Cooper is ONE

Wow, has it really been a month since my last post!  My days of carefree blogging are long gone I am afraid.  Cooper keeps me moving all day long now that he is so active and when we aren't busy playing with blocks and cars, I am working on Potty Jotty business.  Its a good life though.  Maybe I will make a resolution to blog more in January. Just maybe.  You know how I feel about resolutions.

Quick Cooper update:

• Cooper has ditched the bottle and prefers to double fist it whenever possible with his sippy cups.  He likes a water in his right hand and a milk in his left.  That's just how we Herbolds roll.
• He has finally decided that non-pureed food is acceptable but ONLY if it is Cheerios, Puffs, Mum mums, hot dogs, chicken or waffles.  I haven't served him chicken & waffles together just yet but maybe next week we can change it up a bit.
• He crawls as fast as a turbo jet and has no interest in walking.  I think he is just like his dad and the efficiency factor just doesn't pan out when it comes to moving from Point A to Point B.
• Cooper LOVES music and dancing.  
• His favorite toys before the influx of birthday presents invaded the playroom were books,books,books....now its cars,cars,big wooden block,book,book....DANCE!  He makes the rounds in there.
• He has 2 teeth on the bottom and two fighting their way on the top, as we speak.  Teeth put him in a bad mood so he refused to guest blog tonight.  Hopefully we can get him back to writing next week!

Cooper Moments

Cooper can now successfully Moo like a cow.  ON Command. Do I sound like I'm bragging?  He mastered this skill after hearing real cows at the gas station.  He loved them and learned to mimic them.  That is essentially his only "trick" so far. Besides the art of the high five that he somewhat gets.

He also speaks dog.  Barking is his favorite language.  Only his bark is more like a high pitch squeal.  He chases after the puppies all day, barking away.   Cooper plays in his crib some nights when he is fighting sleep.  Well tonight I guess he didn't want to be in there alone so he started barking. Bobby and I were all in the kitchen with the dogs when the barking started.  Little Millie's ears perked up and she went tearing into his room.  Her boy was calling her.  How cute and also very counter-productive to the bedtime routine!

Stay tuned for habits he picked up in Sunday School.  And here's a hint:  Its not how to pray before snack time.

10 Months

Unfortunately, Cooper is a little under the weather so he can't be here today to tell you about the last month of his life.  I will just have to fill in the best that I can!  Cooper is busy busy crawling at turbo speeds with a toy in each hands at all times.  He loves to stand up only to sit back down again a few seconds later.  He has just started to walk around the coffee table and his crib.  Although he prefers crawling as a mode of transportation.  I think because he deems this to be the most efficient way to get from point A to point B.

So tired from playing all day

Cooper loves to eat but only if its puree.  Anything of any real texture makes him gag in the most dramatic way.  He is quite the performer.

Not the best photography on my part but he is so cute standing up and feeling his gums with his tongue.  Still no teeth!!

Cooper took his first international trip this month!  He is becoming quite the traveler and has already earned more miles than the average adult.  I figure he will have Platinum status by the time he is 2!

Happy Baby

Prioritize

When you are a mom you learn to prioritize.  It is a skill that you thought you mastered already B.K. (Before Kids) but you are slapped in the face with the reality that you used to waste so much time before watching the Bachelor and plucking your eyebrows. Once little baby comes drooling along your experienced, structured, efficient self needs a boot camp.  I have a fairly scheduled day set up for Lil C and myself to ensure things get done and we both have time to eat.  But lately, Cooper has been thwarting the system.  His hour long morning naps are turning into 20 minutes.  I used to have an hour to shower and get ready for the day, now its 20 minutes.  That is when I realized I must learn to prioritize better.  Even better than before.  I must choose. Hair or legs.  Yeah, I said it out loud.  Thats what this place is for.  So in the mornings I have about an hour of play time before nap to ponder which item is most important and why.  Secrets out.  If my hair is shiny and clean then you know why I'm wearing pants!  The price of motherhood.

