Apple of My Eye: 14 Months

I'm going to start this out with some pictures:

One of the last shots with my old camera. What happened you ask? Well, as of last Sunday I..wait for it...I finally got a DSLR camera! I have been wanting so passionately to own a DSLR since I was a teenager in high school. Now my dream has been realized and I can put all my ideas into motion. Sometimes, I feel as if my head is going to explode holding such an abundant supply of  ideas, and I need some creative outlet to artistically let them all out. 

Here is just the first of many. It's been years since I've used any SLR camera, let alone all the new gadgets I have to play with on my new camera. Practice makes perfect right?

Who couldn't love this Jack-O-Lantern smile?

When it comes to food, this little one gets DOWN!

So Crisp

You see that hamster? That was the cause of this tantrum. Coop gets quite obsessive over these. He is deathly afraid of them, yet he pretends he's a big boy and touches them. Here I guess his vulnerability finally broke through and he let me know what he really thinks of the hamsters. Notice I say hamsters. One wasn't good enough to scare the dickens out of this poor child, recently there was a purchase for two more.

The lovely Lovey

His Vroom Vroom Vroom

Hearing race car sounds. Coop will go around the house saying vroom vroom vrooom while pushing his race car around. It's a sweet an innocent sound. But then his sweet  vroom vroom vrooom turned into a scary devil like sound that rattles deep into his chest. This new sound is for his tractor. A much deeper, dark, scary vroom vroom vroom.

Today was Cooper's second Cleft Panel meeting. My morning started bright and early at 4:30.I was heartbroken having to wake my sweet angel who was sleeping so peacefully, but we had to be out the door by 5:30 to make his 8am appointment.

The ride to there wasn't too bad, Coop chugged down a cup full to the rim of milk most of the drive and ate his nutritional breakfast of Shredded Wheat. You see, on a normal day Cooper doesn't even get up until 8:30 then regularly naps again at 9:30, so waking up at the crack of dawn for a four hour appointment was a recipe for disaster! He did well for the most part.  Although, I did have to pack half a grocery store to keep him that way.

He is in the 10% for weight and 27% for height. For some reason, my son is a freak of nature by literally eating all day and not gaining any weight. He has been 20lbs since March! I know he's extremely active but really??

After the meeting was over, it took as little as the tires rolling on the pavement to knock Coop out. To be expected right? Wrong, he slept for maybe 15 minutes before waking up with a shrilling scream that lasted oh I'd say..an hour and a half!

The sweet, peaceful  angel I mentioned earlier...

 The Tears, Oh the Tears! This Momma's heart was breaking for him.

Dad made it all better, and we made it back with dried up tears and a sniffle-free nose.

Summertime and the Livin's Easy

It's summer therefore, there's going to a lot of pictures and not much writing. Cooper hit his 14 month mark last Thursday and we are loving every minute with our little toddler. 

This month he officially made the decision to exclusively walk. Maybe it was all the scraped knees from dragging them across rugged rocks and cement. Maybe he was jealous that his little cousin mastered walking before him, whatever the reason I am glad he's on his two little feet.

This wasn't just a trial and error exercise, no he would scoop up the sand and shove it in his mouth just to be disappointed every time. Silly boy.

Unfortunately, this little stinker inherited my allergies which set us back a week from daycare at the gym. This Momma wasn't too happy. Luckily he was in good spirits and he was up and at 'em the next week.

Still handsome even with boogers pouring out of every orifice on his face.

Definition of happy.

Even being sick an all, we've been cramming in visits left and right. It had been a while since Great-Gram got a visit so we decided to show off our new walking skills. You know, the Frankenstein walk.

We live in one of the most beautiful areas in Northern California. Last week we met up with Auntie and Cousin at Sycamore Pool at Bidwell Park.

Both kids decided that sticking their faces so close to the water was super fun...until they lost balance and face planted while us mommies nearly had heart attacks. Like the sand issue, they did not learn the first time around.

Such a beauty.

My dare-devil son. I swear he's going to know the staff at the ER on a first name basis.

One of our dear friends celebrated her baby shower over the weekend. Another little girl is being welcomed into the world this August. Sweet Delilah we can't wait to meet you!

