A Sad Day

On March 8, 2012 we lost my favorite tree in the storm.  Praise God no one was hurt and our house was not damaged.

Bath Time

I feel like I would be an abnormal mom if I didn't post at least one naked picture of my baby online.  I just want to fit in.

I am so glad my boy loves to take baths and brush his teeth.  I will cherish these years and when he is 8, look back at this post to remind myself that he really did used to be a clean, hygene enthusused individual.

Valentines Day

We love to love in our family.  And this is what we did.

Bobby sent me flowers!

We went to eat at the Melting Pot. Delish!

Cooper got a new Big Red Firetruck!

Under Water

My eyes are glazed yet focused.  I grip him close, closer than ever before.  I don't want to let him go.  The definition of motherhood is all of the sudden pure and clear in front of me.  I am made to protect.  I am his safe harbor. Emotions flow through my body that I could never comprehend. I understand the Father.  I see His Son out of His grip.  I feel His pain as He watches from afar.  So this is love. The surgeon sweeps in and scoops my baby out of my grip.  I trust the Lord.  He is all I have and all I need.  I wait. We wait.  The longest ten minutes of my life.  I am shaken.  I am human.  I need the Lord.

Returned to me.  My sweet bundle of joy.  Hazy, confused.  He can hear.  No longer under water.  The world is fresh, alive, new.  He is safe and whole.  He looks at us confused.  How could we let this happen to him, so young and naive. He does not understand yet he trusts.

I was stretched today.  I am tired and grateful and moved beyond words expressed.  I discovered love today in a complete new capacity. Thankful for peace and protection in my home.  Forever changed.

Life is Hectic and Lovely

I love to blog, I love to write. I love my family time more.  This has been a constant battle ever since the arrival of Awesome.  He really is pretty awesome and has changed our lives in the most unbelievable way.  And if you told me a year ago that everything would be this way, I would have never believed you.  I can make a mean vroom vroom sound when we play cars.  I dance and sing to the most ridiculous songs.  I read the same 4 page book over and over and OVER again.  I get drool on my jeans almost every day. The same jeans that I can't even button without lying on the bed and holding my breath.  I am both pained and proud of this mysterious shrinking jean occurrence.   I am home every night and snug in the house before the sun even thinks about setting.  I never in a million years would have imagined being the mom that serves up hot dogs and mac n cheese on my son's plate.  But I am.  My life works. OUR life works. and I am so in awe.  God knows.  He plans.  He steps before me.  I am so thankful.

On a lighter note, I mooned all of Pets Mart last week.  Yes, mooned.  As in, pants down, cheeks showing.  If you knew me in college, this may not be a surprise but this was adult me.  Married me.  Has a baby ME!!  Of course I didn't do it on purpose!  I decided it was a good idea to take both dogs and the baby, in the rain, to an appointment.  I am sure you aren't surprised that my sweet puppies hate getting wet.  So I insisted on carrying them.  Lexi insisted on getting her paws caught in my pants and pulling them down(unfortunately, I chose to wear sweats rather than my paint on tight jeans mentioned earlier in the post).  Lovely, I tell you.  I did what any woman would do.  I untangled Lexi, set the pups down and kept walking as if nothing happen.  I am hoping the incident is not saved on the security tapes for all eternity.

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.