I am 8 months

Going on 9 months, growing so very fast!  These last few months I have been so very busy perfecting my crawl, eating real food and gagging on my cereal,swimming in big pools and small and swinging on my new outdoor swing.

I love the swing!  Especially when daddy pushes me.  He swings me dangerously fast, and I LIKE it!

This is the tiniest pool I have EVER been in. 

 I like it better at Cherie's house but this will do in a bind.

  It's 104 here today.

Oh and we took family pictures.  Jenny is very talented and she used my picture in a few of her ads.  

So, basically I am famous.  Finally.  I have waited like 7 months for people to get how Awesome I am.

Crawling!!

Time to drop the crib

This is how we found him during nap a few weeks ago.  He was so very proud of himself!  This morning he figured out how to knock his cameras down and turn on his own music in the crib.  He is so busy all the time!

Spring Cleaning and Sex Toys

We all know you clicked on my blog today to read about the sex and not about the spring cleaning.  Don't lie, we know.  The story all starts with the cleaning though, so bare with me.  I know that it is clearly Summer and not Spring, mostly because of the way my makeup melts off my face the second I walk outside. But when you are the mother of an 8 month old, somehow you can be an entire season behind and not have a clue as to how that happen.  Since we don't have a pool in the backyard, we stay inside most of the day and this makes me want to clean, purge, organize, move things....you get it.  This week has been closet clean out.  Our bedroom closet is filled with all the crap that doesn't have a home.  Like old computers, suitcases and boxes that I have never gone through since the day we moved in.  

                  Warning: We are about to get to the sex part

In this pile, I found a stash of sex toys and other lude items that were given to me as a joke at my bachelorette party 4 years ago.  It was all part of a scavenger hunt competition and some of the girls got very creative.  Anyway, I put the sex toys in a bag and put it in the trash and forgot about it.  Well, today my sweet cleaning lady came to me with two bags in her hand.  She asked me if they were trash and when I looked in I saw all the sex stuff!! I was mortified and quickly said YES, yes, of course they are trash.  I tried to explain to her that they were a joke but I know she doesn't understand half the things I tell her.  She just smiled and nodded sweetly like she always does as I got redder and redder and sweat started to bead up on my forehead.  

Then she asked, "Can I have them?" 

Now that caught me off guard.   I said sure and then I guess to try to make the situation less awkward, which I am not quite sure that is possible, I just started giving her things.  I thought, maybe if she takes home a lot of normal things that will out weigh the crazy stuff in the sex bag and she won't judge me when she figures out what all of it is.  I hope she comes back next week.  She can do wonders with a mop.

Playroom Update

We have successfully moved the dining room over and added foam tiles down in half of the room for Cooper to crawl, drool and fall on.  Mission accomplished.  But wait, the other half.  Now what? Oh and we have to remove the formal looking drapes and the sharp super pointy metal stars, just in case...baby steps or shall I say, army crawl (Cooper's preferred choice of travel).

Foam for Drool

Other half...hhmmmm

Sand

Bobby: Cooper don't eat that.

Bobby sits there, patiently waiting for the 7 month old to process the English he has just spoken to him.

Cooper: Ba Ba Ba

Bobby: Or do.

Cooper puts a fist of sand in his mouth.

Reason #45 mommy can't relax on the beach.  :)

Beach!

We just got back from 7 amazing days at the beach.  We learned how to travel with a 7 month old...next time take Benadryl, lots and lots of benadryl.  We realized how much we rely on all of our gadgets here at home.  AKA places to sit baby where he cannot escape. But more importantly we had so much fun with friends and with each other.  Low key, no makeup, showers outside, beach sunsets every night, gourmet food by Chef Cherie.  Seriously, I want her to move in.   Just what we needed. 

