Some December fun...

Cate loves when Daddy comes home!

The Princess on her throne...

Exploring a Christmas Tree...

Upside down!

A big, happy baby!

New Pictures of Cate!

These were taken when Catherine was between 2 1/2 and 3 months old. She's a doll! :)

Happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween from 2 crazy Hillbillies and their pet squirrel!

Finally some Fall weather!

Catherine laughed for the first time today! Let me just say I thought she was cute before, but nothing can compare to that beautiful little chuckle!!! She only did it 3 times, but we keep trying to get her to laugh again! Today it was actually cold! (Well chilly, not cold, but after 90 and 100 degree temps for 4 months it feels cold!) We bundled Catherine up and took her for a walk around the neighborhood, here are some pictures. :)
~Jenny




We also took Catherine to the county fair for Family Home Evening last week. Hanson was kicking off their newest tour by playing there so we went and listened while we ate dinner and walked around. We didn't dare get very close to the stage because it was really LOUD but I got a couple of pictures from far away. Catherine was smiling a lot while we were there, so I think it's safe to say she is a Hanson fan too! I knew she had good taste. :)

~Jenny

Not a newborn anymore!

Catherine has lost her "newborn" baby looks now. She is 2 months old now and is always alert and looking around. She is smiling more and more when you smile at her and she is even starting to make baby noises like cooing. One evening she "talked" to Joe for 5 minutes, just making all kinds of noises, it was adorable! Here are some new pictures of our little angel, enjoy!
-Jenny

Trying to capture a smile...

Here are some new pictures of Catherine! I have been trying to capture her smiling. It's really hard because it is so random and so fast, but these are my best efforts! We had such a fun time this weekend, I'm so grateful for everyone who came out for Catherine's Baby Blessing!
She misses you all of course, and can't wait to see you again soon!

~Jenny :)

Daddy and Catherine on Camera!

Sleeping beauties!

Yum, food!

Holding hands...

A new video!

Happy 2-week Birthday Catherine!

Our sweet little girl is two weeks old today! She is usually calm and happy, she doesn't cry much. She loves to be held, especially with her tummy against your shoulder. She also loves to sleep and has been able to sleep 5 hours during the night since birth! (Mommy really likes that!) She eats like she's starved every time, it's pretty funny how fast she drinks her milk. She can down 2 oz in just a minute or two. She has already gained back her birth weight, plus more. When the Dr. weighed her today she was a little over 9 lbs. He said she is growing like a weed and is doing very well. I've included a few more pictures and hopefully Daddy can make another video clip with her tonight. Happy 2 week Birthday Catherine, we love you!

~Jenny



PICTURES:
#1 Catherine in her bassinet, about 1 1/2 weeks old
#2 "Momma D" (Jenny's Mom) holding Catherine, just home from the hospital
#3 Mommy holding Catherine in the hospital, 2 days old
#4 Catherine before her first bath, just a few hours old!

A few new pictures...

Here are a few more pictures of Catherine. I am still figuring out how to get the pictures off of the digital camera. These pictures are from our computer's web cam. Enjoy!
~Jenny

p.s. Her head is not nearly that pointy in real life, haha.  I am not sure why the camera angle makes it look that way. 

Catherine has arrived!

Here is a short video clip of our beautiful new baby! Catherine Roberta Croft arrived on Thursday, July 30th at 2:32 pm. She is 8lbs 13 oz and 21 inches long. She already has a sweet, calm temperament. She is 2 days old in this video, enjoy!
~Jenny & Joe

Waiting for baby...

Tomorrow is our baby's due date! My doctor said there hasn't been any change yet (as far as my body prepping for labor) and I may have to be induced next week if she doesn't come on her own by then. Either way, she'll be here by next weekend! We are so excited to meet our baby, we'll post pictures as soon as we can. Here is a list of names we are thinking about, feel free to comment and give your opinnions and alternatives! (All of the middle names are family names, so they probably won't change.)

Catherine Roberta
Vivianna Joy
Audrey Meredith
Mara Merlyne

I also personally also like Faith, Miriam, Lilly, and Celeste.


