First Little Family Vacation

Well we officially took our first little family vacation. Cooper and I had already taken a trip to Washington last November, but this was our first trip with Brad. Brad's cousin was getting sealed in the St. George temple on Saturday so we decided to go down for it. We left Friday around 1:30 after Cooper's doctors appointment, Brad working a half day, and getting Indiana dropped off at my parents. Cooper did awesome on the drive down. He slept for the first 1 1/2 hours or so and then we stopped in Filmore so he could eat. Once we got started up again I sat in the back and played with him for a bit. He started to get fussy because he was tired (he had just gotten he shots so he wasn't feeling the greatest). After maybe 10 min of crying he finally fell asleep and slept most of the rest of the way.

We got to St. George and checked into our hotel. We planned on going to dinner with some of Brad's cousins but they weren't in yet so I wanted to take Cooper swimming. Right as we got all dressed one of his cousins called and said we were going to go to dinner and not wait for his other cousins. I was really sad because I was so excited to take Cooper swimming for the first time. We got back into our clothes and went to dinner at Parrothead Island Grill. After dinner I was determined to take Cooper swimming even though it was his bed time (I know mom of the year award). We got to the pool and there was probably 20 teenage boys in the pool messing around and being crazy. Cooper didn't know what to think of all the noise. Well I got him in the pool and he was VERY hesitant at first. He was trying to take in the water along with all the craziness. After a bit he warmed up to it and started splashing and having a good time. We didn't stay very long because it was late and we would swim more the next day. We went back and bathed Cooper and put him to bed. He slept in his pack'n play and surprising went to bed real easily. He was exhausted I'm sure! I didn't get to sleep until about 2:00. It was uncomfortable and I could hear every noise Cooper made. I am not used to sleeping in the same room as Coop. He's been in his crib in his own room since he was 2 weeks old.

Saturday morning we woke up and got ready for the day. I went to visit my friend Alicia who had just had her baby while Brad went to the temple. I had Cooper so I wasn't able to go to the sealing. But it was so fun seeing Alicia and baby Maddelin who was only 3 days old. After the sealing I headed to the temple and picked up Brad. Then everyone who was in town went to lunch at Iggy's. It was a good time but Cooper got fussy because he was getting tired. We headed back to the hotel and both Cooper and I napped. I was exhausted from the horrible sleep I had gotten the night before. Once we woke up we went swimming again. Brad got in the water this time. The water was cold so we didn't swim for very long. We got in the hot tub and Cooper sat next to us and warmed up from the steam and just played. After swimming we cleaned up and went and got frozen yogurt and Wendy's for dinner. We just relaxed the rest of the night and were in bed by 9:45 so we could get up early and head home the next morning. Brad and I decided to sleep in separate beds since we had 2 queens in the room and we both slept restlessly the first night because the beds were horrible and we are used to sleeping in a king. I must say we all slept better the second night.

Just arrived at the hotel

So excited to be on vacation

Cooper right when we got to the hotel


Ready to go swimming

Sucked on his swimming suit string until he got comfortable

Cooper after he warmed up to the pool


Bundled after getting out of the pool

Looking at himself in the mirror

Dad and Coop all ready to go swimming (2nd night)

Just waiting for cousins to arrive so we can go to the pool

Attacked the cheese balls (right after this picture he grabbed the bin and started sucking on it)....yeah we bought cheese balls!

Daddy and Coop swimming

Hanging out by the hot tub

Giving mommy kisses

Ready for a shower after swimming

Just woke up

Getting ready to head home

It was a really short and fun trip. I don't know that I would have wanted to stay much longer. There isn't a whole lot to do when you have a baby :) But getting away for the weekend was just what we needed.

Cooper 6 1/2 Months

We finally had Cooper's 6 month appointment last Friday. It was supposed to happen 2 weeks ago but his pediatrician had a family emergency and after rescheduling twice we had to wait until today to be able to see her. Coop's 6 1/2 month stats:

Weight: 16 lbs 3 oz (25th%)
Height: 26 3/4 in (60th %)
Head: 43 1/4 cm (35th %)

Cooper is right on track for his age. The pediatrician said his bottom teeth are really close to cutting through and that they should be in within the next week. That is crazy to think that my baby is going to have teeth. I sure will miss that "gummy" smile of his. She also said that we can start giving him pretty much any food. The guidelines have recently changed on what you aren't able to feed a baby until age 1. Honey is the only thing she said not to give him. In the next couple weeks we can start giving him bread/crackers to suck on and gum down. I am excited to give him real food. He is also pretty close to crawling. He gets up on his knees when he's on his stomach. He also will go from sitting and will lean forward to get to his stomach. I have my outlet covers already in but I need to baby proof my cabinets. He just wants to be all over the place already. He manages to squirm his way anywhere he wants to get to while you are holding him. He will reach and wiggle for something if he wants it until he figures out how to get it. I am going to have my hands full that is for sure.