I'm tired of hearing myself scream

Cooper loved the waves and the sand. Honestly, we were a little worried that we ruined the kid already.  The first day we took him to the beach he konked out fast asleep, instantly.  Cooper goes to sleep to the sound of the ocean every night.
              We have we created a beach narcoleptic!
We pictured him at 7 running to play catch with the other kids then suddenly falling out asleep before he could reach the shore.  Panic people.  But the next day he stayed awake so our fears were subdued, slightly.

7 Months!

Today is Cooper's 7 month Birthday!  

We celebrated by sitting in a highchair at the restaurant.  It was a first and he was ecstatic! 

So excited in fact that I thought he might just jump himself right out of the chair.

A new house!

We are getting a new house without even moving!  Yeah, okay so we aren't getting a new house but we sure are moving everything around.  I cannot say it enough, life changes when you have a baby.  Life changes.  Its good and hard, and good and fun..... and change.  If you know me, you know me and change are like WHAT!?!?! Anywhoo, I love an excuse to buy furniture, decor and things to make the kid smile.  Oh yes I do.  So now, the formal living room is the dining room.  Yes, we had a formal living room.  The Herbolds had a formal living room.  We drink out of red plastic cups and eat off of paper plates...we are anything but formal.  The "formal" furniture is now in our bedroom.  Not content with the placement yet but Bobby says I need to think about it for at least a day.  He knows where this is going....wait move that here, no move it there, okay put it back, wait uh never mind, do I even like that?....smart guy to make me think about it for at least a day.

The dining room will soon be Cooper's swanky new playroom.  I gave in.  The child gets a playroom and I think its going to be great for everyone.  I spend more time setting up and tearing down his stations than he spends playing in them. And he is so very close to crawling.  I need a place to trap him in.  Kind of like baby jail, but fun.  A playroom we will have.  This is uncharted territory people.  Wish me luck!

Cooper Again

Hey, its Cooper here.  I know its been like 6 months since I have written.  So much has changed since I was born.  Really, I am hardly a baby anymore.  I can laugh and talk...I say Dada ALL the time.  I can almost sit up all by myself and I am about to master crawling.  I am so very close.  Really.  And guess what, I went on my first trip last week!  I flew on a plane, first class!  My mom told me its because my dad plays the miles game.  I don't get it but I loved the roomy comfortable leather seat I was sitting in.  I loved it so much, I fell asleep.  Luxury I tell ya.  Anyway, I went to El Paso.  So it is almost like I traveled world wide...Mexico, duh!  When I got there my Nana and Peepaw had everything ready for me.  They even had a party just for me.  All kinds of people came over and stared at me and held me and made me laugh cause they were so funny.  It was a great time.  I can't wait to travel again.  My mom told me that the next time I fly I will get to see the desert but with water!  Apparently its like a HUGE bathtub with sand!  I am totally stoked.  Literally, on the edge of my seat.

Me riding First Class

I went to the Bagel Shop.

AND I went to White Sands Missile Range.  Lots of big missiles.

I will tell you more about my party next time.  I don't want to overwhelm you with my awesome life.

Teethies

I am a new mom, OBVIOUSLY.  Did not mean for that to be in caps but since it is, I may as well leave it.  And I have been blaming my child's unknown outbursts for the past two months on his teeth.  The teeth that do not exist yet but I SWEAR they must be coming.  Really, the child drools buckets and buckets.  How on earth does something so small produce so much liquid.  Seriously, I am on my third outfit for the day because said bucket has been dumped a few times.  And I don't care how long I am a mom, I will never get used to being sopping wet with my child's drool.  Oh and there was also a carrot episode...I will spare you the details but Cooper is eating real foods now.  Exciting and shocking that he is old enough to eat people food.  I cannot believe that I have baby food in my house.  But back to the mysterious teeth.  I felt his gums and I swear I felt little rough spots(teethies).  Bobby didn't feel them so maybe I am creating teeth but I swear, it must be.  My sweet little angel is not so sweet lately.  He is fussy and moody, like a girl.  Yes, I said it.  I am one, so I am allowed. It is almost midnight and I am sitting by the baby monitor counting my teeth. 28!!! TWENTY EIGHT!  There are 28 teeth in my mouth.  Dear Lord, let my child get 2 at a time...or 4 at a time, thats fine too.  I really am not sure I am cut out for 28 episodes of new teethies.  The baby can't even sit up yet, why oh why is he getting teeth?  Welcome to parenthood.....On a brighter note, I received my "push present" this week from Bobby.  And my oh my is it bling bling and loverly!  About one diamond for every new tooth.  Yes, I can do it.  Indeed I can.

