the sweet life » Cooper
The Fair
Cooper and I played hookie last Thursday to spend the day at the Illinois State Fair in Springfield. Beforehand we looked at the schedule and picked out a few items we absolutely had to see/do. The only thing I had to do was buy, and perhaps consume, a deep-fried Twinkie. Check (quite tasty). Cooper wanted to see the Butter Cow and go fishing. Check and check. Cooper asking me to fish, catching two fish, and touching the bait and the fish were personal highlights. It usually takes him a while to warm up to new activities, but he was really excited about it. I see more fishing in our future.
I thought we would last 3-4 hours tops, but we literally spent all day (7 hours) there. We saw Smokey the Bear, dug for minerals and rocks, played games (won a Batman) and rode many rides on the Midway, rode the train, listened to live bands, sat in a big digger, rode a bike. I'm glad to see my fondness for fairs has been inherited.
You can see all of our photos at Flickr.
Father's Day?
Is it Father's Day or Mother's Day? I'm feeling a bit confused because Anna just went down for a nap, and Todd left with Cooper to go see Kung Fu Panda, leaving me in a QUIET house for a few hours. Thank you!
I took Cooper and Anna each to the Dollar Store to pick out their presents for Dad. Anna picked a "tickle ball" and a gift bag with dogs on it. Cooper picked matching squirt guns and a Fern for Dad's office (not from the Dollar Store). Todd was a great sport and was outside at 7:30 am this morning playing in his PJs with Cooper and the squirt guns. Here's to an awesome husband and Dad! We love you! (Now I'm off to take my nap!)
An Ode to Cooper's Nap
Oh how I loved you. You offered a brief oasis during the day where it might be possible for at least one parent to:
- Take a nap
- Eat lunch
- Clean the house
- Exercise
- Run errands at a leisurely pace
While I do look forward to the possibility of an uninterrupted "adventure" during the day, you will still be sorely missed.
At the Little Gym
We were very excited when The Little Gym opened a local outlet in Champaign this winter. We signed Cooper up right away and it was great to have someplace for him to burn off some energy during the dark days we had this winter/spring.
Last Saturday was his last class and they had a cute little graduation ceremony for all of the kids - Cooper slept with his medal for a couple days. Here are a few photos from the day, as well as a short video of Cooper doing exercises on the mat. Notice how he anticipates the command to "freeze"?
Aftermath: Birthday Weekend
In February we had to cancel the party we had planned for Anna's birthday because Julie was sick. We ended up having a small family celebration on her actual birthday, but decided to wait and have a larger combined party for her and Cooper this past weekend.
Well, Saturday morning we all got up to have pancakes and eggs for Cooper's birthday breakfast and Anna proceeded to throw up all over Julie - stomach flu. So, do we cancel the party at our house that we hyped all week (Cooper was very excited to have his cousins over)? Luckily Grandma C & Papa let us move the celebration to their house, but that also meant one of us had to stay home with Anna and miss part of Cooper's party. It all worked out. I took the first shift with her, then we drove over to their house and swapped kids so I could have birthday cake pumpkin pie with Cooper (his choice).
Anna is still battling the bug, but hopefully she'll be well enough to make the trip to Seattle we have planned later this week. Also, this was the first year Cooper knew it was his birthday and that presents were expected. We made the mistake of having him wait until late in the afternoon to open all of his gifts. Next year I think we'll give him our gifts in the morning.
Here he is with a couple of his toys (Peter Pan figurines, Radio Flyer scooter).
3 Is A Magic Number
Happy Birthday Cooper! You've come a long way. Mom, Anna and I love you very much.
First Haircut
Seems a bit strange since he is almost three years old, but Cooper just got his first professional haircut this weekend. He really, really wasn't enjoying his do-it-at-home buzzcut, so we tried the salon. He definitely prefers the scissors, and it's much easier on mom and dad as well.
