New Toy's

I've realized that since I'm home with Cooper more often now that we needed some new toys to keep him occupied. Here are some old and new toys, mixed with some things that aren't really toys, but they are entertainment.

The old fashion ring stacker.

Trying to drink out of the water bottle.

Looking through the tunnel!

Trying out the new sippy cup.

Eating bananas through the mesh baby feeder (I don't know the real name for this)

Founder's Day

On Saturday we took Cooper to Charlestown's Founder's Day Parade. It was the longest parade I have ever seen. I swear that parade was 2 hours long. Don't get me wrong, it was fun, just very long! I only took one picture, here is Cooper with my mom.

Potty Training!

I got your attention, didn't I? You must be thinking, man that girl is good, he is only 7 months old. No, we are not potty training, but this is a funny story. Every morning after breakfast we put Cooper in his exersaucer so we can clean up. 9 times out of 10 he will have a dirty diaper. It became our running joke, if he hasn't gone in a while put him in the exersaucer. Well this morning he got done eating and Steve put him in there to play. It was like 10 seconds, he squats down and starts grunting. It's like he thinks it's his own little fun toilet now. Okay so this is actually a gross story but I couldn't help but pass it along. Have a Happy Sunday!

I Found It!

For a couple of weeks now Steve has been looking for his name tag he wears to church when he serves communion. He has looked everywhere. Today I'm at the doctor with Cooper and I start going through our diaper bag looking for toys to keep him occupied and guess what I found... That's right I found the name tag! Who knows how long it's been in there. He serves every other month and he it's been missing for a few weeks so I'm guessing it got put in there back in April, the last time he served. It makes total sense now, what is the one thing you never leave home without once you have kids, besides the baby of course, the diaper bag!

Easter Lilly

Two years ago we got an Easter Lilly at church in memory of grandmother who passed away in 2001. We planted in front of our house and I love to watch it bloom every year. This is something that will be going with us when we decide to move one day. A few days ago Cooper and I got our picture taken by the Lilly.

Morning Walk

8:35 am in the driveway as we started our walk.

20 minutes later in the back of the neighborhood, he actually lasted longer than I thought.

Another Great Weekend

Besides seeing my baby everyday, have I mentioned the number 2 reason I love staying at home? The weekends are so much more fun! I don't have to worry about going to the grocery, getting laundry caught up, doing housework, I have all week! For the past two weekends I put off all of those things and just had fun. Saturday Steve had to work so Cooper and I went to my nephew's baseball game followed by my niece's birthday party. I've learned that Cooper loves being around people and loves the noise and commotion cause afterwards he passed out and slept for an hour and a half. Which is not like him, he has always been a short napper. Today, after church, we went to my mom's house to go swimming again. She had some people from work over along with their kids and my nieces and nephew. Once again loud noise and commotion and a long nap! The first week home was good too. We went to the grocery one day, Target two days (don't ask why I didn't pick up the birthday present the first time), we went to the park, we walked a couple of days. I do think he misses the other kids cause when he stay in all day he tends to get a little cranky. I'm thinking about joining the Mommy and Me group at church. It meets on Tuesdays. Most of the other kids are probably a little older but at least it gives us some time to get out of the house. I can say 100% without a doubt we made the right decision by me staying at home. Of course we haven't passed that first pay period without a paycheck yet, that comes the 30th. So I will have to update you in about a month. But so far so good!

Day at the Park

Today, Cooper and I met Gretchen, Pierce, and Hope at the park. It's been such a good week with the weather we decided to take advantage of it before it got too hot again. It was a good time. Of course Pierce enjoyed it the most. Cooper and Hope still have a couple of years to go. It was good to catch up with Gretchen too. I feel like I've lost contact with people since Cooper was born and especially after I went back to work. It was nice to get Cooper out as well. I think it's a combination of a schedule change and perhaps more teeth coming in but he has been a little cranky these past couple of days. He just went back down for another nap, hopefully it lasts a little longer the previous one.

Random Pictures

Swimming at Grandma's.Giving Daddy his first Father's Day present.

Having fun my first day home with Mommy.

Goofing around!

Cooper's Last Day

I feel like my baby has graduated. It was actually a little sad picking him up from his last day at daycare. Every morning when I would drop him off he would get a big smile on his face ready to go play. The teachers were great, there was nothing I could complain about except the fact that I wanted to be home with him. I left my camera with him on his last day so that they could get a few pictures. Here is one with the whole class. It's funny, they took this picture 8 times to try and get it right. Must be kind of hard getting 8 kids under the age of 1 to look at the camera.

We have a Tooth!

Every time Cooper has a fever or seems out of sorts we always think, I wonder if he is teething? He has been chewing on everything drooling like crazy for a few months now. Last Sunday he had a fever and I was looking in his mouth and thought I saw something white under the surface. Steve just thought I was crazy. Well, yesterday Steve was playing with him and looked inside his mouth and then felt his gums, sure enough there is a white sharp object peeking through. I was surprised at how non-cranky he has been this week. Of course the minute I think that, he is up all hours. We just got him sleeping throughout he night about 3 weeks ago. I think last night he was up every hour from 10-2. Then he got some Motrin and slept till 6:45, so not too bad. I just can't believe it, he finally has a tooth. My baby is getting so big.

The Countdown Is On!

Just one more week of work! I am getting super excited. There have been times these past couple of weeks when I question whether I made the right decision or not. I like my job, I like the people, can we afford this... questions like that would run through my mind. However it has never been more evident this past week that I am making the right choice. Cooper has changed his bedtime in in the past couple of weeks. He cut out is late afternoon/early evening nap and starting going to be around 7:30, sometimes early. He also started sleeping all night long, so I'm not going to change anything. So here is our typical day. Wake him up at 6:40, change his clothes, out the door by 7. Pick him up at daycare between 5:15-5:30. Get home, feed him dinner, eat dinner ourselves. Clean up the kitchen, give Cooper a bath, play for 15-30 minutes, give him a bottle and put him to bed. So on any given day I see my son for about 1 1/2 hours and spend maybe 45 minutes of quality time with him that doesn't involve us trying to cook or clean or bathe. I'm a little scared he isn't going to enjoy the arrangement at first, Steve and I have just become these people that pick him up in the evening, take him to some place so he can sleep, and bring him back to the people that really take care of him. Since that is pretty much all he does at home is sleep. I try to not to do things during the week that takes away from him. There is a load of laundry still in my dryer from Tuesday. I've haven't worked out in almost three months, I just can't justify going to Jazzericse or the gym when I could get home and Cooper may already be in bed and the only time I've seen him was on the ride to daycare. We've also given up doing other things with friends as well in the past 7 months. When I take all this into account, I know I'm ready. After next week I can have more Cooper time, more Mommy time, and more Mommy & Daddy time.
Speaking of my last week, I already have two lunches planned with some co-workers and I think we are having cake as well my last day. I casually mentioned if I could leave early of if I really need to "work" my last day. My supervisor made the comment "Oh we are going to get all we can out of you." You know, I did give them a 7 weeks notice, you would think they could give me a half day?
Well I guess I should get to work, don't worry I actually still have 18 minutes before my day should start. Although I do get here anywhere between 30-45 minutes early every day and rarely take a lunch, so actually they kind of owe me a whole week, maybe I should just leave today!