Audrey's Photo Shoots

birth announcement

tiny fingers

tiny toes

two weeks old

6 days old

Fourth Anniversary

The day after Kirk and I were married we drove through big (or was it little?) cotton wood canyon from Salt Lake into Heber. It was absolutely beautiful with all the fall colors. We stopped in Heber at the dine-in Pizza Hut where we enjoyed the most delicious meal known to man. We were incredibly googly eyed for each other making Pizza Hut a fun memory for us.

On our second anniversary we found ourselves back in Heber and stopped at the same Pizza Hut. We once again enjoyed delicious deep dish supreme pizza with a large rootbeer, although this time we were snugly and I was a little nauseous (que Kirsten 5 months later)

So on our fourth anniversary we didn't really have a choice. Of course the deep dish supreme pizza and rootbeer were order, but instead of sharing a booth making out we sat across from each other each of us manning a daughter. I'm pretty sure not one kiss was exchanged and the pizza is sitting in our fridge with only one piece gone, because after the fit Kirsten threw we didn't last in the restaurant very long. But we celebrated and are looking forward to our fifth year "get a way" anniversary. I'm already counting down the days.

Will we return to pizza hut for our sixth anniversary? I think it's probable.

Four Years of Marital Bliss

Happy Anniversary Kirk
I Love You!

Sunday Sunday

We are back from our whirlwind trip to Utah County, Vernal, Salt Lake, and Florida. We rolled back into St George at midnight Saturday night...so happy to be home. We had a great time seeing friends, family, and were happy to see Emily actually agree to marry Garrett. But were we ever exhausted yesterday.
We slept in until 9:00 (and by sleeping in I mean waking up every few hours to take care of our babies). Kirk and Kirsten got ready and headed to church while Audrey and I went back down for naps. Although the nap never really happened since Audrey decided to make her sole purpose of the day to eat constantly. Feeding Audrey sums up everything I did yesterday.
Kirk went to church with Kirsten...who would not let him put her down, at all. He held her during sacrament until the glorious color brown ran down her legs. Of course her dress and onesie were stained, but what can ya do. She refused to go to nursery and so she got to go to Sunday School with him, where she refused to be put down and so he taught with her in his arms. Distracting to 13 year olds? I think so. He ended class a few minutes early and came home. Perfect nap opportunity. We put the girls down and tried to catch up on sleep ourselves, but Audrey hated that plan and insisted on eating.
And the scenerio replayed it self over and over yesterday.
So 6:45 last night I tell Kirk I just need a break and ask him if he wants to take the girls on a quick walk down the street. Liking his wife to be sane he readily agreed. Audrey is loaded into the carrier and Kirsten in the stroller. I climb into the tub with a readers digest hoping I get a full article in before he comes home. After I finished the entire magazine I realize its been an hour and jump out of the tub wonderding where my husband an babies were. My heart pounds, my eyes tear up, and my mind races with all the terrible what ifs.

But there they were walking up the street (yes it was very dark) having the time of their lives. As parents of two, is this really our new normal? Really???

18 month olds rock my world

 

Kirsten is 18 months old this month. It's hard for me to think my baby is this big! I'm amazed at all the big things she does. Like today I put Audrey in her bouncer, Kirsten grabbed the newborn pillow and lifted Audrey's head to put the pillow under it! Then she turned the vibrator to the bouncer on. I am starting to think she is ready to babysit....if only, huh?

Her favorite things consist of: airplanes, sidewalk chalk, blanket/dish towel/washcloth/etc, singing, books, crayons, tea parties, cars, her baby sister, ring around the rosies, mark get set go...run across the house, bathtime/swimming pools/water of any kind, and shoes.

We are working on signing and so far she's pretty good at more, please, and airplanes. Gotta have your priorities! She is absolutely fascinated with the sky and is constantly pointing up. Every time she hears a car she points up hoping an airplane is flying overhead.

If I could I would freeze time. I absolutely love this stage of life! Kirsten, you are such a beautiful girl and I adore being your mother!!!