The Memory Game
Last night Cooper, Anna and I were waiting in the car while Julie went into the grocery store to grab a few things. A car pulled into the space next to us and Cooper asked, "what's that?" I told him it was a PT Cruiser, and asked if he remembered that we rented one last summer when we were in Seattle. "Yes, it honked its horn," he said. Turns out he has a better memory than I do. When we were checking out of the rental agency we accidentally set off the car alarm (lots of honking) and couldn't figure out how to turn it off. I was a bit stunned by his recollection. Note to self: be very, very careful what you say around him from now on.
Quick Update
I'm either lacking in time or inspiration lately, which is why things have been so quiet here. After our trip to Seattle we all came down with some form of illness - at one point last week Julie was home from work with both Cooper (stomach flu) and Anna (ear infection). Despite all that we're having fun introducing Anna to solid foods, the Bumbo seat, and the Johnny Jumper.
Cooper seems to be getting a bit nostalgic with some of his old baby stuff too. He fits in the Bumbo easier than Anna does. Her thighs get stuck when you take her out.
Recent Photos
We finally uploaded some new photos to share.
Anna's hair is starting to come in thick and blond with a touch of red.
This is Cooper in his race car driver get up at Ethan's birthday party.
Pleasant Surprises
(Just wanted to record these thoughts for posterity.)
Tonight we loaded the kids up to go on a run, and since we are a bit tired of the route in our neighborhood we drove to a shopping area nearby that has a bookstore and and ice cream shop, among other things. We told Cooper that he could pick which one he wanted to go to after our run. He chose the bookstore. Yes!
He's said a couple other funny/endearing things lately as well. When we are driving in the car and Anna starts crying he'll look over at her and say (very seriously), "it's ok Anna, I'm right here." Also, the other night I was reading him stories before bed and he started picking at my hand with his nail. I asked him to stop and he just looked at me, laughed, and did it again. I used my very parental voice and said he needed to stop b/c that was hurting daddy. He said in an exasperated voice, "I was just teasing you daddy," and immediately stopped. Outsmarted by my two-year old. That one made me shake my head afterward.
Tummy Time & Tummy Troubles
If you ignore the little bit of spit up on her chin this is a good shot of Anna. Her second batch of hair is really coming in, and it is thick blond with a touch of red in certain lighting. She's doing really well on her stomach, and hopefully is growing out of her neck crick (I forgot the official name).
Last weekend Copper came down with the stomach flu and we spent Saturday curled up on the floor watching the movie "Cars" over and over. He was feeling much better on Sunday, so we decided to get some fresh air and go see the Hot Pepper Jazz band at a local park. He was enthralled by the music and the instruments, so it was a fun outing. I forgot the camera, but we took some cell phone pictures.
Dueling Ukuleles
We got Cooper a ukulele guitar for his birthday. At first he only carried it around, but recently he's figured out how to hold it and strum. He has a small repertoire of songs he sings, and we showed him how to bow and say, "thank you very much," when he finishes. It's hilarious (to me anyway). Here's one of his greatest hits.
Happy 2nd Cooper!
We had a relatively big party for Cooper over the weekend (photos here) with his four crazy boy cousins and one sweet Mina. Elmo was featured prominently.
He was also thrilled to have his Seattle cousins, Henry & Wilson, stay with him for four days. A personal highlight was watching Cooper and Wilson dance to Juanes - what a classic moment.
Cooper Holds Anna
As I sit at the kitchen table writing this there is a bona-fide blizzard raging outside. We had 5 inches of snow overnight, and up to another foot is expected by midnight tonight. To top it all off the wind gusts are reaching 45 mph. Needless to say Cooper's school was canceled, so we are spending our first day at home all together. Everyone is upstairs napping right now, so things are very quiet for the time being.
Yesterday after I picked Cooper up from daycare he came home and wanted to hold Anna on his lap. The video clip below captured the moment. Today he did the same thing. Without any prompting he held her hand, gave her many kisses, and leaned over and said, "I love you." Certainly enough to melt any cynic's heart, and a huge sigh of relief that he likes her...for now. I think he was a bit miffed at both Julie and I last night, but he didn't take it out on Anna.
