Halloween Costumes: A Look Back

On Tuesday Andrea at Momfessionals  hosted a link up all about Halloween costumes... and that got me thinking about my babies' past costumes... and that got me reminiscing... and that made me look back here on the blog at our costumes from the past... and one thing led to another (think almost tears and sheer joy looking back) and I just couldn't resist a flashback post of all of our kiddos' Halloweens. 

From 2009 and our first Halloween as parents to 2014 3 boys later. I give to you the Selph boys' Halloween costumes... A look back. =) 

*One of our Halloween traditions is a picture of the kiddos in my parents' front yard in front of their Fall display... hay bales, scarecrows, pumpkins, and mums. So that's the setting of almost all of the pictures. 

**Blowing up the (poor quality) pictures from the early years made them a little blurry. Sorry.

***I'm still in awe and oh so thankful we. live. here. In 5 out of 6 of these flashbacks we traveled to spend Halloween in B'ville so there is no way to know for sure what kind of drama, rushing, fussing, and exhaustion took place before the pictures were snapped. 

Garrison's first Halloween was in 2009 and he was 8 and a half months old and cute as can be. We decided to go with an adorable Old Navy monkey costume and he did great! I don't remember him crying or putting up a fuss at all. He was a super laid back and easy baby. The ground was wet and it was a sort of rainy Halloween if I remember right. We took him to Trunk or Treat at our church and had a fun night with our first baby boy! 

The following year in 2010 we went with the cutest ever lion costume. Because when your baby is still a baby and you still have control over their costumes you want something cute and sweet and presh. The cuddly lion is still one of my all time favorites. We painted sweet little Garrison's face and everything. He did AMAZING and was soo cooperative and still. I decided to post this picture in particular as evidence but also because Layton is the exact same age this year for Halloween as Garrison is the year he went as a lion. I'm reeally nervous about Layton not feeling the face paint and therefore not being cooperative and still. Ha!

Oh my heart! He was almost 21 months this particular Halloween.

For some reason we decided to get a family picture this Halloween... and this one only. Haha. 

Halloween 2011 our biggest boy decided to be a pirate. He was adorable and really got into the part. If I remember correctly this was the year Terrell decided we had to be done with the cute, furry animal costumes. Ha.

Halloween 2011 was also super special because we had another sweet baby boy with us. Austin's first Halloween was really low key. He slept or people watched all night. Such a precious little pumpkin! And those cheeks!!

Halloween 2012 was a fun one! Garrison was 3 and a half and really understood trick or treating and was super excited about it. We gave him the idea of going as Chipper Jones and he decided he'd love to be ChippaJones. And that's exactly how he said it. =) We loved this costume because it was "homemade". We didn't break out the fabric and sewing machine or anything but we came up with everything ourselves. It was so fun to put together and Garrison was a great Chipper Jones because he was his biggest fan. 

Austin's costume was trickier this year. He was almost 14 months old so too big for the monkey and too small for the lion... 2 costumes I was in love with and really wanted to use again. My mom actually found Austin this Tigger costume at a consignment store in town. It fit perfect and he was the cutest Tigger ever and such a happy little man all night.

We did Trunk or Treat at our church again and even let Austin walk around a little too. I remember this Halloween being really fun. Garrison remembered to say thank you and was so into the whole experience and Austin was just laid back and adorable.

Halloween 2013 is when Garrison Cade's indecisive trait really came out. This was the year he originally wanted to go as Superman but changed his mind after trying on the costume and really disliking the cape around his neck. Then it took forever for him to finally make a final decision to go as Freddie Freeman, his new favorite Brave since Chipper retired. =) Even though the costume was really similar to the year before, I loved him going as Freddie. He was the best Freddie Freeman ever. And the cutest!

And Austin got to go as the lion! That lion costume just gets me! Sooo adorable and precious and sweet!! He never wore the paws but it didn't matter because he wore the mane. And that was all I asked of him. Haha.

Halloween 2013 is also the year a new tradition was born. We opted for traditional trick or treating door to door in my parents' quiet neighborhood (now my neighborhood!!!) and the boys drove house to house in Garrison's jeep while we walked (my very pregnant self included) and followed closely behind. Then, after trick or treating themselves, they gave out candy to trick or treaters back at my parents house. We LOVE this tradition. A safe and quiet neighborhood, nothing scary, no crowds or lines, and they get to hand out candy too, which they love. It's the just the best. The tricky part will be figuring out how to do it all this year since we live in the same neighborhood! Either somebody's house will be neglected or we'll have to split up or we'll have to go early and try to get back in time for the majority of trick or treaters.  

Last year was really special and fun too. Layton Thomas was here and introduced to our Halloween tradition. He went as a monkey... the same one Garrison wore his first Halloween. He wasn't impressed with it but I thought he was absolutely adorable. =)

This picture is just priceless to me. It makes me laugh and melts my heart at the same time. 

Love them so much!

I think this picture sums up Layton's first Halloween... Why am I dressed this way? What is going on? Why are we following around these boys I live with? Why am I dressed this way again? Why??

Hahaha! My sweet little monkey didn't know what to think.

I just love looking back and remembering the fun of past Halloweens! Life flies by and I really want to soak up all these memories and traditions and holiday fun the best that I can. I hope I can keep blogging for a long time because these are precious memories in our family scrapbook that I wouldn't remember the details of otherwise. 

As for this year's costumes... Garrison chose a Wild Kratts bat costume, Austin chose Superman (he decided to go with a costume that didn't require a mask... which he pronounces "mass-keg"), and mama chose the lion for Layton. =) We're getting pretty excited about the big day! Happy Thursday!