Denver Zoo

Last week we made a trip with my family to Denver, followed by Rapid City and then on to Highmore. Our main reason for going to Denver was to catch the Red Sox playing the Rockies, and Travis, my mom and I each sat a game out in order to stay behind at the hotel with Cooper. We were just going off of experience when we guessed that he'd be happier where he could run around instead of us trying to keep him happy in our seats. I guess we'll never know for sure, but I think we may have been right.

We went to the zoo while we were there, thinking that was something he could really like. He liked two things about it: the giraffe? Nope. Elephants? Not them either. The amazing gorillas? Um, no. His top picks were the wagon we rented for him, and the tractors working on a couple new exhibits. The only way we could get him to keep going was to tell him we were going to find more tractors.

They let monkey's on the LightRail!

Wedding

Nana Linda and Paul got married a few weeks ago. What I saw as the big challenge? Getting this little boy to cooperate for it all.

My mom was on hand during the ceremony to help keep him occupied if needed. Which means that she and Cooper were in the church long enough to see the bride come in, then made a hasty exit to the nursery full of toys. That was followed up with a lunch of cake and M&M's which he didn't mind at all, and I'm sure I get some good Mommy points for that.

End the afternoon with a wicked fast slide and from our side, the day was a success!

'Side

From almost the minute Cooper wakes up, we hear " 'Side. 'Side." or "Jeep. Jeep" He is always quite anxious to go out in the yard, or drive somewhere. Anywhere. In a couple of days we're headed, in the car, to Denver then to Rapid City then to Highmore then home, so here's hoping his love of driving will not wear off and do us all in! I hope that, but knowing what I know, how as much as he loves the start of the drive, he always changes his mind, I will throw out my guess of about 2 hours of sitting in his carseat before he stretches his arms out to me and says "All done."

Mother's Day

Mother's Day found us having a pretty mellow day at home, with a fried chicken lunch and a few tries at a picture to commemorate the day.

The mothers, minus two of the people that get the mothering, Griffin was running around, my little crab was taking a much needed nap.
A cute little bunch.

Cooper and I did try for a couple pics after naptime.

I'm not above rubbing at the smear of food on Cooper's cheek with a spit-moistened finger.

Red Lodge

I had a hard time logging in to be able to post something, it took me about 6 different password tries before I got in, which definitely means its been too long since I've posted anything.

A few weeks ago Travis, Cooper and I went to Red Lodge. Mostly just for something to do to get us out of the house for awhile, and Cooper is always up for a drive. Travis did test that though, and drove a little too far into some campgrounds, and Cooper got pretty impatient. After the drive we had lunch in town and sat at a table next to a couple with their boy, who looked to be about Cooper's age. He was trying to call the shots as much as Cooper does, he had his parents swapping chairs and begging him to eat. Its terrible but I always feel so relieved to see this. I would feel much worse about Cooper's tantrums and stubborness if I thought that he was the only child who does it. I basically just like knowing that I have company in my moments of exasperation, and that I'm not raising the most determined, strong willed boy there ever was. Not the only one anyway.


Cooper has to have 'coffee' too.

More pics

Just a few more pictures I've meant to post before now.

At my mom's 60th birthday: (I seem to be trying to practice my model pose, please ignore what a big dork I look like)

My little fella.

Cade was clearly envious of Cooper's car from the second he saw it.

Love my little nephew puppy!!

Easter

I'm out of order in my recap, but here's Easter. Or the highlight of Easter, which for Cooper was the chocolate in the plastic eggs. As soon as he'd find one he wanted to crack it open and eat what was inside.

Same with the Easter basket, we had to open all the goodies right away.

House Guests

I still need to fill in the last month, so here's another catch up one. My mom turned 60 earlier in the month, and one of the surprises we arranged was that my brother, his fiance and her two boys came to town to help celebrate. They stayed with us, which was very nice, the extra commotion was fun, Brad and Jake are the greatest kids, and Cooper loved trying to keep up with them! (And wearing their shoes) They also brought along their new puppy, and even in the stage of leaving puddles all over the floor, he is so darn sweet it was easy to overlook the naughty things he did!

Catch Up

I seem to have missed the last month of posts! Until I can get a few more pictures posted, here're a couple of my growing-like-a-weed boy. He had his 2 year check up a couple weeks ago, I think the first check up that didn't involve any shots! Getting weighed and measured seems to be traumatic enough for him, so the no shots deal was quite alright. The doctor said they normally stop adjusting for his 'preemie-ness' around age 2, so they're counting him with the big boys now. He is in the 25% for his actual age group, which is the highest he's ever been, and now they'll just consider everything catch up. The doctor wanted to know what words he says, and I got a little bit of a look when I said that one of them was 'coffee'. Cooper goes with Travis most Sunday mornings when Travis goes to get a cup of coffee, so he had to learn the lingo. Incidentally, his word for coffee sounds exactly like his word for tractor. Car rides are filled, and I do mean FILLED, with pointing out trucks, buses, tractors and motorcycles. I think its almost harder to understand him now that he's talking more, because he tries so hard to get those words out and we just can't understand all of them. He's also gotten the idea down that you're supposed to string words together, and has become a total chatterbox. And chatter he does! He is growing so fast, its amazing to see not only the physical changes, but the way his mind works is so fascinating.

St. Patrick's Day Parade

I went to the parade this last weekend, and as odd as it felt to do so, I left Cooper behind. The last parade we went to in December got very long for him; he wanted to run out into the street instead of watching it pass by him. His hatred of being contained in any way has only gotten worse, so I figured the wisest thing to do would be to go without him.

The bagpipers are my favorite out of the whole parade. If I had a kilt and thought I could join in without them noticing, I would!

Book Worm

Cooper's been getting pretty interested in books lately, even having enough patience to let me read half of each page to him before he wants to turn the page. The only problem with books is that he gets pretty irritated when he can't pick the picture up off of the page, pictures of cars especially.

Birthday Boy

I'm a little late posting, but we celebrated a 2nd birthday! It's so cliched but I can't believe how fast the time has gone! I still remember so vividly how it all started two years ago, and how quickly our lives changed.

Turns out decorating the cake before my little helper's bedtime was a silly idea. Also turns out someone's climbing skills come in very handy sometimes.

A little boy can sure draw a big crowd

Somewhere in the two months between Christmas and his birthday, he figured out what present un-wrapping was all about!

Cooper unfortunately was not feeling well during the few days leading up to his party, and if I'd been thinking I would have postponed the celebration. He was a pretty clingy and temperamental birthday boy.

Either being a great host and helping cut his cake to serve everyone else, or making sure he got the piece he wanted?

His actual birthday was a pretty mellow affair with cupcakes and a few presents, with a possible trip to Chuck E. Cheese in the future when he'll be feeling well enough to appreciate it.

I heart chocolate cake!

I would like to thank my friend Kelly B for enriching my life. Of course, you've enriched it in many ways Kelly, you are a terrific friend and person, but specifically, at this moment, I'm talking about the joy you brought to my life when you gave me the recipe for chocolate lava cakes. I have made it several times, think about making it constantly, and think it is one of the best things in the world!