Kid's Expo

Just a few pictures of Cooper at the Kid's Expo.

He was Mr. Shy the first few minutes, but then he found his groove.  They had several of those bounce houses, and he talked a good game about wanting to go in one but wouldn't at the last minute.  We walked around for a little while longer and found another. I went in with him and he was hooked.  Sorry there aren't any pictures on this one but I couldn't see through the netting.  I was afraid we would have a meltdown at the end but he walked out when he was asked to with the biggest grin on his face.

He was enthralled with the soccer station.  No, not with playing with the soccer ball but with cleaning up the cones.  Go figure.  I'm sure if they had a vacuum, he would have finished the cleanup job for them.

He also ran through a couple of agility ladders at the Romp and Roll booth. 

He had a near-miss with Nutzy, the new baseball mascot.  By near-miss, I mean keep that thing away from me.  Check out the link because that thing is scary looking.

All this running around wore him into a four hour nap.  Gotta love these events.

What happens when Dad is in charge!

I went for a run tonight. This is what I found when I returned.

And then we got a mirror so he could see himself.

And yes, the popping has continued.

I'm not sure if I will be buying anymore Nutella, or maybe I will just to see this face again.

Wordless Wednesday - I'm a little behind

Yes, I thought I would get more of these up before today. I will admit, I have been playing with my iPod instead of photoblogging. So, I will get to it eventually.

Here is one of my favorites.

For more Wordless Wednesday posts, check out 5 minutes for mom, Go Graham Go, Two of a Kind, Working on a Full house and 7 Clown Circus!

The Bad and the Good

There is some quote I read a long time ago that I am going to misquote but I hope you get the idea.  "Photo albums are the smiles between the tears."  Rarely do you see the sad or aggravating times in someone's album because let's be honest ... most people want to forget those times but how realistic is that to life.  Blogging gives us the opportunity to tell it all ... bad or good.  So here goes my bad ... or maybe it is good.

It started out as a normal evening.  I did a quick session on the elliptical before picking up Cooper at daycare.  He had already been fed dinner and was playing with a friend.  Every so often, he doesn't want to go home.  He plays his run away game.  So tonight I caught him, took him to a quiet corner and tried to play the good parent.  Quietly explaining to him that it was time to go home.  We were going to put on his coat and calmly walk to the car.  I thought I smelled something amiss in the diaper, but I couldn't see anything.  So off we go after a brief screaming match.  I put him in the carseat and now he is wailing.

I buckle him in, turn on the kid-friendly music and away we go.  And the wailing gets louder.  I thought he told me his pee pee hurt, so I told him we would check his diaper when we got home.  And the wailing gets louder, and I guess you could call it screaming by now.  He wanted the radio off, and on, and off.  And I calmly explained that Mommy makes the decisions, not Cooper.  And you know what happened next.  The wailing got ... louder.

At this point, I am at the end of my rope on this short car ride (which felt like an hour).  I call J to come out and get him.  I explain he needs his diaper checked and off to bed.  Now Cooper decides he wants nite-nite and puppy which I have in my hand.  I see his upset face and hear his hiccups and ask him if he wants to sit on the stair with me.  I felt like both of us needed a time-out.  He said yes and sat quietly sobbing in my lap.  I asked him to use his words to explain why he was upset, but nothing.  I finally asked him for a hug, and you know what happened next ... he stopped crying and just hugged me.  Now Mommy is crying. 

And do you know why he was so upset?  He had a very messy diaper that hurt.

A clean diaper, an oatmeal bath, and a happy camper and a new day tomorrow to try it again.

Hopefully, tomorrow will have more good than bad but we will make it through.  One hug at a time.

Cooper's Artwork - The Abstract Years

Almost every day when I pick up the little guy, he has a new picture for me.  I thought I would share how his artwork is progressing.  And a side note ... now that I have scanned the art, I don't feel near as guilty about tossing it in the recycle bin.  But don't worry, I will get a new one tomorrow.

 

 

If you are looking for ways to display your kid's artwork, there are some inexpensive acrylic frames you can use on the fridge.  I am also eyeing one of those picture frames that you can store fifty or so pieces behind the one you are displaying.  So, now you tell me.  How do you display the treasures your little ones bring home?

