Kristopher and Tarali: Catching up on recent events

LINCOLN

On the 9th of December 2008, Lincoln got his first haircut. We had to. We were getting ready to get our first family photo and our cute little baby had dark hair all around the bottom and nothing on top. It was either a haircut or a comb-over. We got a lot of grief over it but we still thought he was cute, even with a buzz cut. He hasn't had a haircut since. Every time we consider it, we decide we like his curls, besides his hair isn't growing too fast. In February of this year we took Lincoln to Benihana. He didn't get to try any of the food but he had fun watching them cook and flirting with the girls and waitresses at our table. Now that we are in a forward facing car seat, he can hanlde riding in the car a little better.

MORE LINCOLN

Lincoln has been great entertainment as he learns about everything around him. He took an interest in the phone and TV remote, I guess since Mom and Dad are always using them. I am thinking he may be an engineer some day, like Dad, as he is already showing his ability to analyze a problem. Something will get his attention, and once he has checked it out, he will title his head way to the side and look at it sideways, then he will tilt his head all the way back to the other side to get a third perspective. Then he usually comes up with a new cute grin, or rolls his eyes if you catch him checking things out. We have been trying to read him books as much as we can, which he actually really enjoys. He turns the page when he is done with that page, and when he finds a page he likes he has to pat it, trace the people with his finger, and sometimes even once you turn the page, you have to go back for a second or third look.

NAUVOO TRIP

During the first part of June, Tarali went with her sisters and her mom to Nauvoo, IL to see church historical sites and have a big girl trip. Three of them flew out and two of them drove out and then they all drove home together. On the way home they had to hit all the "Lincoln" places Tarali could get them to stop. Tarali brought home all sorts of Lincoln" stuff, pennies, key chains, books, pencils, etc. and a lot of photos. While Tarali was gone, grandma came and helped Dad take good care of Lincoln.

LA JUNTA TRIP

At the end of June, Grandma, Grandpa, Mom, Dad, and Lincoln headed to La Junta, Colorado for Aunt Edna's 90th birthday party. (Kristopher was off playing 4-H last time at the 80th party, so we couldn't miss this one.) It was a very long trip on Lincoln. We had intended to all go together in Grandpa's truck, but we changed plans before we went. We figured it would be easier on Lincoln if we tried to go at night, so he could sleep most of the way. Grandma and Grandpa drove all the way to La Junta the first night, while Mom, Dad, and Lincoln only made it to Denver. (And that was only accomplished after three stops, and two hours of Elmo's world DVD playing on Dad's computer. Lincoln had fun at the hotel in Denver. He had rested up on the way, so even though it was the middle of the night, once we got everything into the room and Mom and Dad where ready for sleep, Lincoln just wanted to play. Once we got to La Junta, it was a lot of fun. I was fun to see relative we have seen in a long time and Lincoln loved all the attention. Grandma helped Lincoln out and score points with Aunt Edna by getting her a rose.

Great-Grandma made it, too, but the long trip was a little rough on her, too. Here is a picture of Great Grandma and most of her siblings:

William Karney, Edna Daggett, Sarah Dagget, Lucille Frost, (AWOL: Buddy Karney)

Grandma fed Lincoln his first teething biscuit at the hotel in La Junta, (just in case we made a mess). Lincoln loved it.

Then he got all washed up in the sink. He thinks washing his hands in the sink is a lot of fun. Hopefully he will keep liking it as he gets older.

We really had a lot of fun in La Junta. Except for having to drive west a little ways to see the mountains, it is really cool down there. The farm land is awesome and the prairie is cool too. When we got home we looked for a house to buy down there and we actually found a couple that we really liked and they were very affordable, but I think the commute to Vernal for work might be too long.

4TH OF JULY

Lincoln spent his first 4th of July in Vernal and got to watch the fireworks with his cousin Aliya. He had been digging on lights (his first word) and bright things, but he hadn't been much of a fan load noises or things that startled him, so we didn't know what to expect. Turned out he liked them. He just sat quitely and watch. But just as the finale had finished, the poor little guys was out.

LINCOLN'S FIRST BIRTHDAY PARTY

Since Mom was worried that soon-to-be-one-year-old Lincoln would be unhappy if he didn't have a spectacular first birthday party, we had a huge party, the week we moved, just to be safe. We ate sloppy-joe's (Dad's first attempt at cooking that) and pulled pork, had cake and ice cream, and beat up Sponge Bob. Thank goodness Josh was there and was able to bring order to the delayed sugar rush of a piñata and make sure no little kids took a bat to the frontal lobe. Lincoln had a blast watching all his cousins and friends beat up Sponge Bob. (It took a lot to finally crack him. Dad even took a couple a cheap shots at him to no avail.) Lincoln also got to hang out with both of his Grandma's, Great-Grandma, and Grandpa.