Easter, three weeks late

Wow was Easter one two three weeks ago? I know, its been a while.  I was greatly impacted this year by what our Jesus and God did for us. I always appreciated and was in awe of Jesus selflessness in his life here on earth. Amazed by his perfect life and even more by his death for us but this year was different. This year I had a son of my own. I knew the love that I could never understand or fathom, the love of a mother, the love of a parent. How did my God feel watching His son beat to an unrecognizable state, watching his son suffer and then watching his only son die. I assumed it was a terrible few days for our God but until this year, I could never quite grasp that love, that anguish. Cooper got his first cold and ear infection the week before Easter. It was a painful thing for me to watch. I felt so helpless. I was blessed enough to be able to hold my crying baby. My God couldn't hold his baby. I could talk to my baby and tell him it would be okay. My God couldn't speak to his baby, He was forced to stay silent. My son could look me in the eyes and know I would not leave his side. My Jesus wept knowing that His Father had turned his face from Him.  A tiny little ear infection cannot be compared to the vastness of death.  But in my little, tiny human world, I was able to make a connection to understanding I have always longed for.  I am forever impacted. Forever grateful. Completely undeserving. Forever changed.

Pysanka

We just got back from our friends house where we did Pysanka.  Have you heard of Pysanky?  I swear, I did not make up that word.  Pysanky, Ukrainian Easter Eggs, are so very beautiful. And very hard to make! First, you take your egg and poke holes in the top and bottom of the egg.  Then, you proceed to blow the yolk out of the egg.  This, in and of itself is quite a feat.  I did 2 eggs and had to sit down on the kitchen floor for fear of passing out.  Pysanky is not for wussies.  Once your egg is prepped, you take these little tools that look like they are from the bible days and you melt wax into them to draw on your eggs.  You are supposed to draw then dip in a color, then draw and dip in a new color, then draw and dip in another color....you see where this is going.  Then you melt all the wax off and voila! A BeeeAutiful egg.  It was so much fun!

Of course I pictured my egg looking like this:

But my egg turned out more like this:

And my hands looked look a little like this:

Don't hate me cause of my mad pysanka skills.  Not everyone has my kind of talent. My hubby has mad skills too.  See his egg below.

Gas Man

Last night my sweet husband stopped to fill my car up wth gas before we went to dinner. I HATE getting gas.  I think its the lazy in me.  Or the fact that I love the smell of gasoline and I think that's weird. I hate it even more now that I have Cooper. I don't like leaving him in the car screaming or crying or sleeping or.... ever really. So every once in a while, when he thinks of it, Bobby fills up the tank. My very TALL husband was standing outside pumping gas, with my iPhone in one hand downloading some video and probably checking his email on his iPhone in the other hand.  He thinks he can multi-task.  He wanted to show me the video so he DUCKED UNDER the pump hose. He thought it would easier than stepping over. You know, since he is closer to the ground than the dangling hose (sarcasm). How he thought that, we are still not sure. Anyway, he caught the pump handle with his big head and pulled it right out of the tank! The nozzle knocked him in the head, spewing gas everywhere! In his hair, his clothes, his shoes, the car (thank God the windows were rolled up) and MY phone!!! He kind of just stood there as his loving and supportive wife tried to regain her breathe from her hysterical laughing. He is normally very coordinated.  I swear.  I'm starting to worry though, a few weekendsago he fell in a ditch....but back to today.

