need art? jump on it!

This started out as a fun little painting project ... but, somehow it morphed into a big o' mess of greatness. :) Aww kids, sometimes ya' just gotta follow their lead...

Cooper is 2 Cute!

Cooper turned 2 today (sniff, sniff). His b-day bash is Saturday, so we kept things simple today ... pizza and homemade chocolate cake (courtesy of Daddy), who-hoo.

I've been a little teary-eyed and I honestly can't put into words how much I love and adore my super Cooper, so I'll let my mom (aka Mimi) do it for me. Here's a too-precious e-mail she sent to the birthday boy this AM:

"Dear sweet lil man, you are such a fabulous blessing to everyone who meets you. Your unexpected crazy faces and antics create joy and laughter everywhere you go. You have such love for mommie and daddy and they are so deserving of your attention. Trust them to teach you right from wrong, up from down and trust ONLY mommie with fashion sense!! ha ha You have already made such an impression on the world in your short 2 years, I am excited to watch you grow and see what excites you and what moves you and the impact you will make on others. For now just be the zany lil boy we allllllll love and enjoy every fun, crazy moment that is the 2 year old world. I am so blessed to have you as my very own grandson---all my hugs and kisses!

happy bday lil man
lovemimi"

my lil' star

that's what he said

hey good lookin'

Bless the genius who came up with the car-shaped hair-cuttin' chair complete with a steerable wheel! I can't say that Coop loved getting his little goldy locks lopped off yesterday, but he LOVED the car he was in. In fact, he pitched a fit when it was time to go. So glad the fit came AFTER the hair cut! He did great!!! I was so proud of him, and, though he looks soooo much older now, he looks handsome, handsome, handsome. I'm still shocked that the hubs and I made such a cute kid! ;)

Coop is sky-rocketing toward toddlerhood, a reality which is always tinged with sadness, but his babyhood was so amazing, I know this next chapter will be just as beautiful (now, if only we could get this wanna' be toddler to um, toddle, full time! LOL!)

walk like ...

you mean it. ;) Yesterday was the American Heart Association Heart Walk and, though it seemed like Hurricane Ike was going to unleash on the festivities (well, he did just a touch ... at first), the rain and wind couldn't dampen the spirits of those in attendance.

Team PPAI was out in full force representing the company and walking for our loved ones ... um, well sort, of. Our original 10-member team shrank in size due to the start of soccer season, sick kiddos and concern over parents who were experiencing Ike head on. But three of us carried on, with two honorary members. =)

It was a great experience (as always), however I was a bit bummed because Chris and Coop could't join me. Daycare called (AGAIN!) on Friday saying Coop was running fever. He was congested and coughing and all kinds of yuck, so dada stayed and tended to the snot rocket.

But ... by last night Coop was in better spirits and, after bath time, he decided to do a lil' walk of his own!!! Aww, that's my boy (he's nearly 16 months, but he's getting there, one step, one fall, one crawl at a time).


Pics from the AHA Start! Heart Walk Our team shirts (thanks Suze!!!)

Melissa and her adorable daughter Terra

The crowd ... great numbers despite the impending threat of a tropical storm.

The team walking it out for heart disease

At the finish line ... we made it!

he did it!!!

s(no)w baby

Can inclement weather be a milestone in your little one's life? How about in a new mommy's life?

In my off-beat universe the answer is a resounding hecka yeah!

Since I was little, I have been obsessed with snow (probably because its appearance is as rare as finding that most-coveted round-toe wedge in MY size at the 75% off sale rack in Nordstrom!).

Anywhoo, last winter when I was preggars with Coop, it seemed like ice and snow came and went weekly and I loved every minute of it. I secretly counted down the days until I could share the love of the fluff with him in my arms, rather than in my belly.

My first chance came (and went) on Monday with no commemoration, no celebration, no pomp and circumstance. The little guy petered out hours before the snow started falling and the hubby threatened me with a month-long, solo stint on diaper duty if I woke the baby for pics.

