5 months!

Dear Cooper,

Today you are FIVE months old! Oh my goodness (as your sister would say)! You are growing too fast!

We had fun today taking your pictures! You have been in such a great mood today...but that is pretty typical! This has been a big month for you developmentally!
You are now able to roll over front to back and back to front. You kick your legs like a maniac and between the rolling and kicking, you are starting to scoot around! You are holding your head pretty steady...though you still get tired quickly. You have started sitting in the Exersaucer and you love it! You also now sleep on your tummy...which I hate.

You have started eating rice cereal two times a day! Just like your siblings, you are a pro at eating! I usually don't even put a bib on you because hardly anything ever comes back out!

You are still wearing 12 month clothes and size 4 diapers. You weigh 20.6 lbs. I am about to put you in Carinna's old car seat because I seriously feel like I am going to have a heart attack trying to carry your infant carrier! Phew!

Carinna has given you a new nickname...Coopie Cooper. I am pretty sure it came from a SpongeBob Squarepants song that says "goofy goober"...I believe those are the words. Goofy goober and coopie Cooper rhyme in her book. Anyway, you are usually just Coopie for short!

The other morning she asked "Where's bruh-yer?" I asked her which brother she meant and told her where you were. She responded "That's NOT bruh-yer...that's COOPER!" She's not catching on to the use of the brother/ sister terms!

Caden's favorite thing right now is making you laugh! I think he is a little afraid of making a fool of himself...so he is pretty timid in his attempts! On occasion he scores a smile and a chuckle...but I think that is mostly due to the fact that you think everything brother and sister do is pretty funny...and fascinating!
You are the sweetest and most laid back baby! We all love to squeeze on you as much as possible! I can tell you will be very well taken care of by your brother and sister by the way they dote on you! Well, at least until you start to play with their toys...I'm pretty sure they won't want anything to do with you then!

We love you so much!
Happy 5 months!!!

Our life...in iPhone pictures...

My little chunky guy!

Carinna trying out her new nap mat!

Happy baby!

Torturing Cooper! He kept trying to look up to see what was on his head!

Brother talk.

"Mom, take my picture with Cooper!"

Ice cream cones!

My sweet, fat baby!

Carinna, the "bug fighter!"
She came in the kitchen that morning...armed with a golf club...claiming to be a bug fighter!
It might be challenging for her since she screams and runs from bugs!

Oh, the injustice...

"Liliana" has a family now. I am removing the info about her to be on the safe side and not cause any issues with her adoption.

Dinner & a movie...

Caden's Party!

Dear Caden,

This year for your birthday you had your first 'friend's' party! We decided that you could invite whatever friends you wanted! When I asked you who you wanted to invite, your list included Mrs. Julie, Mrs. Cindy and Mrs. Deborah...all teachers at preschool. I wasn't exactly thinking along those lines!

But you did invite your friends...and they all came...and you had a blast...for the most part!
We had the party in the party room at the Green Door...complete with a bounce castle thing and Cars 2 theme! It was great to be inside in the cooled air...since this has been a blazing hot summer and it was 130 degrees outside!
The bouncy castle thing had a slide and you guys went up and down the slide no less than 6 trillion times through the course of the 2 hour party!
I'm pretty sure that Matilda greased her backside before the party, because she FLEW down that slide like nobody's business! It was so funny!


Grant and Vivian spent the majority of the time catching up! They cracked us up because they stood around talking as though that hadn't seen each other in years!
Around this point in the party, you hit a wall...figuratively...and you had a pretty sour look on your face for quite a while. We aren't totally sure what happened to you, but it was pretty funny.
Once it was time to open gifts you began to perk up!
You got some great things...very creative gifts!
Ethan and Avery helped you judge the greatness of each gift as you opened them!
These are your besties! None of you would look at the camera at the same time! But you guys are the cutest!
After cupcakes you REALLY perked up! No more sour face!
It was a fun time and we really think you enjoyed it! Dad thinks we spoil you, which may be true...but I wanted it to be special since it was your first real party!
We hope you had a great day! We love you!

Happy Birthday, Caden!

Dear Caden,

Four years ago today, you made us parents...for the first time! What an adventure it has been!
This morning at breakfast you said "when I was a little brother..." and I had to explain to you that you are the oldest and never were a little brother. I couldn't tell if you really understood, but you sure like being the oldest! And you are...usually... a really loving brother! You help your sister...when she will let you...and you love on Cooper as much as you can!

We love your sense of style. Over the last several months we have really let you go with your clothing choices. Sometimes it takes every ounce of patience I have to let you walk out the door in your chosen outfit! But I just remind myself that it really isn't that big of a deal...and if it makes you happy, then it's fine with me!
You are growing so much! Your body has lost all of it's 'baby' look...you are tall and slim...and all boy! You have become very independent and can do most anything on your own! It's refreshing for me, but at the same time I wish you would slow down!
Your hair is a little crazy! We have tried several different styles...but we have finally just decided to embrace your curls! I love them! Some day - in the not so distant future - you will hate your curls, but for now we are really enjoying them!
You love all things cars! You play with, race, crash and drive your cars around all day long. The only thing you love more is trains! We can often be found in the Farmer's Market parking lot watching trains go by! You LOVE it...your sister, not so much!
The other day, you walked into the kitchen and announced you had decided to become a fireman! You said you wanted to put out fires and rescue people. We all think that is a very admirable goal (especially Pawcaw)! Before that you wanted to drive a firetruck and a garbage truck. We will support you in whatever you decide to become!
You are a lover of music. I'm pretty sure you have never heard a tune you couldn't dance to! You love to play the drums and the guitar and sing and dance all day! I am very curious as to what you will do with this love of music!

You are a good helper! You surprise me several times a day by doing something for me that I didn't even ask you to do. Bringing the dishes (not just your own) from the table to the sink, helping Carinna, putting things away, etc. I am loving this side of you!
You are very literal! It really cracks us up...and sometimes it frustrates us. You don't always let us joke around with you, sometimes it makes you upset. You take things very seriously most of the time, but at lunch the other day you started telling dad some story...weaving a tale. When I turned to look at you, knowing you were lying, you raised your eyebrows as if letting me in on the prank. It was VERY funny! It's the first time I have ever heard you make up such a tall tale in order to fool someone else!
You are a lover of chocolate! What can I say...you are your father's child! Speaking of being your father's child...you are still absolutely crazy about dad! Most Saturday's the two of you set out for the day to run errands and go to work. Dad always gets you a special drink (Bug Juice or a Gatorade) and you have a blast hanging out all afternoon! Very often, you fall asleep in the truck on the way home for dinner!
You are learning to be a good friend! We have had a few teachable-moment-experiences this past year and I really hope that you are learning from them. We have talked a lot about being a good friend even when other kids are not. It seems that, at least in one instance, you have understood that everyone is different and how to accept them as they are. I am very proud of you for figuring this out so early in the game! My hope for you is that you can overcome peer pressure and have a heart for the people around you.
We are so thankful for you! You are such a good kid and we don't know what we'd do without you!
We look forward to watching you continue to grow and change into the boy you will become! We hope that you continue to be silly, adventurous, sweet and loving. We love you so much!

Happy 4th Birthday, Caden!!