Changes, they are coming...

This past week has been a full blown hurricane of emotions. A very good opportunity was presented to Joel this week, one that has been in discussion many times throughout the years. Due to a new job opening, Joel is leaving the field of work he has been in, and excelled at since over the last 6 years. With this new opportunity, brings relocation. Moving from the house I lived my last month of pregnancy, where I labored in and had my water splash on the bathroom floor. Where we first passed through the front door with our newborn baby in tow, and showed him every part of his new home as if we were reliving our first walk through with the Realtor.

Just a few days old, getting his beauty rest with Dad.

This week brings much joy, and sadness. I know it is just the beginning of our future, and we are closing the previous chapter that we knew of our lives. We are shutting one door and opening a window, one that will hold a bright future to build our family the way we always intended. It is hard leaving the past, making what is now, a memory. Lord knows we have produced many memories in the past year. Fast forward a few months, we will establish our new normal. We will develop new routines, new stories, and many new memories. In the next few weeks the forecast shows there is still  a storm lingering on the horizon. It will pass, but it will be hell when it reaches shore. Like the saying goes, "when it rains, it pours."

On the bright side of all this, my precious son is oblivious to all that is going on. He randomly picks empty boxes and throws his toys inside, and grins with his little jack-o-lantern smile as he cautiously carries his over sized load of toys to me. There is something about a child's innocence that makes my heart melt, and exhausts any negative feeling I may have. It makes me think, why waste these precious moments dwelling on negativity, or what could have been? I'm grateful for my little 14 month old showing his Momma how to live life the way it was meant to be lived.

While we're still in this house of memories, I am cherishing every moment. I'm taking mental snapshots of how life is right now. How it has evolved since we welcomed our precious little boy into this house in the woods. I will miss his daily ventures onto the window sill to let me know there are vroom vrooms that pass by, and that he wants to go, "guy guy" in the vroom vroom.

Coop is letting it be known that a car just passed by.

Cooper's Very First Room


What I'm learning most right now, is that this is all happening for a reason. It may be hard right now, but the things that are cherished most in life are not easily given to you. There is often heartbreak, stress, and much work to receive the beautiful outcome we all deserve.

Here's to our future Coop!

It's Saturday? Already!?

This week has been one of those jumbled up weeks. You know the ones where you feel like you've had no sleep, and can't seem to remember anything from the prior day, and before you know it it's the weekend again already? I feel like Adam Sandler in Click, as if someone just hit the fast-forward button.  I guess I can blame the busy 4th of July weekend. While I was still working or in school, these weeks were such a bonus. I didn't think Holidays would affect me know that I'm at home, but man, I'm all outta whack.

My weekend at a glance:

Last Friday, I attended my first Muay Thai/Kickboxing event to support Joel. His last fight wasn't in his favor and he had his first defeat. This time around he had a large support group, and was much more focused and controlled. Though I cringe at the thought of my Love getting hurt, I have to say he did an amazing job and dominated his opponent. I am so proud of his victory by unanimous decision.

We didn't get to my brother's until nearly 2am Saturday morning, and didn't have much time to sleep before waking to another busy day. Saturday was Cooper's best friend's  1st Birthday. Luckily we had spent the night there to help get everything ready for the big day.

It was a good day:

*Joel's task was to be in charge of sidewalk art*

(Note the wrapped foot..It was black and blue and swollen like a grapefruit)

 Good Morning Sunshine. Today is your big day

Cooper being the experienced birthday cake eater, had to show her how it's done!

Did I mention there was a humongous bounce house with a waterslide attached? Oh, I didn't? Well, lets just say it got more use from the adults than the kiddos there.

Round 2 of cake eating..

Monday we started on our way back home by stopping at One Mile to swim and people watch. The kids were in such awe of all that was going on  this happened:

This never happens. Cooper is somewhat afraid of Kristen, but she is infatuated by him. Every time she draws close, he runs to the nearest adult. My boy is afraid of girls...

I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday! God Bless America

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.