Cooper is such a happy baby. He is constantly smiling and just loves playing. He is great at just sitting on a blanket and playing with toys, or hanging out in his excer-saucer. We have however started the separation anxiety phase. It breaks my heart because once he realizes he doesn't see me he starts to scream, then the second he can see me again he gets a huge grin and is completely fine and goes back to playing. This phase has made it hard for me to do anything around the house. Last week I was cleaning the downstairs bathroom and I had to put him on a blanket right outside the door so he could see me the whole time. It has also made nap time hard because even though he's exhausted, the second I leave his room he just screams. Some naps are better than others, but this is just a phase we are going to have to get through.

• Cooper has been sitting up on his own for about 5 weeks now
• He is teething and drools constantly
• Is still spitting up quite a bit.....I can't wait for this to be over with!
• Has plowed through all the 2nd level baby food and has not come across anything that he won't eat. He is definitely like his mom and loves eating!
• Rolling over both ways. But once he gets to his stomach he usually stays there so he can look around and everything.
  
• He isn't crawling yet...he gets up on those knees but then doesn't know what to do
• Still isn't sleeping through the night. Usually is up once, but lately with the teething it's been more.
• Newest trick is blowing spit bubbles
• Very talkative
• Loves standing and surprising has really strong legs for having not a whole lot of chub on them.
  
• Grabs anything from toys, to hair, to your face, clothes, anything he can get his hands on. He manages to grab your neck/face/arms with his little hands and it really hurts. It's such a strong little pinch!
  
• Still very little but is finally starting to look like he's getting chunky. He has the chubby little hands and his fingers won't close all the way because of it. But all his pants are loose because he has absolutely no belly. Starting to get rubber band wrist.
  

I was worried I was going to miss the newborn stage. But honestly Cooper has gotten to be so fun. We just love playing with him all day long. But usually spit up gets in the way and someone is needing new clothes a few times a day.

Going in the for the kill

The picture is kind of blurry...but this is what
Coop does with everything he can get his hands on

Hanging out with daddy before church

Such a big boy in the shopping cart....He loves shopping!

He even gets to sit in the high chairs now

Reading with Grandpa

Coop and his buddy Mason watching How to Train a Dragon

He just watched everything that Mason was doing....he
already wants to do what the big kids are doing

Such a cute little grin

Happy Coop playing with his toys

Mom and Dad's Day Out Disaster

A few weeks ago I gave in and let my parents babysit Cooper. I've mentioned before how I have a really hard time leaving him. Brad has been dying to go see a movie (he's even gone a few time without me). So I gave in and said we could go. It didn't turn out to be the fun day we had hoped for. We headed to In N Out with our friends Nikki and Tim before the movie and while we were there I got a migraine. I was nauseous and couldn't enjoy my food. I debated just going home and skipping the movie but we had already purchased our tickets to see True Grit and I didn't want to bail on our friends or Brad so I said I would try to tough it out. Nikki and Tim even said they wouldn't talk the whole way to the movie so I could rest in the car ha ha. We got to the movie and I thought I was going to die. I was miserable the first 1/3 of the movie. I kept Brad's popcorn bucket close just in case I needed it. I had my shoes off legs up and was curled in a little ball on the seat. Luckily I got through it and the migraine and nausea went away and I was able to enjoy the rest of the movie. So the one time I gave in and left Cooper it back fired. Lesson learned: I should just stay home and hang out with my Coop or do things where he can come with :)

Back home Cooper had a ton of fun with Grandmom and Grandpa and Aunt Aspen. Here are some pics.

I love this one because Cooper has his crinkled nose and you can tell he was laughing

Grandpa and Coop

Cooper loves noses

Cooper and Grandmom reading a store

So content

I'm not sure why it's sideways, but he kept putting his book
in his mouth and would put his arms down and just hold it with his mouth

