Dancing Days Are Here Again

Today was very interesting. My little monster has learned how to dance, when I say dance, I mean JAM! As I was cleaning today with the music blaring, I looked over at Coop and he was going wild with one hand on his Leap Frog table, the other in the air, and was bouncing up and down-ALL AROUND. He looked at me with such surprise and amazement over what he was able to do. I wish I had a camera around so I could have captured the joy in his face. Knowing his father, this will not be the last time Cooper has a dance fest. Joel is known to bust out a few moves! He is an awesome entertainer and when it comes to dancing, you'd have to be crazy not to get a laugh out watching him. His sense of humor is what I am most attracted to.

Ahh!!! Looks like something out of a horror flick
Blueberries & Bananas for Breakfast

Cooper and I have been treated like royalty the last few days and thought we should show some appreciation to "dad." Since Joel is a MMA fighter, it's only fair to give him a photo shoot of his son supporting his sport! After all Coop is his #1 fan. Cooper decided to be a feisty little guy while shooting, so there is a great picture of him screaming his lungs out that was too darn cute to leave out of the collage. 

While feeding Coop his dinner this evening, he burst out in deafening screams out of the blue. I thought it might of been because he had already eaten an entire cow and still wanted more, but when I went to take him out of his chair I noticed blood dripping from his mouth. Of course I freaked and thought the spoon may have irritated his scar inside, but as I got a closer look I noticed he had a little dip in his bottom-front gums. Hmm...could it be his first tooth? I have never seen a tooth come in that way, but it is in the right spot. All day he has been babbling more than usual and was chomping on his paci like there's no tomorrow. Hopefully that is what's going on. It's about darn time! He's been "teething" for months.

Cooper has a boobie fetish. Plain and simple, but for Daddy's boobies. He is ABSOLUTELY OBSESSED with Joel's nipples. He gets in this deep concentration while prodding at Joel's chest as if he's constructing a brain surgery operation. This is starting to occur nightly, and is just a bit disturbing...and maybe a little entertaining.

Lights Out! Goodnight

Busy-Bees

He was Mmm-ing for some food

The Douglas family has been super busy since I last posted. Last week we celebrated the birthdays for my wonderful mother, and brother.

Cousins at Pizza Round-Up in Loma Rica

Cooper had such a long day out, he fell asleep in the car playing with Great-Grandma. (Coop doesn't go down easy in the car at all.)

Shortly after the weekend concluded, Cooper developed his first fever which was not accompanied by any symptoms. He had received the 2nd part of his flu shot 5 days prior, yet I still don't know if there was any link between the shot & fever.  For 2 days, both Cooper and I had zero sleep. My poor little guy was like a limp noodle stuck to my chest. I swear I had someone Else's baby. Cooper had become completely motionless, demanding I not put him down. Not even for a second! I realized just how sick he was when Mr. Independent just wanted to be held chest-to-chest all day  for 2 long days.  He maintained an appetite which was a good sign, and his fever didn't peak past 101.9.

Now that I know he's okay, I am very grateful for a little bonding time with my boy. Although I am with him everyday, I feel like I don't ever get "Cuddle" time with him. Coop is a complete Momma's boy, but just a very independent Momma's boy. I look forward to his need for me next time he catches a little bug, so I can be there for him and just slow life down a bit. Time is going by way too quickly.

First Day of Feeling Better-Crakin' Smiles

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SMILES

Surgery is scheduled as of today! We will see the doctors March 3 early morning for his pre-op appointment, and his surgery is set for March 29-the day before my birthday.  It was either that or a few days before Cooper's 1st birthday. So, I will be spending a wonderful birthday in the hospital taking care of my poor baby. It's funny because Joel and I spent our anniversary in the hospital for his last surgery. They know how to schedule on the right dates! Here are some of my favorite SMILES from the last 8 months.

SUBLIME BABY

Seriously?! More Pictures?!!!!

