Photo Shoot

Back in December I won a photo shoot off of C.Lee for Mal Walker Photography. I was estatic!!! We have done family pictures but always by our friend Jason. Don't get me wrong I love doing them with Jason. We get every picture he takes so I can really choose the ones I love...or don't love. I was however excited to get an outside view and something a little different. When I won the giveaway we had just done our pictures for our Christmas card so I wanted to wait a bit to space it out, for Cooper to be a little older (because he was a terror for December pics), for it to warm up so we could do them outside, and for Brad to agree to do pics again. He isn't a fan of getting pictures taken! May 5th was the day we finally got to take the pics. Mal Walker had suggested doing them at an orchard up in Kaysville. It was perfect!!! When we got there we realized it was called Manning Orchard. If you know Brad and his obsession with Peyton Manning....it couldn't have been more fitting! I searched long and hard for our outfits and just wanted everything to be perfect. Like always I have such high hopes and things never work out as planned. Mal said 8:00 am was the best light at the orchard so we went with 8:30 since we had a drive to get there. That day was FREEZING!!!!!! It really was sooo cold. The high was like 50 that day. This didn't make for a happy Cooper. He was super grumpy and we didn't get any smiles. I don't blame him though. We had to wake him up super early and he was freezing! But afterwards we did breakfast at McDonalds and he was all giggly and smiles....stinker!!! We had to cut it short because it was so cold. Regardless we still got some great pictures and I was happy with how they turned out. I will totally be going back there and doing pictures that is for sure!!! Thanks to Christy and for Mal for the chance I had to win the photoshoot!

Discussing how he needed to be happy and smile

This was his face most of the time


This was followed by him eating the dandelion


There were chickens that were following us and Cooper didn't like it at all!
Pure terror in his face....cruel? Maybe. Great pic? YES!!!




Tickling daddy....it looks like I am pinching his boob :)

Ha ha Cooper's face here is like "Really we are doing this??"



Bribing for smiles with fruit snacks....didn't work!





This just sums everything up perfectly!

Saved my favorite for last!

Cooper and His Hat

I got Cooper this hat from 77 kids. His cousin Holden had one and he loved it so I got him one of his own. He wears it all day long. He watches tv in it, he wears it in the car, while shopping, at the park, you name it!!!! It is really the craziest thing! Cooper has never been one to wear hats other than his warm winter hat. But for him to choose a hat that he loves.....this one is pretty cute if I do say so myself!

He wears it in the car

While eating and drinking

This was when I discovered he loved Holden's hat.
He kept wanting to look at himself and get his picture taken.
(The bottom right pic is Brad's least favorite pic of Cooper EVER....it is too hilarious not to share however!!!!)

This was at my parents with Aspen's Ukulele. He played it for probably 30 minutes.
Yeah I know millions of pics but the entire time he was too cute and funny!!

Wears it at Costco

This was us on Mother's Day

He really is just too funny with the hat one. We get compliments everywhere we go about how adorable the hat is and how cute it is that he keeps it on. Cutest little guys I've ever seen!

Being Cooper's Mom

I am so grateful for the chance I have had to be a mom. Not just a mom but Cooper's mom. It is the best job that I have ever had. He definitely tries my patience some days but there is nothing better than hearing him call me "mommy". His kisses, hugs, giggle, smile, fat feet and hands, big cheesy grin, double chin, big boy hair, fat tummy, olive skin, big hazzle/brown eyes (totally depends on the day), how I'm usually the only one who can understand what he's saying, his adorable little jump, the way he is obsessed with vacuums, is crazy wild and hyper, loves shoes, how he loves his daddy, how he loves to clean, how he's a little OCD with putting things back, his fearlessness with jumping off or onto things, how he responds "k" when you tell him something, how he loves candy and junk food as much as I do, how he wants to help me with everything I'm doing, and just so much more are what makes me happy! He is the perfect baby for me! Yes he's a toddler but will always be my baby! I wouldn't change anything about him! He makes me strive to do the best I can and be the best mom possible! Everyone always asks when I will want another baby and honestly as of now I am completely content with just Cooper! I'm not ready to share my attention and not get to focus completely on my Cooper. Mother's Day isn't really a day to me on celebrating how great of a mom I am or for all the work that goes into being a mom. It really is a day for me to reflect on the amazing blessing and opportunity that I have been give to be Cooper's mom. It's hard work and some days are very trying but I wouldn't choose any other job!

