Record Keeping

I wanted to write down some things that Cooper has been doing so I don't forget:

1.  Yesterday, Andrew had a morning meeting. Cooper was eating breakfast in his highchair and I asked him where Dada was. He looked around...really looking for him...and said "bye-bye".
2.  Cooper now understands things I ask of him. I'll say, come on, let's go upstairs...and here he comes. I asked him to get me something (anything) in the other room and bring it to mommy. He brought be a pair of his pajamas.
3.  A few weeks ago, it was bedtime. Andrew said, "night-night". I said "night-night". Then Cooper said it!! It was hilarious!

More to come, I'm sure!

In pictures

Happy Birthday Cooper!

Last year, at this very moment, I had know you for 1 hour and 20 minutes.

I now feel like I've know you my whole life.

Today as I reflect over these past 12 months, I know God made you perfect for me and your Daddy.

The wait...for you...was worth it.

Motherhood has changed me in so many ways...too many to name. All for the better.

Happy birthday to my sweet little boy.

The eve

Seems so crazy to me that one year ago today , I was 39 weeks pregnant!  Andrew came home from work and I told him I thought I might have been having a few contractions throughout the day, but didn't know for "sure". We were so scared excited for Coop to come, but were still 6 days away from the "due" date.

So we decided to stain the deck furniture. Yep, we're weird like that. But first, it needed to be pressure-washed. So we did that for a couple of hours from around 7:30 on. It was hard for me to work in long spurts because I was so huge, so Andrew did most of the work and I mainly watched.

I also decided that it would be a good idea to pack our bags for the hospital. I had been putting it off since I didn't have hardly anything on the "list". (You know - the ones you find online when you google "hospital bag for baby" or something like that). I honestly packed more things for Cooper than myself. Tons of stuff. It was kind of ridiculous.

Well around 9:30 after all the furniture had been washed, but not stained (we were going to do that "tomorrow"), we started timing the contractions. They were pretty sporatic, so we decided to go to bed. Around 12 I woke up, went to the bathroom, had a contraction, and told Andrew to call. This was it. I now knew what they mean when they said, "you'll know".

To make a long story short, we had a tax baby. And he brought us a nice little return this year, I might add!

Its pretty amazing how it all works isn't it?

From This:

to this:

in just one year!

Par-Tee Post on hold. Sunday-Monday fun instead!

I'm waiting to post the official Par-Tee pictures after I get all the pictures. I was lucky enough to have my brother's girlfriend/photog/media specialist take tons of pictures and pretty much follow Coop around during his party. I've seen a few and am so EXCITED to see the rest. So more on that later.

I did, however, want to post a few from the last two (what feels like) summer days in Tennessee. The weather was down-right hot on Sunday. Andrew's been home, which has been GREAT, and he took Coop to the neighbors to play in the "pool" on Sunday afternoon.

Today was my day off, so me and Bub (that's what I call Cooper) got to spend some quality time together outdoors. Miss Avery came to play and so did Mason (too bad Coop missed him cause he was asleep) but Jack enjoyed it! 

I'm ready to go Daddy!

This feels a little different than the bath!

I love brooms/swiffers/sticks.



I also love dirt!



Look at me...walking so good!

Two of my three boys

Miss Avery and Coop in their Mercedes

Trying to live up to the hype

First birthdays are a BIG deal. I want Cooper's to be, too. I know he won't remember it. But I will. Are there any other mom's out there that feel the pressure? The pressure to make the first birthday perfect. The pressure to make sure you get lots of good pictures that will most certalinly be used in a wedding slideshow. The pressure you feel to make sure everyone's having a good time. Pressure (or sadness) that your baby is turning 1...and turning into a toddler right before your very eyes.

I feel all these things as I scramble around town...running errands (which means going to Hobby Lobby for the 7th time in a few weeks), cleaning, stressing, organizing, blah, blah, blah.

Well, the BIG day is tomorrow. (The official BIG day is another week away, so I have my baby for a few more days.)

Par-TEE pictures to come.

Dreams...

It is my dream one day for Andrew and I to live in an old southern farmhouse.

 With a screened-in porch.

On many many acres.

With larger than life oaks.

Filled with laughter of children.

And a pond for Jack. 

And a tire swing for the kids.

Where you wouldn't have to worry about your kids crossing the street. Because there would be no cars for miles.

Your days would be filled with frying something up in the kitchen. And making lemonade. Swimming in the pond. Rocking a baby.

Nights would be spent playing board games, not watching TV.

We'd grown old here. Our grandkids could some stay in the summertime. We'd churn ice cream and play in the sprinklers. 

Dreaming....one day this will be truth.