Just like her dad

Since Kirsten learned to walk with our help, Kirk has taught her to kick a soccer ball. So for the past couple months this has been her favorite pastime. We think it's pretty darn cute!

Privacy is a Privilege (we no longer enjoy)

Lately Kirsten has been pretty curious about the shower. But she took it to a another level today when Kirk showered. Kirk will be embarrassed that I posted these pictures, so try not to mention that you know about our little spy.

Kirsten ended up showered herself, at least wet enough she might as well have gotten in!

New Blog

For a while now I've been throwing around the idea of having my own blog, just for me. Where I can share my thoughts and crafts, separate from family pictures and memories.

So I've decided to give it a shot my new blog is
My thoughts as a Howcroft
Check it out!
(our family blog will still be updated regularly, no worries!)

Polar Bear girl

It's official, our family is growing. After the pregnancy test came out positive I was shocked for a while afterwards. But Kirk was instantly excited and is thrilled to have another baby. He said "I love Kirsten so much, why shouldn't we have more?" That's why I love him so much.

Since the "freak out hour" ended we have both been thrilled. We are due the first part of September so this baby will be exactly 18 months younger than Kirsten. How exciting!

We went to Vernal last weekend and told both of our families. Kirk made a card for his mom that said "Nana's New Number Nine" she understood immediately and was really excited. She said "This is the most exciting thing that's happened in a long time!"

We had a surprise birthday for my mom. Then surprised her with a new grandbaby. We got her reaction on video, check it out...

We had a great weekend in Vernal, we love being with our families! Kirsten went sledding for the first time. She doesn't like the snowsuit we have for her, so she wasn't very smile, but I'm confident she had a good time. Just before we packed up to head home we let her crawl all over the snow. She finally found her heaven and looked just like a polar bear.

Guess What?

+

=

We are pregnant!!!

Bowling

The other night we went bowling at BYU. We haven't been actually bowling in a long time (we are mostly wii bowlers). And come to find out, it's a lot harder in real life! Kirsten was fascinated by the people, music, noise, and overall atmosphere of the bowling alley. She wouldn't look at the camera or even smile for that matter. It was a pretty neat place.

The highest bowling score I have ever gotten was a 163. I didn't even score half that this round.

She almost looked at the camera in this picture. And almost smiled. We will keep working on her.

Kirk was the top bowler for sure. Just look at the speed and skill that ball is thrown with.
I'm speechless.

Well neither of us even broke a 100,

but we had a great time.
And maybe we will get out to a real bowling alley more often.

I'm in Love with these Two

Mornings at our house

10 months

I try to take pictures of Kirsten the day she turns another month old...to celebrate the adorable life she lives. She turned 10 months on Sunday. But between adjusting to 1:00 church and well that's the only reason we postponed pictures until yesterday. We had quite the photo shoot with my active 10 month old. She is climbing and crawling and doesn't hold still for a minute. My camera is on its last leg...making the pictures even harder to get. But these are what we have of the little munchkin.

I wish someone would have warned me that babies change the most between 9 and 10 months. Kirsten has gone from a baby to a toddler. She's everywhere, she understands what we are saying, she is being disciplined (for crawling to the stairs mostly), she eats a normal dinner with us, she is just growing up. I've realized that shes not always going to be my baby. She's going to walk, talk, go to school, become a teenager...it's all going to happen someday.
(small tear)
But these are the cute stories we have to share with you this month:

• Kirsten has began nodding her head...it's the cutest darn thing. After returning from Vernal we headed to walmart and were on our way home, it had been a long day and Kirsten was ready for dinner and bed. I asked her if she wanted applesauce and she started nodding her head like crazy for like 30 seconds. Lets just say she got a generous portion of applesauce that night.
• We stayed with Tom and Karen over the Christmas holiday. Kirsten is working on some serious teeth and hasn't been sleeping well. This particular night we had each been up a couple times with her when she started to cry at 7 am. I nudged Kirk and he nudged me, both wanting the other to go get her. Finally I just said "Kirsten" (she was in the next room btw) and she yelled back "MaMa". It was the cutest thing and I jumped up to go grab her. Kirk said "I'm glad she hasn't learned Dada" and I said "I'll take it!"
• The other day we went to the bank drive through and were waiting in a really long line. Kirk kept sticking his tongue out at Kirsten and she would stick hers back at him, I would turn around to look just in time for her to hide her tounge back in her mouth then start giggling. She played this little game 5 or 6 times before she finally gave up and let me see her tongue.
• Sunday during Sacrament meeting we were singing the opening song and I was holding Kirsten. Suddenly Kirsten looks right at me, pushes my hair out of my face, and planted a great big kiss right on my lips....and left them there until I pulled away. It was the first kiss I have ever gotten from her and it just melted my heart!
• Driving back from Garretts farewell, Kirsten had a hard time. She only slept for about half hour and just whined the rest of the way. I did my best to occupy her while Kirk drove through the blizzard. We get to Heber, stop and make her a bottle, feed her and continue driving while she cries in the back seat. Finally, I turn on the radio to drown her out and some rock song comes on. Immediately Kirsten stops crying and was asleep 2 minutes later. I called Amanda right away to let her know I had a daughter just like her.
• When Kirk gets her out of her crib in the mornings she waves her hands until she sees me. She's turned into quite the mama's girl.
• Over the winter break we have been bringing her into our room to snuggle when she wakes up. One morning she bumped her head on our head board. She got kinda teary eyed until Kirk bumped his head too...then it was all giggles from there as her and Kirk took turns bumping their heads on the head board.

We love you Kirsten!

Christmas in Vernal

This year we spent Christmas in Vernal. We had an awesome Christmas filled with family and lots of fun. This is Kirsten on Christmas Eve. She was really excited for the party at my moms house.

Where we played lots of great games (it's always a good game when men have to wear panyhose on their heads. They kept asking my mom if they were used)

We also had a dress Santa game. Chelsey look more pregnant than like Santa and Jacob totally looked like Santa. He was too cute!

We also had the classic natvity.

Kirsten was really lucky and had Santa visit her at both grandparents homes. We slept at the Howcrofts so we got to see what Santa brought her there first. The first video is showing off her smile first thing Christmas morning...before we ventured downstairs.

Kirk and I agreed the thing Kirsten wanted most was a playmate...but no brothers or sisters will be coming for awhile so we asked Santa to bring her a doll she would love. Turns out she loved the dolls rattle toy just as much as the doll.We then headed over to my parents house where Kirsten got this cute mirror music stage that she just adoresSee for yourself...

The Howcrofts gave me this amazing sewing machine and my mom got a nice new camera. We were spoiled but mostly loved just being together and seeing Kirsten so happy (and tired)

We had such a great time. It was so fun to be with family. Special thanks to both of our moms who really went the extra mile this Christmas!

Finally! A post about Christmas!

Happy New Year!

2009
was started out right at our house. We slept in, spent most the day playing and playing and playing with Kirsten, went for a run, and played The Construction Game 3 times. It just doesn't get any better than that.
We are excited for the new year!
Some of the highlights we are looking forward to:
Kirsten's First Birthday
Her First Steps
Graduation
Having a "real job"
Moving away from Happy Valley
Owning our own home (or condo or place of dwelling)
Traveling to 4 corners, Grand Canyon, Moab, Zions, and Bryce
Spending one more year together making memories!