Season's Greetings!

A few years ago we did this to our animals for a Christmas card.  I think he looks seriously cute, but I don't remember that the whole process went very well.  (I'll be searching for the pics of the cats who also got their turn with reindeer antlers)  I found the antlers again this year, and put them on the rocking horse we have for Cooper.  The horse didn't complain even a tiny whinny, but they hadn't been on for more than a minute when Rex came over, grabbed them in his teeth and pulled them off the horse.  I assume he was trying to save the horse from the humiliation that he had to go through?  

Doggy Do

Every time I vacuum, I swear I have enough dog hair in the vacuum to re-fur 3 medium sized dogs, and yet we still get little clouds of dog hair floating across the floor like tumbleweeds.  I have to hide the living room furniture under laundry baskets and boxes, or the couch and chairs will be coated in hair.  The very last thing I do before I leave the house is get out the lint roller and attack my clothing, in the hopes that I can make it somewhere only 31% covered in hair.  All because of this boy - the boy who doesn't even have the sense to look ashamed when I catch him on the couch.  

Christmas Packages

If you receive a package from Billings, and it's about this size,

Open immediately, it may contain a zoo animal!

Check-up

Last week Cooper went to another preemie follow up clinic.  This is the one where they have speech, occupational, physical and developmental specialists really check him out, to gauge where he's at compared to where he's supposed to be.  They adjust his age to account for how early he was, and it is really interesting to see what they are looking at, and how they measure his development.  The things that you really take for granted in a child, the things they can do and learn, is really such a huge deal if you stop and consider how they are constantly developing.  I have never been worried about Cooper, he has always done so great and I've figured that anything he can't do he'll be able to when he's ready, but I got a little teary eyed in the doctor's office when everyone was so excited about how great he's doing, I was so proud!  He's average for weight and height, at almost 26 pounds and 32 1/2", but his head circumference is holding steady in the 90%! When we were getting his stats the doctor said his head is still in the high percentile, and that we'll just have to buy him big hats.  

  

Slumber Party

We had a slumber party at our house this last weekend; you'll never guess who put himself in charge of the wake up call, aka. crawling all over everyone till they completely gave up on sleeping.  

Christmas Party

Every other year, my company treats all of its employees and their families to a weekend at the hot springs a few hours away.  Let me tell you how nervous I was.  Cooper is not what I would call... "socially acceptable" right now.  Besides being just a few short months away from being two, and being a wild boy who doesn't like to be contained for any amount of time, he is still loving tantrums.  The kicking, throwing himself down on the floor, hitting his mama even though she loves him so much kind of tantrum.  Needless to say, I was a little afraid of what would happen when I unleashed the beast into the midst of the party, but we survived!  The group gatherings were a little stressful with the chasing, but we got a few relaxing swims in, and had a pretty good time.

A phone, remote control and no pants:  what else could a boy want? 

A cute girl to chase around (which he did a lot, I can't believe how early it starts!)

Pool time.

About 20 minutes into the ride home.  

Parade

We went to the holiday parade on Thanksgiving.  Cooper thought it was okay for a while, but wanted down so he could try and run out into the street.  I wouldn't mind being in a parade, it looks kind of fun, but I don't know that a mom chasing after her boy would make much of a float.  Maybe if we had candy to throw out as we passed?

LAZY

Why is it that after Thanksgiving dinner, all the men go and collapse in total exhaustion? Excuse my Little Red Hen moment, but did they stay up late to get the turkey ready for the next day?  Did they get up early to start the dough for the rolls?  Make a side dish or two?  No they did not.  It's the cleanup crew still in the kitchen who should be exhausted, but keep on going.  On a side note, what a waste to get up early to start rolls!  They didn't rise, and my contribution of a bread featured pre-made rolls from a last minute stop at the store.    

Delicious!

Discovery of brownie batter!! 

The spatula has to be taken away at some point!

 

So proud!

We used to have the kitchen blocked off from Cooper, with a gate on one side, and the coffee table blocking the other way in, but gave up on the barriers a few weeks ago.  He was figuring out he could climb over the table, plus he also seemed to be getting the message about not eating cat food and what not, so the kitchen hasn't been a big problem lately.  But there's a HOWEVER to the story!  Today I went into the living room, and Cooper stayed in the kitchen.  I heard him slurping some water, and figured he must have been able to reach a glass that had been on the counter.  And here it is:  However, after he came and got me, and pulled me by the hand to the kitchen to show me what he could do, I figured out the water noises.  He discovered that he can not only drink out of, but also blow bubbles in the dog's water dish!   