Jingle Bells & Frosty
Cooper and his Kozy Koala klassmates welcomed their parents for a nice holiday party last Friday. They entertained us with spirited renditions of Jingle Bells (YouTube video link) and Frosty the Snowman (YouTube video link). We have some photos from the event as well.
Juanee!
In case you didn't already know, Cooper loves music and dancing. A few weeks ago we came home, turned on the tv and started watching Austin City Limits, which we record every week. This particular show featured Columbian singer Juanes...and Cooper loved him. He sings in Spanish, but that doesn't seem to bother him. We saved the recording, and almost every day Cooper asks if he can watch Juanes. He lets us know by pointing at the tv and saying "Juanee". Juanee is so much better than Boobah.
Cooper Stats
As you all know from past reports Cooper has always been on the low end of the charts in terms of size - generally in the 5-10% range for head size, weight and height. He had another checkup last week and we were surprised to learn he is now in the 25% for height. His other measurements stayed where they were percentage-wise.
The doctor threw out some *knowledge* I hadn't heard before. The first is a general rule of thumb that boys will be approximately 5 to 5.5 inches (can't remember which) taller than their mother. Well, my mom was five-two and I am five-ten, so that theory is not foolproof. ;) The second is that you can double a child's height at 2 years to determine his/her adult height.
Acceptable Behavior
I just had to pass along a quick story. On Monday Julie dropped off Cooper at daycare. Apparently when they got to his classroom Cooper went over to his friend Ethan and said, "hi". Ethan's response was to slap Cooper in the face. I guess Cooper was fine (I suspect he's been a perpetrator of that crime many times himself). Ethan's mom was still there and her response to his response was a gentle reminder that that behavior was not acceptable. Seems reasonable to me.
When Julie relayed the story to me my first reaction was a chuckle as I visualized the scene unfolding. Then I started wondering at what age such behavior becomes unacceptable, with harsh consequences? I mean, imagine what would happen if a similar scenario played itself out in your place of work. Everyone has a rough Monday morning every now and then, right?
Cooper Tricks
On our way home from Springfield last weekend Cooper was exhausted, but wouldn't fall asleep in his car seat. He proceeded to take off his socks and shove his foot in his mouth, which is something he's been known to do before. I did what all proud parents do - I took a video. Please don't try this at home - we are trained professionals. View Cooper toes video.
Lucky Charm
Happy Birthday Cooper! Momma and Da-da can't believe that you're already a year old. Thank you for bringing so much joy to our lives, and showing us the world through your eyes - it's fun to be a kid all over again. Here's to a healthy and happy second year.
Love,
Mom & Dad
And Then He Walked...
The big news around here is that Cooper is waddling around on his own. He had been standing on his own and taking steps with assistance, but a couple weeks ago he decided to explore by himslef. One or two steps have now become strolls across the room. We'll try and share a video clip soon.
Speaking of photos, we have a few from February and March.
Santa Pics
We took all the boys to get their pictures taken with Santa on Monday. Cooper didn't like him at all, but everyone else seemed to do fine. Take a look at all three photos.
First Haircut
Well, we couldn't wait until his first birthday to give him a haircut. Cooper got a bit of a trim (courtesy of mom and dad) before his trip to California. Mom cried and dad rejoiced. Compare the before and after.
November Cooper Stats
Cooper had his 9 month doctor visit and measured in with the following:
Weight: 16 lbs. 14 oz. (5%ile)
Height: 27 1/4 in. (20%ile)
Head: 43 1/2 cm. (10%ile)
So, since the last visit he's gained a pound and grown an inch.
Cooper Stats
Here's the latest:
Weight - 15 lbs. 11 oz. (20%)
Height - 26 1/4 in. (45%)
Head - 42 1/2 cm. (20%)
Yep, he's a peanut. Cooper also started his Little Bugs class at the Little Gym last week. He and some other babes gather to sing, exercise and socialize, or at least that's what the parents do.
