July Snippets

A few bits and pieces from the past couple of weeks:

Friends:




Our friends from Roanoke, the Babers, stopped by on their way to Columbia, SC, and we were thrilled to meet adorable Baby Eden. I love how it looks like Eden is trying to hold Luke's hand in these pictures. What a ladies' man! We're really enjoying this stage of our lives where our friends are also becoming parents, and we can share stories and visits, and we've been very fortunate to see many of our long distance friends in the past few months.



We've been having Play Group outside at our pools this month. Here's the most recent of Luke with his friends. You can only imagine how silly we moms looked, trying to keep these 4 mobile toddlers still (and looking in the direction of the camera!) in order to get a picture of them!


Family:




Luke now likes to "help" us on our family walks in the neighborhood. If he is not pushing his walking toy down the street, Luke insists on holding Winnie's leash. We're not sure who is really walking who, here! Sorry about the poor photo quality in the above picture. It's hard to get adequate light for picture-taking before the sun rises (yes, we still wake up at a ridiculously early hour, thanks to the kids!).


Fashion:



Here are a front and back view of Luke on a recent day when Daddy was in charge of putting on pjs. I guess snapping the onesie is "optional" when a guy does it. Too funny! (In Mark's defense, he said that he anticipated a diaper change soon, and didn't want to go through with the wrestling match of snapping everything just to un-do it again.)


Lastly, here is our sweet Winnie, (who did not want to be left out of the "fashion" segment) tolerating her human family dressing her up in a hat as a good role model of sun protection for her little brother. At least we didn't put her in a bikini at the beach like last year!

Daddy's Shoes

I love to wear my Daddy's shoes
though my feet are small,
when they are in my Daddy's shoes
I feel 10 feet tall (*or in our case, at least 6',5").

Some day I'll grow to fill them,
I only hope to be,
as fine a man and great a Dad
as my Daddy is to Me!


(I saw this poem on the internet and searched in vain for the poet/author to give proper credit, but couldn't find anything!)

*adapted specifically for Luke/Mark Winterhoff, 2009

Uncle Jef's Ribs

Every year at the beach, my Uncle Jef grills his famous barbeque babyback and spareribs on July 4th. We look forward to this annual family tradition for months ahead of time, and this year, Luke had his first "taste". The pictures below explain it all:



"Seriously, guys? You call this dinner?"



"Oooooh! These are the ribs that I've heard so much about. Mom, you're really gonna let me do this on my own?!"



Taking the first bite... Yummy!



"Sweet, yet tangy, with a hint of smoky flavor... Absolute perfection!"



Winnie hovered hopefully in the background, as BBQ sauce went flying, and Luke DEVOURED his rib!



"These are the BEST! Thanks, Uncle Jef!"
(Look at that deliriously happy smile!)

Vroom, Vroom!

An otherwise peaceful Friday morning was disrupted today by an enormous backhoe and work crew digging up our front yard. We have been dealing with construction next to us for months as a new phase of our neighborhood begins, and Luke loves looking out the window at the "Vroom Vrooms" (construction vehicles). What a treat for a little boy, to have all of these huge, loud pieces of machinery right next door! Mommy is not as thrilled, as countless naps have been cut short by noise, we are awakened most mornings by the sound of bulldozer engines revving, and there is red dust everywhere, stirred up by dump trucks blazing through our good ole' South Carolina clay. However, today was an exceptionally interesting day, as the only connecting gas line to the new home lots happened to be in our yard, and apparently took 5 men with a backhoe & jackhammer about 8 hours to locate. If only I had an audio clip to share with you, of the unbelievable noise disruption in quiet suburbia, as our house literally reverberated from the vibrations. Luke and Winnie were enthralled and spent lots of time at the front door, checking out all the excitement. Tonight, I am extremely thankful that the men are gone, our yard has been re-sodded, and blissful peace restored. I'll chalk it up to another adventure to be tallied to our experience as homeowners- one that I hope is not repeated for a long, long, time!

Giggles

Last week, Mark was blowing bubbles and Luke found it hilarious to pop them in Daddy's face. Here's a video of one of the sweetest sounds that I have ever heard. I just can't get enough of those contagious giggles!

Topsail Island Beach Vacation

Every year since I was a little girl, my family has vacationed at Topsail Island Beach in North Carolina. We love staying right on the beach and spending time with our extended family. Luke was a tiny infant when he embarked on his first beach trip to Topsail last summer, and we marveled at the difference a year makes. Last year, Luke's entire vacation was spent sleeping, eating, and being held by his adoring relatives. This summer, he was a very active, entertaining presence, who proudly showed off his walking, talking, and playing to his once again enthralled audience. We had a wonderful time and have many pictures posted below in our slideshow and on our Winterhoff Family Photo Albums website.



Coordinated 4th of July family outfits


Beach cousins, Laura, Luke, and Danielle


Cool dude in his shades!

Celebrating Independence Day!

A blog entry by Luke Winterhoff, age 14 months:



My parents took me for a walk yesterday and told me some exciting news: It is our country's birthday today!



I just couldn't wait to wake up this morning and wish America a happy birthday! Here I am watching the sunrise with the flag behind me. (However, Mommy says that not every birthday needs to start at 4:40 a.m. like today.)



My sister and I had a pool party as part of our celebration. Here I am, all decked out in my red, white, and blue swimming trunks.



I even had my first ice cream cone, as a special treat for our country's birthday. Yummy!!



All that fun wore me out, so I decided to relax on the beach.
Happy 4th of July, everyone!