A New Journey

Well last Friday (April 20th) was Brad's last day at the job he has had for the past 6 years...Capmark Bank. He actually was 2 weeks short of being there exactly 6 years. It is amazing how quickly time has passed. It barely seems like Brad graduated from the U and started working. It was a bitter sweet day for Brad. Brad is an accountant. He isn't a tax accountant however.....it's a different kind. I don't really know how to explain it exactly. All I know is he doesn't do taxes or deal with things like that. It is more of the commercial banking/financial side of things. You would think I could explain it better considering he has done the same thing for 6 years......but nope! You might ask why Brad decided to leave his current job. Well the bank he worked for was inevitably going under. We had debated on whether to ride it out for the next year or so. But Brad had an awesome opportunity come up with someone he used to work with. The stars aligned and everything worked out amazingly.

So he started at his new job, CIT Bank, on Monday. So far it has been a huge adjustment. He has had to be at work an hour earlier (leaving at 6:30), he has had to start dressing business casual again (they were able to wear jeans everyday for the past 6 months or so at his old job), and he is the "new guy". I HATE being the "new" person. It is so awkward and uncomfortable. I wish that I could go in Brad's place so that he didn't have to deal with it. He works so hard for our family I wish there was some how I could take on some of the burden of this new venture. I know that it won't take long for Brad to fit in and make friends because EVERYONE loves Brad! But it is a huge adjustment coming from where you knew everyone, had great friends, were in a routine, knew your responsibilities, knew the ins and outs of everything, and just somewhere you were comfortable and really enjoyed. Everything about this new job is different! Other than his title as Sr. Accountant stays the same.

I'm very grateful for the opportunity that our family has been given. We know it was the right decision for Brad to take this new job. There is great opportunity for growth and potential for a job for the foreseeable future. I am so grateful for a hard working husband and father. He would and does do anything to provide an amazing life for Cooper and I. We couldn't ask for better!

funnies

(Look at that dimple on his right cheek....just like daddy!)

Cooper has become my little man of many faces. He is the most expressive animated toddler that I have ever seen. People are always commenting on this. I admit he gets the dramatic side from his mama but all of these faces I have no clue!!! I just want to kiss each one...don't you???

Triathamom

Well I made a huge decision recently....I registered to do a triathlon on August 18th. It isn't just any triathlon however. It is the TRIATHAMOM!!! It is a fully supported and non-competitive triathalon for women. I am super excited! It is going to be a 300 yard swim, 12 mile bike ride, and a 5k run. Brad's cousin told me about it when we were in Indiana. At first I totally wrote it off by thinking there is NO WAY I could do a triathlon. I am terrified enough to run just a 5K because I am NOT a runner. But the more I got thinking about it the more I wanted to do it. The swimming will be no issue since I grew up being on swim teams. The biking shouldn't be an issue since I grew up riding bikes.....but probably haven't ridden a bike in 7 years??? Oh and I don't even own a bike! But then I realized I can totally do this! I have plenty of time to train and this will be fun. I wanted some big challenge to accomplish before I get pregnant again. So I jumped in and signed up so there is no turning back. I have convinced a couple of my neighbors to do it with me as well as Brad's cousin that is going to do it. It should be fun! I can't wait to begin training. Stay tuned for updates on how it is going!

InDiAnA

We were in Indiana April 3-6 for Brad's Uncle DeRees's funeral. It was a last minute trip because it wasn't expected at all. I was happy that both Cooper and I were able to go to support Brad and the rest of his family. It was also good because Cooper was able to see his grandma Sheeba and Papa Jim (Brad's mom and step-dad). They live in Georgia so we don't see them too often. Brad's two sisters Karrin and Julie and brother-in-law Tyler were also able to make it. We had a great time even considering the circumstances that brought us all together. Here is a little look into our trip.