Cooper & the rocking chair

Several years ago, J's Mom passed along a little wooden rocking chair that J used as a toddler. It sat in our attic for a few years. Then we used the chair as a prop to tell the grandparents that I was pregnant when we moved into the new house. J hid the chair in the future nursery until we could get them all in the same room. They were very happy, but probably thought we were crazy to take on a house renovation at the same time. We all survived and are happy with the outcome.

So now that Cooper is big enough, my Dad took the chair home over to do a little makeover ... tighten the bolts, new chair cushions, and a fresh coat of stain. It looks great.

It took a little coaxing to get him in it, but Mitti came to the rescue.

Here he is kicked back and relaxed.

I am sure he will spend some quality cartoon time in that chair.

Wordless Wednesday - Oh, to be 2

 

I recently realized I never posted Cooper's official two-year-old pictures.  Here is a sneak peak of what's to come. Can you say "Ham"?

For more Wordless Wednesday posts, check out 5 minutes for mom, Go Graham Go, Two of a Kind, Working on a Full house and 7 Clown Circus!

Cooperisms

Hopper = Grasshopper

I say "ow".  Cooper says, "Mama, you okay?" with a complete look of concern on his face and patting/lightly stroking my arm or cheek or whatever else he can reach.

Announcing everything he sees - Tractor, Bus, Bird, Plane.  Over and over and over again.

"Mama wanna kissa your face." as he pulls my face closer to kiss my cheek.  I am trying to hold on to these super cute moments.

"I popping" (otherwise known as tooting) which he thinks is hilarious.  Let the boy jokes begin.

But the sweetest, J took Cooper to school today. They played the "I love you more" game on the way.  He sounds so sweet saying it.

Needless to say. We love the little guy.

Valentine's Day

Spent a little time on Valentine's Day loving on a very sweet boy.

Pumpkin pancakes for breakfast.

New Mr. Potato Head accessories ... Fireman Potato.

Still working on those reading skills.

And very happy with a penguin 3-D card from Daddy.

 

Wordless Wednesday - Don't ask

It's never dull in the house with a toddler, unless he is completely zoned out in front of Dora the Explorer.

For more Wordless Wednesday posts, check out 5 minutes for mom, Go Graham Go, Two of a Kind, Working on a Full house and 7 Clown Circus!

Jonah

Look at this sweet face. His name is Jonah.

Now look beyond that adorable smile and that blonde hair and his birthday boy shirt, and you may see those marks on his skin.  Welcome to the world of Epidermolysis Bullosa.  His Mom and Dad, Patrice and Matt, know it too well.  I have been following their story at the William's Family Blog since shortly after Jonah's birth, and he has stolen my heart.

So, in honor of Jonah, some of the family friends are hosting an auction in his honor.  Can you help out the organization coordinating the research for EB?  If the answer is yes, get ready and check out the site that has been set up at Jonah's EB Auction.

Now you know, so go there.


  



Thanks,

Cold Hot Chocolate

So, Cooper had his first taste of hot chocolate several days ago, and he loved it.  I loved how he kept saying "hot chocot mama".  On Friday, before/during our latest snow storm, I picked him up early from school so I could work from home the rest of the day.  I had to stop by the bank and I drove through McDonald's on a whim.  When he heard me order "chocolate milkshake", he immediately said "hot chocot mama?"  My response was "No, cold chocolate."

I wish you could have seen his eyes when he took the first sip.  I wasn't sure if he was getting any through the straw because the milkshake was so thick, but his eyes said it all.  His response, "Cooold chocat mama." I think he would smack his lips if he knew how.

All the way home, he alternated between calling it "cold chocot" and "cold hot chocot."

I love the "firsts."

Cooper's 1st Super Bowl Party

I just realized that I never posted Cooper's first Super Bowl pictures. 

I came home from a run, and J had the spread out on the table and Cooper chowing down.  I think he thoroughly enjoyed the food ... chips, dip and ribs.  Lots of man food.  Oh, and don't worry, the Mike's was J's.

World Nutella Day

I didn't even know there was such a thing as World Nutella Day. And it just happened to coincide with Cooper's first taste of the stuff. I have never had it, but heard several other moms talking about it so I thought we would give it a try.

Do you think he liked it?

Wordless Wednesday - Mr. "Tato" Head

 

For more Wordless Wednesday posts, check out 5 minutes for mom, Go Graham Go, Two of a Kind, Working on a Full house and 7 Clown Circus!