more pictures of our wonderful weekend (also found under Our Photo Albums link):