2 weeks

(editor's note: Audrey is so adorable with her eyes open. Her eyes are deep sea blue and I stare at them for hours each day. Unfortunately getting a good picture of a newborn with her eyes open is almost impossible with all the squirming limbs and changing faces, but you get the idea of her intense beauty)

If Audrey were Kirsten today would be the day she would be born. 11 days after my due date. No wonder I was so ornery! Good heavens no woman should ever have to go through that!

Yesterday Audrey turned two weeks old (good grief has time flown by!) At her doctor appointment she weighed 8 lbs 4 oz and was 20 1/4 inches long. Are you thinking what I am? Kirsten weighed 8lbs 7 oz and was 20 1/2 inches long at birth. Are my girls on the same growth pattern or what?

Can you imagine

what our cell phone bill will be like when they are teenagers

It doesn't get better than this

My mom just took Kirsten to Costco with her.
Audrey is asleep on the couch (I forgot how nice it is to leave a newborn on the couch and not worry about them rolling off!)
My sister Amanda is asleep on my bed (she arrived on the greyhound bus this morning at 7 am. Apparently greyhound is not as wonderful as once it used to be)

And I have a few moments completely to myself which I am going to take to blog about how much I love being a mother of two.

We have been home for over a week now. Audrey is the perfect baby. She has slept 5 hours during the night since she was born (don't ask me how I got lucky enough to have two amazing sleepers). Then she proved just how perfect she really is when she slept 8 hours last night. You go girl! She's a really good baby and is eating well. She's really happy too. She smiles all the time. I know some newborns do this but Kirsten did not so it's really exciting for me.

As I was leaving the house early the morning we had Audrey, I kissed Kirsten goodbye and then wondered how on earth I could do this to her. She had no idea how much her life was about to change! But then I realized I was having another baby partly for Kirsten, so she could have a sister...and that cheered me right up! Kirsten is loving being a big sister. She thinks it is her sole responsibility to keep Audrey's hands away from her face (which is exactly where Audrey likes them). She is also on binky patrol and insists Audrey always has her binky (she has stopped trying to put it in Audrey's hand and has learned to put it in her mouth). She has her occasional "mom hold me NOW" or "Dad you are not allowed to hold Audrey...only me" moments. But has adjusted really well (but with either her Nana or Grandma here to spoil her, why wouldn't she?)
Kirk is back to work. His time off wasn't exactly the vacation I somehow pictured in my mind. We made the deal that the next time we use vacation pay it will include a beach! He is flying to Florida next week (something neither of us are excited about) and that's why Amanda came into town on the greyhound. He is going to be working with NASA, which sounds cool so we'll have to see how it turns out.

Two weeks ago I had Kirk convinced that our life would be complete with two baby girls. They would be happy, we would be happy, and in 25 years we could be grandparents and retire. Not to shabby. Pregnancy and I were really not getting along. After the c-section I was wheeled into the recovery room where I really got to hold my Audrey for the first time. She was so beautiful and radiated an amazing spirit. I looked at Kirk and said "ok, we can have more kids". And that's what a newborn baby brings into the family. Everything about Audrey's birth was perfect. My doctor was amazing and had her out within 4 minutes. Everyone of my nurses was kind and helpful. Our pediatrician is awesome. I really couldn't have asked for a better experience. I'm healing really great and was even able to do dishes and get Kirsten ready today. Things are just all together perfect!

My sisters Camille and Chelsey surprised me and showed up on my doorstep Saturday morning. It was totally and completely awesome! I'm so glad I have such awesome sisters! And I'm so grateful my girls have a sister. I absolutely love having two daughters. I really couldn't imagine anything better. I asked Camille if mothers of two boys are as happy as I am with two girls. She said yes (which I was a little surprised at, being caught up in the world of girls!). Being a mother of two is so much better than just one. Like my mom always says, your love really does grow.

Huge thanks to my mom and Karen for helping our family out so much the past couple weeks. We really couldn't have done it without you!

Kirsten & Audrey...Best Friends

This one is dedicated to Amanda!!!

Round 2

More pictures of Audrey Camilla Howcroft!
(Specifically for Dynelle's sisters)