August's Ten Things

Ten Things to Smile About in August!

1.  Celebrating my Dad's birthday 

 2.  Cooper and Madeline's nests:

 3.  Cooper's tub hair before his much needed hair cut!

 4.  Finally getting around to lowering Oliver's crib mattress

 5.  Playing with Oliver and watching him try and move...he's finally starting to go backwards!

 6.  Our exploring bike ride/walk.  We went 12 house lengths in 45 minutes and thoroughly enjoyed picking dandelions, and looking at bugs!

 6.  Oliver getting his new car seat.  He's made a lot of progress this month.  He's starting to like Puffs now and is learning to drink with a straw.

 7.  When Ethan and Madeline ate potstickers and egg rolls and fried rice for dinner.  GASP!  There is hope!  :)

 8.  Playing with this little guy.  I know he came to our family in part to bring me happiness and that is exactly what he does.  Here is the little bed he made while I was folding laundry.  And he's wearing his glasses very well now.  Phew!

9.  My Christmas Choir started practicing again.  I know I'll enjoy every minute of singing there.
10.  Todd.  I'm so grateful he makes me smile.

Loving My Little Guy

Whoopsie!

I was sitting on a blanket with Oliver while Cooper ran around the yard.  The breeze made it feel nice in the shade.  I've gotten used to eating lunch outside with my little boys every day.  Cooper loves being outside.  He has enough love for the outdoors to make up for where I lack.  That's when I realized Oliver needed a diaper change, and called over to Cooper that I'd be right back.  I figured I'd change him outside.  So I left the boys and went in the house to get a diaper.  When I came back out a few seconds later, the sprinkler was going and I found Cooper like this:

He called over to me, "I turned the water on.  Whoopsie!"  He then proceeded to hold the sprinkler over his clothes he was holding until they were soaked and then said, "my clothes are all wet!"

He then wandered over and began to "wash the slide".  He spent a good little while "washing" his feet and legs too.

I just went back over by Oliver and watched him with a smile.  Cooper makes every day have a happy spot.  And since I usually have to hose him down after playing outside anyway, I thought it was mighty thoughtful of him to take care of it himself!

Love in Black and White

Nine Months Old

Over the weekend, our hard drive crashed and our computer died.  I've been pretty sad because I didn't have back-ups of anything.  Lame, I know.  We now have a working computer, but we have to wait a week to see if they can recover files.  3 1/2 years worth of pictures and videos...I'm trying not to be sick.  Meanwhile, our new computer has no photo editing software, so these pictures are coming to you basically straight out of the camera.  I did a little with photos, but it can't do much.  Good thing Oliver is so cute, he doesn't need much in the way of editing.  And good thing that when my computer crashes, I might loses memories, but I don't lose the people.  Oliver!  I'm SO GLAD I HAVE YOU IN MY LIFE!!

 Nine months old!  Nine months of love and miracles and joy and gratitude that you're mine.

 Nine months of kissing those cheeks!  And being in love with those eyes.  And every other part of you.

 At your 4 month check, your weight was 25th percentile and your height was 40th.  At your 6 month check, your weight was 25th percentile and your height was 75th.  And now, at nine months old, you weigh 19 pounds which is STILL the 25th percentile and you are 30 inches tall.  That puts you in the 97th percentile for height!  That's my boy!  You've come a long way, growing 10 inches in 9 months.

I think every day that goes by I wish I could spend more time snuggling you and less time washing bottles and fixing food, but those moments where I take a break and spend them with you, make me feel happy.  I love you!  And I can't believe it's been 9 months!

Cooper

Cooper, thanks for always helping me remember life is fun!  I love you.

Oliver

Oliver, thanks for always making me feel happy.  I love you.