Poor guy was then forced to disrobe by said loving wife because we had to save the carseats from permanent gasoline smell. He was like really? And I was like yes. And disrobe he did. So there we were, cruisin the burbs with a half naked man, stinky phone, sleeping baby, laughing wife and a slightly filled gas tank. 

Life is short.  Laugh out loud.  Make your own memories. 

Move Over Cupcakes

Last night I came up with the next culinary "it" item.  You thought cupcakes were cool, well they better watch out because I have something EVEN better.  Did I mention that this all came to me in a dream?  I woke up in the middle of the night, so excited!  I woke Bobby up exclaiming that I have created the next big thing.  Culinary world won't know what hit them!  Bobby told me to write it down, rolled over and went back to sleep.  In his defense, this isn't the first and probably not the last time I have come up with a million dollar idea in the middle of the night.  I knew I could remember such a brilliant idea but I went ahead and took his advice.
Here is what I typed in my phone last night:

Pigs with ears or whiskers and a baseball

Brilliant right?? What the....I am so glad I wrote that down.  

                What, you thought I was going to tell you my idea on the 

WORLD WIDE WEB!!???!!

                 You be crazy.

    If I remembered it fully, then maybe I might leak a hint.  

You know since I am SO good in the kitchen (strong sarcasm).

So stay tuned, I just might change the world. You never know.

Baby legs. That's all.

Heathen for a Day

Today we are being what my mother would call heathens.  We skipped church, slept in, held our baby, ate fast food and didn't take showers until one.  It was what we needed as a family.  This past week has been anything but fun.  It is our own fault.  We broke the never hold a sleeping baby rule on day 1 and have never looked back...UNTIL last week.  Our sweet little boy loves his crib at night and is such a good sleeper all night long but in the day time, the crib is his torture chamber.  He hates it, refuses to nap in it and lets you know just how much he hates it for hours after the incident.  By the books, he should have adjusted to nap in his crib in 4 days or less.  Books, books,books....Seven days later he is still not adjusting to nap in his crib.  Who knew that I would already have to choose a parenting style?  It all seems too soon and sudden and I am not prepared.  I know this is only the beginning of choosing what is best for my son.  I know that everyone and their dog has an opinion about sleep habits and styles.  I know that books will always promise me solutions.  I trust that the Lord will give us guidance in doing what is best.  I pray that Cooper will always feel loved no matter where he naps.  And I feel so much better now that I got that out.

Cooper Here

Hey, its me again, Cooper.  Or you may know me as Awesome or Coop Dawg, cause you know....I'm awesome.  Anyway, I hear the fans are begging for my sweet writing skills.  I have been so busy growing and what not that I haven't had a second to write.  I am 4 months old now and weigh in at 14lbs.  I have learned to smile and giggle a lot, especially if you make funny faces at me or if I think your face is funny.  

My dad just bought me a jumper but I can't reach the floor yet.  He puts me in it and expects me to have fun but I just don't get what I am supposed to be doing trapped in a circle with the parents watching me.  The pressure is crazy.

Also, I cannot wait to sit up!  I am so very close.  I hope I can master the sitting by next month.  

And I can finally stay awake during ALL of mommy's lunch dates with her friends.  I make her hold me cause I like to watch her spill food on her shirt trying to eat left handed. Its funny.  And finally, I will leave you with a picture of my dad watching me all on his own.

He gives me ALL my toys AT ONCE!!!!! He is Awesome!!

Men vs. Women

I am going to go out on a limb here and discuss the differences between men and women.  And when I say the differences between men and women, I really mean how different I am from Bobby.  I guess they say opposites attract and that is why Bobby and I work so well.  Like for instance, when I really have to go pee (don't freak out) I run into the house, go all the way to the master bathroom....I pass 2 other toilets on the way....and then I go.  When Bobby has to go, he gets out of the car upon arriving at home, walks to the side of the house and....PEES OUTSIDE!!!  Yes, I said it.  He likes to pee outside.  First of all, its illegal....well I think it is.  Second of all, its outside!!!  He says all guys do it.  I am pretty sure that all my female readers are totally freaking out right now about the content of this blog and I don't think I have very many male readers.  If you are male and you think the way Bobby likes to handle his little bathroom emergencies is normal then feel free to stick up for him.  Bobby  has also informed me that he will be teaching Cooper to pee outside.  He says that all little boys learn to go outside....Excuse me??  My son will not be 'going outside.'  I laugh.  I laugh right now that God gave me a baby boy...really God.  He has such a sense of humor, doesn't He.  One of the many things I love about our God.  God is looking forward to the day when my son