Coop, Aunt Aspen and Indiana

This is how Aunt Aspen and Indiana ended up. They were napping ha ha

Worn out from all the playing

Migraine Madness

Well this past month has been a little frustrating with regards to my migraines. I have had a problem with migraines since a few months after we were married. Before that I would get one maybe once a year. But after we got married I was getting a few a week. I went to the doctor and we tried all kinds of things (foods, changing/stopping birth control, medicines, etc.) but never could figure out what was causing them. Luckily they eventually slowed down to where I was getting them every couple months. I only got one while I was pregnant (at least that I can remember) and one since having Cooper. Well on Christmas they decided to reappear and since then I have had 7 in less then a month. I finally gave in and went to the doctor to see if there is anything that I could get to help. Because of me still nursing my options were limited. I guess the side effects with migraine medicine is really unknown because they can't really do studies regarding it. So my doctor said we can't put me on a preventative medicine until I am done nursing. He did however prescribe me with Imitrex for when I get a migraine and some Phenergan for when I get nauseous. My migraines start out with the blurry/spotty vision so I know when I am going to get one so I can immediately take the medicine. Unfortunately I get nauseous almost immediately so it's hard for medicine to work because I don't keep it down long enough for it to get in my system :) He gave me a sample of Imitrex in shot form. He wants me to try it because that way it skips my stomach (which is kind of humorous since I give the shot in my stomach) and gets into my system quicker and then hopefully I won't get nauseous.

It's been a week since my last migraine (keeping my fingers crossed that it continues). Once I stop nursing I will go back and get put on a preventative so hopefully it will cut them down even more. I also made myself an eye appointment because I haven't been in over 2 years and Brad thinks that maybe I need glasses and that is what's causing the migraines. We shall see!

A New Year and Some Recents

2010 was an amazing year! I would have to say the best by far. Not only for the most obvious reason (Cooper) but for many other things.

• 2010 started off with the anticipation of having a baby
• we found out the sex of our baby
• decided on a name for the baby
• got to see and feel our baby move
• watched me grow and grow
• I graduated from the U of U in May
• I quit teaching preschool in June (It had been my favorite job....that is until I became a mom)
• Brad got promoted to Sr. Accountant which allowed me to be a stay-at-home mom
• celebrated our 3 year anniversary
• got to meet our little Monkey
• found out Cooper was going to be getting a cousin on my side, sooner then we had expected but we are still excited
• Sister-in-law got married
• discovered how amazing it is to be parents

This year has opened my eyes to how truly blessed I am. This year has been so rewarding but a lot of work. Finishing school was the greatest accomplishment that I had made until having Coop. Pregnancy even seemed easier than school now that I think about it. I was lucky to have an easy pregnancy and LOVED being pregnant. Brad was so supportive with everything. He helped around the house and didn't expect me to do everything or really anything other than school, work, and keep myself healthy. I am so lucky to have a husband who is willing to work full-time, come home clean, make dinner, do dishes, laundry, etc. if I need help with any of it. I sometime have to make him not help now otherwise he always jumps in and helps with everything. I feel like he needs a break sometimes!

I have a few things that I want to work on this year. I have a problem with focusing on what I don't have or what I want. This year I am going to make a point at looking at what I am blessed to have in my life. Here are some other things that I hope to get better at to make this year better than last:

• Read scriptures everyday
• Say morning and night prayers
  
• Read the Ensign every month (this was a personal goal and then my Relief Society made it this years challenge so now I have another reason to make sure I accomplish it)
• Go to the temple once a month........we used to go once a month but we haven't been since Cooper was born :(
• Get better at leaving Cooper....I don't like leaving him so I pretty much don't do anything without him and it is starting to drive Brad crazy!
• Get our food storage and 72 hour kits together (this was going to be our Christmas but the whole new tires thing kinda happened instead)
• Start working out....I wish I could say again but I never really have been good at it :)
• Be more aware of what I can do for others rather than focusing on myself and my little family
  
• Keep enjoying being Cooper's mom!

Here are some recents of our little monkey

Ha ha Coop makes the funniest faces

Mr. Coop loves his blanky and binky.....won't go to sleep without them

Really is SUCH a happy baby

Cutest little Colts fan I've ever seen

They really love each other and can interact now it's adorable. Indiana makes Cooper laugh.

Sitting up like a big boy

Loves his bath

I love his big eyes

He's even a stud in his robe

Eats anything he can get his hands on

Helping mom make the bed

Watching Daddy........

Cooper loves spending time with his daddy. It is so cute to see him watch whatever Brad is doing. I can't say how many times I will be sitting with Coop and he has his eyes LOCKED on Brad. It is adorable! I've said it before but it really is amazing watching Brad with Cooper. They just love each other. Brad still turns him over to me when he's being fussy and ready to go to sleep. But that's okay because I love being the one rocking Cooper and holding him once he's fallen asleep. Here are a just a few pics of Cooper watching daddy do the things he loves.

Watching TV together....Coops new obsession is the remote

Watching daddy do computer stuff

This ones funny......watching daddy bake

I had to get a picture because I brought Cooper's clothes down Sunday before church and once we dressed him we realized Brad and Cooper matched

I love my little guy and loves even more that he loves his daddy (but he is definitely still a mama's boy, but I wouldn't have it any other way)!