I had an amazing Mother's Day this year. We got up and went to church. I did have to teach but my lesson got cut short so was only about 15 minutes. Our ward excuses the women 15 minutes early and they feed us yummy treats. We had fruit, fruit dip, an assortment of brownies, and some other yummy stuff. We came home from church and I was able to nap. It felt awesome! We then headed to my aunts house for dinner. We hung out outside and the babies got to play in the pool and run around. It was a fun and relaxing day!

(1 & 16)Cooper singing "3 Little Monkeys" with my grandpa and Aspen
Playing with Cousins Asher and Holden
(8)Taking a stroll with my grandpa
(9)Walking to the car with Papa and carrying Aspen's bag
(4 & 15) Torturing poor Holden

Brad surprised me with probably my favorite present of all time. It's a necklace with the imprint of Cooper's big toe on it. He found it here. Babies under 2 don't have defined finger prints so you have to use their toes. This way I am always carrying around a little piece of Cooper! It's always the meaningful things that always mean the most to me.

(I could not get a good picture showing the print)
What the nursery kids gave their moms....so sweet!

My Favorite Day of the Year!!!

I don't think it's a secret that I ABSOLUTELY LOVE my birthday! I don't know what it is, but I love getting older, I love having the day be about me, and I love getting presents. I know that sounds horrible but it is so true. I count down the weeks and days leading up to my birthday! This year was no different. Last year Mother's Day and my birthday were on the same weekend. It was nice because the entire weekend was all about me......but it took away from my birthday! This year they were almost a week apart!

I knew that I didn't want to be stuck home all day on my birthday so I made sure not to be. I started off with taking Cooper to Wheeler Farm with Amy and Emmett. It was such a pretty day I wanted to be outside and I wanted to do something fun with Coop. It was a success. Cooper loved seeing all of the animals, running around, playing in the dirt, riding the tractor wagon, and playing on the playground. When we were feeding the ducks they literally started attacking and chasing it because they wanted more bread. Amy and I were a little terrified but the boys loved it! After Wheeler Farm we headed to Chilis for lunch. The boys were definitely tired because lunch was kind of a disaster...they were quite naughty! So I headed home and Cooper napped.

Every year for my birthday when I was growing up my dad would buy me roses. He would buy me how ever many roses for the age I was turning. When I got married Brad took over that tradition. The unfortunate thing is that my birthday is so close to Mother's Day that they jack the prices way up. Brad has made his own tradition however. He always gets one rose a different color to represent the age I am turning. For example this year he bought 24 pink roses and then one red rose to represent 25. Getting these roses is one of my favorite things about my birthday.

I decided that I wanted to do my birthday dinner at Tepanyaki. It is a Japanese steakhouse and sushi bar. It is DELICIOUS!!! It was very last minute but our friends Amy and Jason, and Jason and Keelee were still able to join us. My mom came over and watched Cooper so we didn't have to take him. After the lunch fiasco I knew it would be much more enjoyable without him there.

I definitely got spoiled this year. I needed clothes since none of my clothes from last year fit me. A little depressing!!!!! So Brad let me just go shopping for myself. It was nice and the perfect birthday present. I got some stuff at Target, Old Navy, Bohme, Maurices, DownEast and Lulu Lemon! Amy got me a cute pair of Lulu Lemon shorts and Keelee got me an awesome lime green watch! My mom ordered my present and it won't be here for a couple more weeks......so that will be fun getting something else. I loved my birthday this year and I am a little sad that it's over. However I am excited to see what adventures 25 brings!

Life Lately

We have been having lots of fun our around our house lately. Here are just some random pictures and a couple of videos showing what we have been up to!

We had to bring his carseat in to wash the cover (he decided to dump an entire bowl of watermelon on him while driving on the freeway)...it stayed in for a few days and he loved it. Then he found Holden's carseat!

Yes I painted his nails....he asked me too. The best part is that he knows how to blow them dry! HILARIOUS!!!!

Creamies at Costco.....make for a happy baby while shopping!

Strawberries at REI...he buckled himself like this.

Taking Buddy for a stroll

Water day outside with the neighbor kids. We played with our water table (best purchase...it was a huge hit) and ran through sprinkler. Cooper got drenched!

He is obsessed with his block bin

He knows he's a stud

REALLY???

Cooper being oh so funny

So happy after nap time

We don't make him do this!

Shows a little of how crazy Cooper is


Cooper and mommy McDonalds picnic

He loves this chocolate tin...even after the chocolates are gone

Loved watching the lawn mower

Made Jolly Rancher suckers

Where's Cooper's hands???