WHIPS it out...IN the sand box...ON a play date. 

 Yes. That will happen to me.  

He never gives you more than you can handle right?

image via Habitually Chic

Cavities

Nana and Peepaw (my parents) got to pop in for a visit last night.  It was so fun for them to get to see Cooper in all his 4 month glory!  He was quite the show off, on his best behavior.  I love that about my boy.  I think its just his age but the way he lights up around people is quite convenient.  He even went with me to the dentist on Wednesday.  He was so busy flirting with the staff, he didn't even notice the large metal tools and drool dripping from my mouth.  I told him he was so lucky he didn't have teeth yet but he didn't seem to agree with me as he watched me chow down on my hamburger.  Thanks to my little chubby baby, I got my first 5 cavities.  FIVE!!!  All of them during my pregnancy.  Yes, my perfect tooth record has been broken at the ripe age of 29. They told me I will be getting shots in my mouth.  I pass out just thinking about it.  I wonder what will happen during my second pregnancy.  Maybe my teeth will just start falling out the way my hair is now!  Oh the things we go through to bring our little bundles into the world.  They are worth it though, aren't they?

Here's my little monkey.  Happy Friday!

Follow Me!

See that down there on the right, the button that says followers, are you listed??  I know you love me :) teehehe so go ahead.....follow me.  I know, I know, this blog post is not all you were longing for.  I am so sorry.  This mother is tired and had a goal bedtime of 7:30 but it is now 10:48 and my brain will not turn off.  I think it is those darn chocolate covered espresso beans that are completely addicting and oh so yummy.  Or maybe its my adorable husband that I don't see much of anymore.  Who knows really.  So the point of this post is, follow me AND buy yourself some chocolate covered espresso beans, they will change your life.  I think for the better.

P.S. Bobby makes wine.  Yeah, a little ghetto, I know, but I am honest here.  He wants to sell it for $8.00 a bottle....Shea likes it, John had a sneeze attack for about 3 hours after drinking it.....the odds are pretty good that you have a 50% chance of really liking it.  So buy it now!!! I will ship it to you.  Love you peeps!!

Five Dollar Friday

 I bought myself these flowers for five dollars. It's amazing how a small purchase can really brighten the room and my heart.

Dinner Fail

I have never claimed to be a chef.  In fact, most people know that cooking is not my skill, unless you count taking an item from cold to hot.... in a microwave.  However, given the baby in our life, I have had to pick up a few skills in the kitchen.  This week I planned on cooking 3 nights for Bobby, 1 night for small group and 1 night at a restaurant.  Weekends don't count yet, I can barely handle a 5 day plan.  Saturday is a free for all in this house and I grew up eating cereal for dinner on Sundays.  Weekends = No KP(kitchen patrol)

There IS a point to this story.  So, its Monday night and we get invited to go eat Mexican food.  Of course I say yes.  I'm practically FROM Mexico.  I can not pass up chips and salsa.  Wowee looks like I got out of cooking.  Tuesday night, I make a yummy roasted chicken.  Does it matter that it was 9pm when we ate?  The first batch of chicken was rotten, then my garlic was moldy...AND I cut my finger!  But I carried on through the trials and dinner was eventually served and it was delish.  Wednesday night, taco night with small group.  Only suffered a small grease burn while making taco shells.  Tonight, is tapas night and I must say our meal was yummy.  I only cut my finger once on the cheese grater. Unfortunately, I wasn't done grating cheese so we just had to do without.  I couldn't get back on the horse to finish the job.  So now I am walking around with Pixar Cars band aids on both hands.  I have a son now so I bought appropriate boy band aids for the house.  He is 3 months old.  Too soon.  Oh and I also got a terrible manicure last week which I removed on all fingers but the middle one since my flesh wound is entirely too sensitive to touch.  My hands look like they have been run over by a semi truck and then covered with the Nickelodeon channel.