We rented a van and Cooper loved it. He especially loved the tv :)

So professional

Playing in the hotel rooms

Brad ironed more of his clothes than everyone combined!!!
Where's Cooper??? Here I am!
The funeral

Helped clean off Uncle Mike's grave (Brad's brother)

Papa Jim, Cooper and Grandma Sheeba

Julie, Brad and Karrin

Soo big!

Spent the last night in Indianapolis....eating at the Cheesecake Factory

Cooper, Brad, Great Granny Lou, and Grandma Sheeba

Us with Great Granny Lou

Hanging out at Granny Lou's house

Julie, Me, Cooper and Tyler

Many trips to East End.....it's a must daily when in Peru, IN
Loved Aunt Karrin
Was obsessed with the phones in the hotel rooms
Ha ha I LOVE this picture!!!
Ready to get home!!

The reunions just won't be the same without you Uncle DeRees!

fortune

This was the fortune Cooper got the other night at the Kowloon.
Best Chinese food ever!
He had gone out to dinner with my mom and Aunt Tina.
Anyways out of all the cookies he got this!
It couldn't have been more perfect!
It made me remember that he is a kid and needs to have fun.
As his mom it is my job to make sure he can live in innocence and play hard.
Luckily as his mom I also get to tag along for the fun!

Mickey Mouse Clubhouse

Cooper has recently discovered the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. I have been really anti-tv with Cooper. I didn't want him to be that child that was constantly watching tv. The only thing he ever watched was "Baby Signing Time". Well I think I have created a monster. He is always asking for "Mouck". It is a mixture of mickey and mouse. He throws a bit of a fit if you tell him "NO". I keep quite a few recorded on the DVR so that we can rotate and play different ones. It really is the only show he cares to watch. I don't get it. I have never really been a fan of Mickey Mouse. I actually thought this show was quite annoying when I first saw it. Cooper on the other hand LOVES it! He loves the songs, and the all the different animals, but most of all the final song the "Hot Dog Dance". When that song comes on he dances and wants you to dance with him. He likes when you rewind it so he can do the song over and over. The cutest part however is when in the show they say for "Oh Tootles" Cooper with his cute little voice says "Tootles". I can't get enough of it!!!! If he sees Mickey anywhere when we are out he gets so excited! I guess if he is going to be watching a show I guess it is good that it is somewhat of a learning show. We keep it limited of how much he can actually watch it each day. If Cooper had it his way it would be on all day long.

Dad was watching a basketball game so we had to watch it on the laptop

Of course he needs his snack while watching

Try turning this down!

Here is little bit of him dancing....of course he holds back when I try to record him!

"Auggies"

Cooper has had an obsession with planes and helicopters for awhile. Where we live there are constantly helicopters and airplanes flying over. Ever since he was very little he would point up and get really excited when he heard them. He used to just make a "pa" sound for planes and something that sounds a lot like helicopter but muffled. Well on our trip to Indiana Cooper came up with his own version of airplane. He calls them "auggies" I have no clue where this came from. But because we saw SO MANY airplanes on our trip he said it hundreds of times. He would point to one and say "auggie, auggie" over and over. Since we have been home it has continued. He will spot them when we are driving. It is unbelievable because sometimes they are far away so very tiny in the sky but sure enough he sees them. I love that he has made up his own word so now in our house airplanes are "auggies".

As I have mentioned we had quite the long flights for our trip (about 11 hours). Cooper refused to sleep in the airports or on the planes. So there was a lot of time playing and taking it all in. Here is a little view into our airport/auggie experiences.

Waiting to board our first plane at 6:30 in the morning

Getting out some energy before our long day of flying

So excited and taking it all in with daddy

decorating with window clings

Getting our fixes...diet coke and milk

Ready to board our flights to head home

Sticker fun

On our last and longest flight (4 1/2 hours) Cooper got his own seat.
He felt so big. We were so relieved it made things soooo much easier.

Pure content....he was so tired but refused to sleep.
He watched a full 30 minutes of Despicable Me....longest record by far!

Was obsessed with the buckles

Cooper was obsessed with the moving walkways in all of the airports. He played on them for hours between all of the airports. He would just run back and forward. The second one ended he would say "more" and was on his way back on it.