Catching Up
We've made a few new gallery additions lately.
- New photos from August & September for Cooper.
- Julie celebrated her 30th by hosting a walk/run for her friends, and eating Mexican food with her family.
- Julie, Todd, Cooper, Alli, Henry & Wilson made a trip to the Evergreen State Fair last Friday. Henry enjoyed the tractors, the animals, and a ride on "Peanuts" the pony.
Week of Firsts
Cooper continued his week of firsts by suffering through his first cold, but also got to visit the zoo for the first time (view photos). He loved the monkeys.
And they all rolled over...
Cooper's had a big weekend so far. Yesterday he had his first taste of solid food (ok, a couple specks of rice cereal in some milk), and today he officially rolled over for the first time. He's rolled over a few times before when he was on an incline. Tomorrow he walks!
We also have some new Cooper pics (my favorite), and a few of Wilson & Henry that we just added.
August Photos
Cooper has a few new photos in his August album. As you can see he has been spending quite a bit of time in his new exer-saucer, which he loves.
Ron and Ceanne, we hope you're viewing these photos on a brand new computer with DSL? If so, be sure to go back and view a few of the video clips in older albums. Congrats!
Cooper's Stats
A recent visit to the doctor confirmed the following:
Weight - 14lbs 1oz (40%ile)
Height - 24 1/2 inches (45%ile)
Head - 41 cm (25%ile)
So despite his stout appearance, Cooper is very much an average kid at this point.
Cooper Update
We've added quite a few new photos to Cooper's June album, and also started on his July pictures. We finally pulled out the "Johnny Jumper" for Cooper to try - he liked it, but is still a bit small to fit in there comfortably.
In other Cooper news, he's almost ready to roll over. He makes it up on his side, but can't quite swing the leg over to complete the roll. He's been "talking" up a storm as well - giggling, cooing and coughing. I think he's most excited about the impending arrival of his cousin, Wilson, whose due date was today. We're still waiting...
2 Month Visit
We made the trip to the doctor this morning for a check-up and more shots - 4 shots, actually. Cooper's stats:
Height - 23 1/4 in. (70%ile)
Weight - 12 lbs. 1.4 oz. (65%ile)
Head - 38 cm (25%ile)
The shots produced a delayed scream, which was followed by a snack and deep sleep. Poor kid...
Trip to the Doc
Cooper had another weigh-in today, and also had to get the first of three shots in his tetanus B series. His weight was up to 11 lbs. 4 oz., which is around the 55%ile. Apparently it is normal for babies to gain an ounce a day, but Cooper has been averaging 1.4 ounces, so he's definitely a good eater. As soon as we took his diaper off and plopped him on the scale he started peeing all over the place...good boy! The shot was fairly uneventful - red face and brief squawk, then a nap. ;)
Grandma C & Papa Visit
Cooper got to meet his other grandparents this weekend and had a great time showing them around Seattle. Check out the pictures.
Cooper Update
Julie took Cooper to the doctor on Monday for his second routine visit. The first time we went he weighed 7 pounds, 11 ounces, and measured 50% for weight, 60% for height, and 25% for head size (which I'm sure Julie is thankful for!). A week later he weighed 7 pounds, 15 ounces, which is perfect considering babies should gain 1/2 ounce a day at this stage. In other exciting news, Cooper now has a belly-button.
We apologize for the lack of new pictures, but my time as official photographer has been reduced since I returned to work this past Monday (darn!). We'll try and get some new ones loaded this weekend.
Cooper Michael Sweet
On Tuesday morning we welcomed Cooper Michael to the world. He's a keeper!
Date: Tuesday, March 15, 2005
Time: 7:22 AM
Weight: 8 lbs. 2 oz.
Length: 20 1/4 inches
Mom, dad and baby are all home now and doing very well. We have a bunch of photos and a few short videos in the gallery.
Fergus Completes His First Race!
Fergus dressed up in green and conquered the Annual St. Patty's Day Dash (a 3.5 mile waddle for us today). See his pics!