The point: Kitchens CAN be very dangerous. NEVER expect to keep a manicure when you are a mother.  GET used to little boys completely altering your sense of style.

Confessions from a Perfect Parent

I called my son a farthead today. Really, Farthead?   I panicked, felt guilty, then laughed when I realized he doesn't know words yet.  He will never know!  I thought I was over it but I keep giggling to myself and then feeling the guilt of my giggle.  The shame of my potty mouth, my name calling faux pas. Whatever will I do with myself.  Confess to the world.  I feel better already.
I realize that I will probably be rinsing the poor boy's mouth out with soap for name calling in a few years. Hypocrite.  Lucky me, I have a few more months to get it together before I have a little learning sponge by my side.  That will put you in your place.  The first time my sweet little lad blurts out the word farthead....we will all know who taught him that ridiculous word.

Nifty

I just learned a nifty new trick that I thought you might find helpful.  I don't know how your family works but in our house, we have about 6 pairs of scissors and we can never find one when we need it. Or the one pair we do find is so dull it won't even cut through a piece of paper. We run out and buy a new pair and then find the old pair that works when we get back home.  Drama.

So, what do you do with dull scissors?  Throw them away? No!  You can sharpen them, quick and easy.  Just take old tin foil or new if you don't have an old sheet you just used to cover the lasagna, and fold it into about 7 layers.  Then cut away with those dull scissors.  Voila!  Sharp scissors!  Easy right?

Did you find this tip helpful?  Would you like me to share more tips like this on my blog?  Leave a comment or shoot me a message.

Who am I?

As someone who was very unfamiliar with babies until I brought mine home for a test drive, I always thought babies must be easy.  I mean, they are like 9 pounds max when you bring them home(mine was a little over 5), what could they really need.  Now I know.  Cooper is 3 months and I am certainly no expert on parenting, babies or motherhood but I must say I have learned an awful lot.  I am learning every day that it takes all the skills I have in my basket to be a good mom.  After 3 months, I am finally comfortable admitting out loud that I am a mom.  I still have the image of light faded mom jeans and a bob haircut looming in the back of my mind but it is slowly fading.  Moms these days are hip and empowered.  There are sites, businesses and blogs everywhere run and operated by mothers.  I am learning it is important to not lose myself.  What would I be teaching my son? He needs a strong woman at home.  Someone to teach him the power and ability of women.  A mother to show him that he can be successful in life, however that may look for him.

He needs me to be me.


Isaiah 40:11
He tends His flock like a shepherd; He gathers the lambs in His arms and carries them close to His heart; He gently leads those that have young.


image from mary ruffle

Tea Parties

Oh how lovely I would feel in these stunning Katie Lombardo heels from BHLDN , Athropologie's all new wedding line.  I already had my wedding so of course I would just wear these shoes to afternoon tea.

On-A-Wing Heels. So lovely. On the wings of love with all things light and airy yet sophisticated in a sweet, Charlotte York way.

And this dress!! Please, someone give me a reason to wear this dress!

I am swooning and melty in a ridiculous way.

February 14

I'm behind at work.  So what else is new.  That's why I am writing a blog, clearly.  This is a classic example of know your own crazy.  We all have it, something that is glaringly odd to the rest of the world but makes perfect sense to you.  You all must know by now that I work for my husband's company.  If you didn't know that, you do now.  Of course, this is an interesting dynamic husband/boss.  He doesn't really follow up with me about my work, just trusts that I will eventually get it done.  Eventually is the key word in that sentence.  Especially now that baby Cooper has arrived.  I think he is scared of me....shhh don't tell.  Anyway, I have a deadline for a load of reports on the fifteenth of every month.  This month I am behind, the month of love and all....work just got away from me.  Now, no one really cares that I am behind except me.  I am my own worst critic.  So to make myself feel better I have been post dating all of my work to February 14.  I have found that it completely eliminates the guilt AND I get all smiley when I type the day of love on my work documents.