I pouted. But you know what they say, "NEVER wake a sleeping baby."

Poo.

Well, when the blizzard blew in this afternoon, there was SNOW WAY in HELL (yes, I really just wrote that!) I was gonna' let Coop miss it.

I was like a kid again as I excitedly, feverishly constructed a little eskimo joe snow fort for Coop to pose in for pics. I couldn't wait to see the flakes gather gently atop his cheeks and eyelashes. I was breathless at the thought of seeing him pound the drifts with his tiny palms.

Chris and I got him all bundled up, took him in the frozen air and ...

nuthin'! No excitement, no joy, no fits of jubilant laughter.

Just a fussy baby freezin' his ass off.

Even the pics are slow-motion lame (except for the side shot of Coop - that one's a keeper).

This year I didn't snag those precious snow baby moments I'd been dreaming of ... (note to self: he's only 9 months old!!), but I do have years and years of snow balling, fort building, drift pounding moments to look forward to.

And those thoughts will always keep me warm.

p.s. The too-short snow fort? Mine. The too-cute snowmen? Built by the neighbors.

naked dining

There's a reason I no longer keep Coop in clothes when it's time to dine. It's the same reason I should skip them, too, or don a plastic tarp ...

OK, "bubble boy" is totally cute on his own or when he's "chatting" with his daddy. But when you mix the forward thrusting of spit with oh, I don't know, semi-liquid green beans, applesauce, squash ... it's no longer cute.

It's eventually crusty. Like on my face. In my hair. On my clothes crusty.

When Coop first started using dinner time as spit time, Chris and I couldn't stop laughing (see below), especially when the contents of his mouth started to dribble down his chin. But now that the little turkey has realized that he's entertaining the masses with his projectile antics, he won't stop. It's time to introduce two things to dinner: the word "no!" and a face mask until the word "no!" illicites anything other than laughter. Sigh.

new noise

I am fascinated by Coop's ever-expanding verbal skills. He cracks me up with the crazy sounds that escape from his tiny mouth (goose boy, anyone?). And, as of tonight, I think I have a new fav. His latest sound effect is this high-pitched throaty gurgle thing that seems kind of chick-like, as in girly, not feathered, but then again, he does seem to be mimicking a baby bird.

Chirp, chirp little one.

Getting Back …

to the business of celebrating the holidays and savoring each second of the day with Coop. OK, so my job is in limbo, but that doesn’t mean being a mommy should get shoved to the backburner. Here are a couple of classic Coop moments that Chris and I shot last night. Enjoy!



Apparently the “bouncer” we got for Coop is working his leg muscles, but he can no longer stand still when I hold him up – he just, well, bounces! Am I destined to have a son who looks like he’s doing a perpetual pee pee dance? =)


Yep, those are my boys! “Talking” to each other in various forms of projectile spit, gurgles and giggles. Who needs Baby Einstein videos when you have a Daddy like this heading the educational helm? Both boys are filled with genius I tell ya’, pure genius!

-smell you later-
Coop’s Mom (aka Tessa)

Coop's Future Career(s)

On Thanksgiving, Cooper showed promising skill in the "Lord of the Dance" department! Riverdance, here he comes ...



Then, this morning, he displayed incredible mastery at bubble making. A job with a circus perhaps, as a self-contained bubble blowing machine?



-smell you later-
Coop's Mom (aka Tessa)

Jump Around

Chris made a trip to Target on his lunch hour today and brought home an awesome (although HUGE!)entertainment jumper thingy (technical term) for Coop.

Coop's been loving this pink (yes, PINK!) jeep at daycare, so we knew it was time to upgrade the bouncer to something that got him off his back and working on his legs.

Watching him bounce around instantly got the lyrics to House of Pain's Jump Around flowin' through my head:

"I came to get down
So get out your seats and jump around
Jump around
Jump up, Jump up and get down." LOL!



