A Girl and Her Daddy

Two Terrific Years of Coop

We can't believe two years have passed since you joined our family, little man! You are for the most part the happiest, most easy going little guy. Working on your independence, always ready to entertain yourself, looking for ways to entertain us, and working on getting into trouble.
One of your favorite past-times is definitely eating. And a source of many of your words - unch (lunch), beh-ies (berries and tomatoes), ahge (orange), muk (milk), agua, eese (cheese- shredded and sprinkle parm), oose (juice), mas (more in spanish), oosh (chair). You are a good helper, love to dig in the drawer and get out "poons" (spoons) and place them around the table, always making sure to put one out for Pop at his chair in the corner. Getting over the "ice" obsession. Declaring yourself "done", while standing up prepared to launch, wanting to "ash" (wash) or "baf" (bath) with "oap" (soap).And did we mention your good appetite? Just tonight, you ate red bell pepper and tomatoes, ate some ice berg lettuce the other night... Definitely fluctuate on your preferences from meal to meal. Big into meat and fruit regardless.
Love play time on the ground with tickles, climbing all over everything including us, big on the "ump" - which means carrying around the step stool prepared to launch yourself off... including from the top step even if it means full body flop on the ground. Laughing all the while. But wanting someone to be watching you the whole time - as in, "momma, momma, momma, dadash, dadash, mehmeh, mehmeh..." all day until someone is watching to see what great stunt you are doing. On Saturdays, we tend to hear this all day. Or if one of us is gone, you ask repetitively all day long.
Loving your "ook", especially upstairs with you "mulk" - don't know how that became blanket. You were preferring your's from Great Nanny but lately want your crocheted blanket. Love your "moush" - finding the mouse on every page of Goodnight, Moon; repeating when prompted, helping with the "hush" and "mush"... flipping back and forth the whole time to find mouse again. Also loving The Best Mouse Cookie - more with mouse and "mess" and "bush" (brush) and "uhoh" (for the dropped eggs).
You seem to be topless in many of your pictures. Probably because when eating your little shelf collects food and all the juice from your fruit which ran down your arm. Always willing to go to the "doh" (door) and go "si" (outside), wanting to play "car" or have a "push" or play "ball" or "ri" (ride).
The castle in the backyard. And fighting over random outside toys. Preferring the "bush" (broom) and the footstool over balls at times.
And then there's your sister. Ya'll are so sweet together. She loves you so much and you love her too. Always want to be together or asking where each other is. Love listening to you two laugh and play together.
Want to take out the "tash" (trash) in the morning before getting into the "tuck", declaring yourself "eady?" (ready). The tuck comments started with Pop's truck this last visit. Now everything else is a truck.

I've only now picked up on how your singing and songs have increased. Heard you singing The Wheels on the Bus from the back seat, completely indecipherable but with grunts and definite rhythm. Big on the "shhshshh", and waawaawaa's. Grunting along to twinkle-twinkle, wanting to participate in "ashes".
Nighttime routine includes singing Itsy Bitsy Spider - which you ask for with your hands smooshed together - and then some Twinkle Twinkle (complete with your grunts) and some prayers. You push your little hands together and clap when we're done. Lately wanting to name people we are thankful for. Definitely "Ance" (Lance) our favorite family member - at Nanny and Pa's house you don't want to say goodbye to anyone when prompted except for Lance for whom you run over to his room and want a full open mouth. Everyone loves Lance it seems - all the nieces and nephews anyways.
Looking as sweet as you are in real life. Definitely get fussy when tired or hungry. Not very patient for food at restaurants. Some threatened biting, but you know not to and usually look up for our expressions. Not really getting in trouble at school. Some sitting in the corner. Was given the opportunity to clean up or stand in the corner... I heard you upstairs crying after Daddy left you to find you still standing in the corner by yourself crying. Anything other than "cean up" - singing the song of course - to assert your stubbornness and independence.

You insisted on playing ball holding the base of the bat. Very willing to be helped but stubborn enough to go back to your preferred method when we aren't helping you.
I witnessed your blooming imagination the other night for the first time. Meghan was pretending to pour "magic water" out of the empty broom handle. Watching you go "shhhhh" as you filled Mommy's cup and pretending to take a drink. Did we mention your recent fear of the giant stuffed bear in Meg's room? We heard you screaming upstairs the other day and ran up to find you trapped in Meg's room, hiding in the corner, because the bear was next to the door and you couldn't get out. Now we've progressed to saying "bye be-ah" in the mornings.
Love your animals. For some reason able to say "george" before your own dogs. Now adding with "Mags", tobey is still only "do-gh", new emphasis on the last syllable. Loving that last syllable - as in "tuck" (stuck), "monk" (monkey), fo-g (frog). Love to help us read with making all the animal noises. Latest add on with a very aggressive "ribbit", growing, panting, chest beating. Loving to look at all the animals, including the most recent stray cat (very friendly) across the street who you insist on petting all the time.
Such a good cuddler. And definitely preferring your Momma; need some siblings just so Daddy has a shot at being a favorite. Some short attention span but good for a minute or so.
Big into the swimming. See the sunscreen out and starts patting your arms. Love to jump, including at Nanny's pool. "eady?" means look at me I'm going to jump... which progressed to blindly jumping without our hands to catch - now declaring "uhn" (one) for the countdown to start for jumping.
You are such a beautiful and adorable little boy, Cooper. And such a fun age, never knowing what your next word or action will be. You are loved by so many!

Coop's Bday Party!

Happy Birthday to little sweet little boy... who couldn't care less if it was his birthday.
We went to Nanny and Pa's house to have sports themed cupcakes... fits with the ball obsession.
Very helpful to have a big sister who will help you open your presents, eat some cupcakes, and quickly take all your new toys wanting to play with them. Opened the new glow in the dark soccer ball early so we wouldn't have to fight over the one we have... only to fight over the new one.
Very excited about the new tradition of birthday of hats! When someone took their hat off early, Cooper would look at them and ask about their hat! And Meghan declared she wants her birthday party at Nanny's house so she can wear her hats as well, wanted it kept safe.
Balls for everyone. And a T-Ball set for Cooper - once again, Meg more excited.
Coop took some encouragement to open up his presents.

Birthday hats for everyone!
Finally started blowing out the candle - with Momma's help
Eeese!
Tray tossing it back with some root beer... and a snazzy hat, of course!




The new rocking chair - "ash" - for outside. Something else to fight over. ;)

Abilene Anonymous

Sometime you just need a girl weekend... a get away for tears, laughs, and old friends... The middle of August brought this...
Not to mention, I had yet to mention the newest little group member - Miss Lylah Grace at six weeks old. And the lovely Miss Audrey...
And Mr. Jack... Not seen Adi... you were there I promise! The one lone man of the weekend.


For the most part a seemingly easy little one... easy with lots of us big girls ready to hold her.



We ate a lot in 36 hours. Kristin and I stayed with Kara and woke up to JoDee, Audrey, and donuts. Then off to lunch with hamburgers from Red Robbin - and endless french fries with dip. Then family style chicken fried, potatoes, green beans, and corn. Then some of these crazies went for yogurt... Note I said "some" :)
And then off to the Rideouts for hanging...
Audrey and baby Lylah made the pictures
And another main reason for the trip with in support for the lovely JoDee and baby Cade...
JoDee's story has become all of our story... and it's a good story. Please keep her in your prayers and may you be inspired (read it)... I know we all have been in our own ways.
Sorry, Jode.. These were all just too good... :)

If it takes a village, you girls are my village... And my family. Love you, girls and will see you next month!