I think the husbands got more enjoyment out of the pool than the kids that attended. Our water-logged men turned into 5-year-olds again doing flips, dives and trying-to-make-it-through the ity-bitty floatie.

This is the most girly-girl you'll ever meet. Really she has no interest in the tractor..Other than stealing it from Cooper.

Now it's time to sit back with some iced tea, my sweet pea, and drink up the intoxicating smell of baby sunblock.

Singing 'Sweet Home Alabama' all summer long

Sweet Pea: 13 Months

I recently realized that I am growing more and more in love with my little guy. Of course obvious to some, but really I found a new love for him.  I respect him in all his ways. He learns something new everyday, little habits  or new sounds. 

Here are some of the new things that make me fall in love over and over again,

Finding his "Uck" in the tub, or whispering "ack ak aakk" that shortly follows. Deliberately stacking the smallest cup, into medium cup, into the large cup before filling it full with bathwater and gulping it down. (Eww I know) Then remembering to share his fancy beverage with his "rog" spout cover and gently placing the cup to frog's mouth.

Grabbing his "gall" and tossing it overhead to anyone who asks. My son became a quaterback before my eyes.

The lack of fear to climb on, over, or under anything he sees.

Genuinely helping Momma pick up toys and putting each "gall" and "uck" in its proper place.

His overwhelming curiousity to see what could be lurking behind the woodstove and feeling the need to go investigate.

Getting kisses  not just from Joel. Cooper has just learned to plant a big 'ol wet one straight on my lips. Just the other night I was rocking with him right before bed, when he smooch kissed me on my chest. The first real deliberate kiss saying, "I love you mom."

Being such a know-it-all. After his morning nap we practice flashcards. Those touch and feel kind. He knows tractor, car, baby, cat, dog, duck, ball, and keys. Of course there is always a sound that describes each word and Coop likes to imitate them.

Hearing race car sounds. Coop will go around the house saying vroom vroom vrooom while pushing his race car around. It's a sweet an innocent sound. But then his sweet  vroom vroom vrooom turned into a scary devil like sound that rattles deep into his chest. This new sound is for his tractor. A much deeper, dark, scary vroom vroom vroom.

Mornings. Every morning when I go to greet Cooper and welcome him to the lovely day that awaits him. He greets me with his "gog." It's his special Lovey Grandma gave him for Valentine's Day. It was white at some point....you'd never guess that though. Lovey goes everywhere! Including his weekly trip to the washing machine.

Duets with my toddler. Cooper isn't into books yet too much. If I try to read to him he grabs the book and tries to eat it. Or close it. Or climb on top of it to blind my vision of it. He and I choose to sing instead. One of the main hits in our two man band is Skinamirinky..You know, I love you in the morning, and in the afternoon....Well let me tell you, the two of us have this choreography down! Every time he wants to sing he raises his arms way up to the sky and waves them. That is my cue.

Sharing his kind heart. At every meal, every snack, Coop insists on sharing his food with me. It's so sweet knowing how sincere he is  about it. Small thing, but I love it.

Cuddling on the floor. Every time the night closes in, Cooper does this funny half summer-salt position, or downward facing dog. He goes around the house stopping every few feet to lie his head on the ground to go ni-night. Every time he gets to this point, I make sure to lay my head on the floor for my little guy to come and rest his beside me. It is our time.

I love our booty shaking half hour. This dance party usually follows dinner, before bedtime. I cannot express how much my heart is filled during this time. We are face to face, exchanging smiles and silly laughter. The kind of laughter that makes you feel like you just did a million sit ups. The best kind. I see the trust and joy in his eyes as he throws his head back to bounce upside down. 

Clearly he is ambitious. Whenever he has something he wants to show me, he comes over, grabs my hand, and flips it over to place the object in my hand. I love this. He is so assertive in everything he does.

The above is just some of the things I love about him. Really there aren't enough hours in a day to tell you all that I love.

This is the best toy ever mom!

Don't worry. We are the people who have a beer with dinner occasionally

Cooper has a wise soul. He has the need to explore everything and conduct experiments to know how everything works. He retains everything he sees and puts it to use in the most unexpected times. 

I love my little boy, I know in 12 years I'll love my teenager, and one day I will be proud to love the man named Cooper.