Jan. 12, we met with Cooper's surgeon and everything seems to be healing the way it's supposed to. His lip is tight, so we are having to massage it daily to loosen it up so it will drop. It can take up to six months or more to drop fully and look more natural. An order was put in for his palate surgery, which is usually performed around ten months. We are expecting a call any day to schedule the date since Cooper will be 10 months in February! Gees, time goes too quickly. I look forward to having the surgery over with, and resuming a normal life without any more surgeries (at least for a couple of years!) 

Sportin' the $18 Onsie Daddy Bought

This is his favorite spot in the house

Best Friends 

I can't tell you how many times he's fallen off this, but still he loves it!

Lately Cooper's sleep schedule has been completely out of wack. He is usually very consistent with sleeping through the night, but in the last month he gets up every few hours. I'm thinking it is probably teething. He is a bottle fiend, and recently he's been refusing it and drinking much less throughout the day. He's been showing signs of it for months, but still no pearly whites. Apparently Joel didn't pop any teeth until he was a year old, so no worries. With my fear of teeth, I am quite okay with him being a late bloomer. No teeth= No teeth to pull out! I dread that day-Joel will have to do all the tooth pulling.

Bed Head

Yes, he woke up with a Mohawk!

Mr. Trouble

He took out the bowls himself

Time for me to get back to playing with the little monster I have lurking in the house! It's a beautiful January day!

Baby, It's Cold Outside

 

Last week I may have been a bit stir crazy, but I got the brilliant idea to take Cooper to the park. Let it be known that it was at most maybe 36 degrees, but absolutely gorgeous out. There are only 2 parks within 20 minutes of where we live, so I decided it would be great to have Cooper go to the one that I spent many days at in my own childhood. Little did I know how nostalgic it would be. I have been to the park countless times in my adult years, but this time was much different. I had MY OWN child playing on the same swings, slides, and monkey bars that I had played on myself at his age. Not much has changed at that park, just a missing tire swing that was taken down after a child got injured many years back. Frankly, it's almost eerie how much it's still the same.  I'm grateful for the lack of upgrades though, it's a little piece of history that I'll share with Cooper. I can show him pictures of Momma and his Uncles playing on the same old rickety jungle gym he will get to enjoy very soon.

Brrrr! Those bars are cold!

Chubbers

First Time on the Swings

Okay, I'm done playing in 32 degree weather!

Love of my life!

ENJOY!

My Little Explorer

Friday, Cooper lost all fear in his body and decided he'd like to do just about everything on his own. Last week I took my eyes off him for no longer than a minute, to discover him in our bathroom holding on to the toilet of all things, trying to stand up. Eww! I know. That was the first of many risky things Coop has been trying lately. Last week he was definitely testing the waters, but Friday confirmed that he was pretty comfortable with his new ability to stand; ON EVERYTHING. 

He Loves Looking Outside

 This morning Cooper enjoyed an egg yolk breakfast. So did Caster when he was "helping" me clean Coop's mess.

I wonder how much actually made it in his mouth?.....

New Year, New Baby

6 Weeks Post-Op (After stitch was finally removed)

This is just an update on Cooper's milestones. I swear he changes everyday-his temperament, ability to do new things, and personality is always unpredictable.
At 8 months: Cooper feeds himself (table food, bottle, and baby food,)  pulls to a stand on anything he can reach, says Mama, Mom, and Mommy, claps, puts his blocks away himself, crawls everywhere (he can't stay put,) gives hugs to Momma, and drinks from a cup.

Cooper's First Best Friend-Dog Dog Caster

He Loves Walking With His Dinosaur

Time really does fly when raising a child. I always thought the years flew by to begin with pre-Coop, but now days pass by leaving me thinking, Where did the day go? Seeing him grow from a tiny, fairly inactive bundle of love to a rambunctious little monkey who's getting into trouble every waking moment is a constant reminder that each and everyday is so special to him. He's a little sponge who absorbs life so quickly and is reaching new milestones so often at this point. We've overcome the first hurdle of his lip surgery, and now it's time to just enjoy him being a healthy "normal" baby. Goodbye taping, NAM, nasal stints, weekly Dr. visits, and special bottles. Hello New Year!