We really lucked out on our flights. The first one a little boy sat next to us and we entertained him with Cooper's toys. The second flight a lady in her 60's who couldn't get enough of Cooper sat by us. The third flight it was a 2-seater so no one was next to us. Then the fourth flight Cooper had his own seat. Cooper did amazing! It couldn't have gone better. I am definitely not ready to do it again anytime soon however!

entertaining a toddler on an airplane

So we flew to Indiana last week for Brad's uncles funeral. We had a total of about 11 hours of flying. I was terrified about keeping Cooper entertained in the airport, on the plane, and on the long car rides when in Indiana. It was a short notice trip so I didn't have very long to plan. The second we found out we were going I began thinking of what to bring to entertain Cooper. After spending $32 at the dollar store, buying some things at Lakeshore Learning, Target, and Walmart, here is what I came up with.

Everything before getting packed

Coloring books, pad of paper, crayons, colored pencils

Wiki Stix

Lots and lots of stickers and window clings
(perfect for decorating the airplane then they clean up easily)

random things to play with

Quiet Book and Ispy bean bag that I made

water pen/finger painting.....amazing purchase!

ipad with lots of games and movies

for the ipad

Needless to say Cooper stayed very entertained. The favorites were the Wiki Stix, stickers, window clings, and ipad. There were quite a few things that I didn't even open and I will save for when we fly to Arizona in November.

Easter 2012

Easter completely snuck up on me this year. I didn't realize it was the week of Easter until we were in Indiana. We got home from Indiana late Friday night. LUCKILY I had already bought everything for Cooper for Easter. That would have been a huge headache having to run out and do it all on Saturday. I went a little over board this year for Easter. Brad was making fun of me saying all he ever got was candy. I was trying to explain that I didn't buy all the things for Easter, I had gotten them and decided just to keep for Easter. He doesn't understand there is a difference and going and buying things just because it is Easter compared to getting stuff that I was already planning on getting anyways.

Because of me not realizing it was Easter and us trying to recover from our trip our Easter traditions didn't go as planned. Every year we get new Easter clothes to wear to church, visit the Easter Bunny, do the basket Sunday morning, do an Easter egg hunt with eggs that we have dyed, and then eat egg salad sandwiches for lunch on Sunday. This is what I have always done growing up so that is what our Easter's have turned into. I LOVE the little traditions like that. Well needless to say we didn't get new Easter clothes, never saw the Easter bunny, didn't color eggs until the day after Easter, sandwiches were eaten Tuesday for lunch, we still haven't done the Easter egg hunt but I am still determined too! I am most sad about not getting a picture of Cooper with the Easter Bunny...tear!

Cooper's basket: dot paints, finger paints, puzzles, pail with toys for pool, chalk, water bottle, and water/sand play table....he didn't even get any candy!

Since I thought Easter was at the end of April I hadn't gotten all of my Easter decorations out. I have NO CLUE where my brain was with regards to Easter. I even had two Easter crafts that I was planning on doing. Luckily I did the egg banner and got that hung a week before Easter. The Easter wreath didn't get completed until the day after Easter. I am however going to be sporting my Easter decorations all of April. They are so cute they deserve it!

After church on Sunday we went to my Grandma and Grandpas and had dinner like we do every year. It was low key but fun. It was gorgeous outside so we ate and then hung out outside. Cooper loved being able to run around freely.

Last year we discovered a new way to dye Easter eggs. First you shave crayons with a zester. Then you take the eggs out immediately after they are done boiling, you want them to still be hot. You then just sprinkler the crayon onto the egg. Since the egg is still hot it melts the wax and gives this cool tie dye effect. It is way easy, fast, and cleaner than dying eggs. Perfect for a 21 month old! I also had Cooper draw on some eggs with a marker.

Coop coloring the eggs

Even though things were crazy and didn't happen like I would have hoped, it was still a great Easter!!!