B is for...

B-O-N-K goes the cabinet door into the head of the boy who is a little too snoopy.

B-A-N-G goes the little boy to the hard floor headfirst off the side of the couch.

B-U-M-P... bump ... bump... goes the little boy down the stairs.  

It's been a rough couple of days.

Mischief

Cooper turns lots of things into hair brushes:  lint rollers, a handheld mirror, my make-up brush...

And incidentally, the same make-up brush can also be used in a pinch to clean the tub. 

It was a busy morning for a mischief making boy.

Cold Bug

I noticed this poor little bug clinging onto the side of the building where I work, and he was still there the next day, with frozen drops of water clinging onto him.  I don't know how long he's been dead, or how he's staying on the side of the building, but I thought it was kind of neat.  I may have been the only one that thought so, as after showing my co-workers, the only thing that got commented on was how I take pictures of bugs.  They made it sound like that was a weird thing.   

Shrinking Days

No one asked my opinion, but I am not in favor of Daylight Savings Time!  I'd much rather have a little bit of extra daylight at the end of the day, when we're awake and going and can enjoy it.  Cooper and I have tried to squeeze in a couple of walks before we lose light, and we've ended up with a couple of pretty short walks.  

Halloween

There was a big pumpkin shortage this year - good for me for actually planning ahead!  

You can guess who was the most help with the pumpkins.  

It was awfully hard to get a picture of this little dinosaur on the move.  

We went to Travis's grandparents to show off the dino, but with no intent of actually trick-or-treating.  The minute we went in though, out came the candy!  Cooper's had little bites of candy before, but never a chocolate bar, a few whoppers, half a Kit-Kat... yikes!  Travis finally said that Cooper didn't need any more, and G-Nana looked at him and said very seriously, "chocolate is good for children."  I think Cooper agreed.  

Pre-Halloween

Travis actually dressed up for Halloween!  His workplace always does, but this is the first year he really took part.  Thank goodness my dad had really cool polyester back in the day!  And that my mom hung on to it!

Germs

There have been all kinds of germs going around the office where I work, and I was lucky enough to catch at least one.  So tell me, when people know you're not feeling well, why are there always a few that have to, in great detail, tell you how awful you look when you're sick?  Are they afraid that you're going to get a big ego, even with a stuffy red nose, flushed cheeks and tired eyes?  Not a chance, but thanks for the observations, I guess.  

    

1 Year

Happy Birthday Griffin!  You'll be fighting back with Cooper in no time! 

Parade Time

Laps and laps around the yard and only grandma was ready to quit... I wonder why?  

25 cents of fun

These little mechanical rides are fun for about 1 minute.  Then they stop, and the screaming starts.  

Bonk

It was bound to happen - A couple of weeks ago Cooper had is first pretty big 'owie' when he crashed into the rock ledge around the fireplace.  He had big tears for only a few minutes, and didn't seem to be concussed or anything, so there was no trip to the ER.  It looked horrible the night it happened, but thank goodness looked lots better the day after.

If you look closely, you'll see the new owie's proximity to another fading bruise.  We might have to get him a crash helmet!  

A shade on the goofball side

Yes, we are this cool in our house.

Weather games

A couple weeks ago it looked like we were going to skip fall completely and shoot right to winter.  It was so cold!  Record lows, and only the beginning of October.  This weekend however, we have 70 degree days!  I think we enjoy them even more since we know that the cold will be coming sooner than later.  

Clever

The other day Cooper left the room that he and I were in, and if I can't see him or hear him, I know somethings up, so I went looking for him.  A quick glance in all of the upstairs rooms didn't locate him, but after calling his name a couple of times I heard him laugh.  From downstairs.  I didn't think to look downstairs because the gate that we have at the top of the stairs to block him off was closed.  So this devious little boy even closed the gate behind him when he snuck downstairs, completely throwing me off of his trail!  The things he figures out!  

Vacuum Operator

Cooper is a lean, mean,vacuuming machine, and I think it's the coolest thing ever!  He's always liked the big vacuum, so I got him his very own and he loves it.  The first day he had it he was busy for at least 20 minutes - something that never ever happens; I don't know that I've ever seen one thing keep his attention for so long.  He vacuums in the evening, in the morning before we leave, he even finds time to vacuum when he's streaking around the house naked.  (Yes, he has designated 'naked time' at night, which seems to be one of his favorite times of day)  I guess anytime is a good time for vacuuming.  I have all of my fingers crossed that he'll still be as thrilled with it when he's older and can operate the real thing!