Go ahead, try it out.

February 14, 2011

Don't you feel better.

Sip & See

I am soo excited ya'll!! In the voice of Paula Dean, my afternoon hero.  A woman who's recipes all start with 2 sticks of butter.  I had a cupcake for breakfast, I think her and I could be fast friends.  Tangent. Back to the current excitement.
Cooper is having his very first party!!  Who said having kids wasn't fun?  He is an adorable 3 months and its high time he has a party, don't you think.  Now, most of my girlies have already met Cooper but a few have such busy lives that a drive out to the burbs is like scheduling suicide.  The party is for them and for my local chicas and who am I kidding, its for me!  What a fun reason to have a girls afternoon filled with cocktails and adorable baby squeals.  Sign me up!  My amazing and talented Mika from Mike Shreeve Events is showing me the ropes and working out the details for baby Cooper. I.Am.So. Excited.  Now, off to clean the spit up on my shirt!

image via weheartit

Love

I hope your life is sweet today. 

  image from mary ruffle

Sunday

Yesterday was just like any other day since baby Cooper's arrival.  The sound of cooing mixed with screaming blaring through the monitor at 6:30am.  Bobby and I do the exact same thing every morning.  Both of us kick the other saying, baby's crying.  Neither one of us moving. Too tired to even say Cooper's name, just the word baby is mumbled between the sheets. Its kind of like a game of chicken, we both just hold out until the other one gives.

 A+ parenting right?

On the mornings that I lose the game and drag my tired butt into Cooper's room, I am always shocked by the feeling I get when I see his smiling face.  Deep inside the feeling of losing is quickly consumed by the overwhelming feeling of a win.  I get to be the first one he sees in the morning.  I get to be the one that saves him from his crib.  Its crazy and amazing all at once.  Life has changed and ever so slowly we are embracing it.

I'm sorry, what?

The Grammy's

• Gaga in an Egg?  Really?  This woman must be stopped.  Someone save her.
• Beiber Fever. I have it. I've had it and yes I am almost 30.
• Usher, my first celebrity crush.  You can bust a move.
• Cee Lo Green in a muppet outfit.  First of all, I thought you were you like 19 but turns out you are about 40.  Second, I  pictured you rough around the edges but turns out you are the black version of Elton John?  Who knew?
• Rhiana, her performance dress, flawless.  
• Eminem will always impress me.  Not gonna lie. Side note, Bobby wants your haircut.
• Katy Perry's performance was beautiful, pink and red. Loverly sequins. Classy
• Must buy Mumford and Sons album! Now. Stat.
• B.O.B. brought his mom! Cute.
• Ummm....Who invited Snooki?

Well said, he read my mind.

sydesjokes.blogspot.com

Day Number 5

Enough already!  We are on day 4 of snowpalooza and we finally left the warm house to stroll around the mall.  Kind of disappointing but we got out. We finally got out.

The last few days we have managed to:

• Watch more television than I ever thought possible. 
• Started about 3 projects, didn't finish one of them.
• Eat and eat and eat some more...baby weight please stay and keep me warm...
• Bobby grew a mustache.  Its really scary.  
• I practiced having 2 children for one night and one day, not as bad as I thought, although Austin (nephew) is quite good.
  
• We slid down the icy driveway in a laundry basket.  Okay, I didn't slide. I watched everyone else but it was my idea so I think that counts for something.
• Spoiled baby Cooper by holding him ALL the time. He is so squishy! (see below)
  

That about wraps it up.  Riveting really.  Why oh why did I not jot this down sooner?