-smell you later-
Coop's Mom (aka Tessa)

There's a Goose on the Loose

After Chris and I got off work we met at the house, bedecked the boy in a jacket and beanie and headed to Life's a Beach to eat some yummy grub and squeeze in a quick visit with Pappy (Chris' dad and manager of the Flower Mound restaurant).

We'd hoped for a nice evening out, but you know what they say about best laid plans ...

Coop was in rare (translation: FUSSY!) form and was only quiet when sitting beside the bonfire on the patio dining area (sure hope we don't have a pyro on our hands, lol). We inhaled our food (each taking turns by the fire pit to entertain the babe while the other ate alone - ahhh, parenthood) and then made a quick exit.

By the time we made it home, in true baby fashion, Coop decided to turn on the charm, well sort of!

Check out the clip below. Coop wasn't crying, or squealing really ... he was ... honking? Like a goose?


And then, when Coop decided he'd had enough of the spotlight he went all celebrity on me, the momarazzo. He started grabbing at the camera, tugging on the strap as if to say, "Back Up, Woman!"


My little goose is now all honked out and is sleeping soundly in his crib. Here's hoping there's no swan song sometime around 3am. =)

-smell you later-
Coop's Mom (aka Tessa)

good times

There are those days as a mom when you feel you’re going out of your ever beloved mind. You know, like when the baby won’t stop screaming, he pees every time you take the diaper off, he won’t eat, sleep, play nice and you’re convinced that you’re just not cut from the right mommy cloth.

But, then there are days like today when motherhood is effortless, beautiful, where you are so blissed out by the joy your baby brings that you think you’ll go out of your ever beloved mind trying to soak in every second.

Coop has been in rare form. From the moment he woke up this AM to the time I tucked him in he was giggling and cooing and squealing in delight. And all of this verbal fun was punctuated by several peaceful naps (which means I snuck in several peaceful naps – whoo-hoo).

Bonus??? Coop rolled over. He rolled over. He rolled over. Yes, this is a feat he accomplished several weeks ago (see “The Rollover Kid” for back story), but has yet to replicate. But this evening, during our nightly blanket bonding, I rolled him onto his tummy and he flipped back on his own, over and over again, squealing all the while. It was so awesome.

Most Sunday nights I get pretty bummed because Monday means my 24/7, all-you-can-get Coop buffet is over. I love being a working mom, but I hate the all-too-quick 2-3 hours a night I get with my little guy. I miss him so much while at work that I visit my blog several times a day just to see his precious face, to watch his videos, to remember what it is I’m working for.

Tonight, however, there are no blues-worthy feelings, just a rockin’ natural high that only one’s own baby can bring.

-smell you later-
Coop’s Mom (aka Tessa)

Coop chats up a storm.



Look out world, Coop's on the "move." =)

fingers are so 5 minutes ago

Last week I blogged about Coop's obsession with his fingers. Well, this weekend he's found a new wiggly body part to love (no, not THAT one ... Yet.
As his mommy and as a girl who doesn't get the fascination, I am DREADING that day). He can't keep his hands off his feet. Check him out at Abuelo's yesterday ...



-smell you later-
Coop's Mom (aka Tessa)

dinner for two

Daddy was out tonight (focus group, woo-hoo), so it was just me and my little guy for dinner. Check out how we did below (hint: we both need some work on our spoon-and-cereal meal technique ... Me, getting the food in Coop's mouth; Him, keeping it in there, lol).



-smell you later-
Coop's Mom (aka Tessa)

With Love, Cooper

To all of Coop's Grandparents & Great Grandparents ... Happy, Happy Day.



-smell you later-
Coop's Mom (aka Tessa)

Fish Boy

Coop was a little fussy tonight so I thought a quick "swim" in the big-boy bath would help calm him down. He turned into a wild man the minute he hit the water ... well, until the very end when he decided he'd had enough - whimper, whimper, whine. Men! =)



-smell you later-
Coop's Mom (aka Tessa)

Coop's On YouTube

Check out Coop's debut on YouTube: Father to Son "Chat".