~Jenny :)

Choosing a Baby Blessing Dress

I've been looking online at baby blessing dresses and they are beautiful and outrageously priced. Here are two links to dresses I really like. They are similar in style but very different in price. What do you guys think? Sadly, we really can't afford either one, but now at least I know what kind I like. I'll keep looking. Does anyone know someone who sews well?
~Jenny

These dresses are nice and handmade and some of the cheapest I've found. The one I like the best is the "Samantha dress". It is the last one on the page.

http://youwillbeblessed.com/formaldresses.html


These dresses are VERY fancy and expensive, but I love this gorgeous lace one! The bonnet is so beautiful. (Joe thought the baby was a mannequin, but I'm pretty sure it's a real baby...)

http://www.onesmallchild.com/detailviews.aspx?productid=3512##

Newbie Coming

Only 4 weeks left until baby Croft's due date! We are very excited and hurrying to get everything ready. As soon as we get a new camera I'll post pictures of the nursery in all it's glory. It's not much, but I've enjoyed putting it together. Everyone, even strangers ask me when I am due now, I kind of look like I'm going to pop... I don't mind though, it's not too uncomfortable yet and I know it will be over soon so I'm trying to enjoy what time is left. I can't help wondering what our baby will look like and what her personality will be!
~Jenny :)

Here are some jokes sent to me, families with lots of kids will really appreciate these!

BIRTH ORDER OF CHILDREN
> 1st baby: You begin wearing maternity clothes as soon as your OB/GYN
> confirms your pregnancy.
> 2nd baby: You wear your regular clothes for as long as possible.
> 3rd baby: Your maternity clothes ARE your regular clothes.

1st baby: You pre-wash newborn's clothes, color-coordinate them, and fold
> them neatly in the baby's little bureau.
> 2nd baby: You check to make sure that the clothes are clean and discard
> only the ones with the darkest stains.
> 3rd baby: Boys can wear pink, can't they?

1st baby: At the first sign of distress--a whimper, a frown--you pick up
> the baby
> 2nd baby: You pick the baby up when her wail s threaten to wake your
> firstborn.
> 3rd baby: You teach your three-year-old how to rewind the mechanical
> swing.

Activities:
> 1st baby: You take your infant to Baby Gymnastics, Baby Swing, Baby Zoo,
> Baby Movies and Baby Story Hour.
> 2nd baby: You take your infant to Baby Gymnastics.
> 3rd baby: You take your infant to the supermarket and the dry cleaners.

Going Out:
> 1st baby: The first time you leave your baby with a sitter, you call home
> five times.
> 2nd baby: Just before you walk out the door, you remember to
> leave a number where you can be reached.
> 3rd baby: You leave instructions for the sitter to call only if she sees
> blood.

Swallowing Coins (a favorite):
> 1st child: When first child swallows a coin, you rush the child to the
> hospital and demand x-rays
> 2nd child: When second child swallows a coin, you carefully
> watch for the coin to pass.
> 3rd child: When third child swallows a coin you deduct it from his
> allowance!

How to spend money you get from the Government

This year, taxpayers will receive an Economic Stimulus Payment. This
is a very exciting new program that I will explain using the Q and A
format:

Q. What is an Economic Stimulus Payment?
A. It is money that the federal government will send to taxpayers.

Q. Where will the government get this money?
A. From taxpayers.

Q. So the government is giving me back my own money?
A. Only a smidgen.

Q. What is the purpose of this payment?
A. The plan is that you will use the money to purchase a
high-definition TV set, thus stimulating the economy.

Q. But isn't that stimulating the economy of China ?
A. Shut up.

Below is some helpful advice on how to best help the US economy by
spending your stimulus check wisely:
If you spend that money at Wal-Mart, all the money will go to China .
If you spend it on gasoline it will go to the Arabs.
If you purchase a computer it will go to India .
If you purchase fruit and vegetables it will go to Mexico, Honduras,
and Guatemala.
If you buy a car it will go to Japan .
If you purchase useless crap it will go to Taiwan .

You can keep the money in America by spending it on yard sales, beer,
or tattoos, since those are the only thriving businesses still in the
US.

Haha! I got this as an email and thought it was really funny. And sad. What is not so funny is this; in California they aren't even sending us state tax refund money. They are sending IOU's. Seriously. I'm not kidding. Really.
Instead of paying my taxes this year, I think I'm going to send California an IOU.
They started it.
~Jenny

Interesting Quote...

Considering everything going on in Washington these days, this is a very interesting and "timely"
quotation!

"A government big enough to give you everything you want is a government big enough to take from you everything you have."
-Gerald Ford
Presidential address to a joint session of Congress (12 August 1974)