September 2015

Cooper Charles finally arrived on September 20th. He was only a few days late... It is interesting that I have carried each baby longer than the previous one. We are so thrilled to add this sweet boy to our family!



Our nanny, Maddie, started with us the beginning of the month and it has been amazing. While I do feel guilty for not being the primary care giver during the day I also realize that I haven't been very fun for them lately. This gives them the focused attention that they need and I was able to get a few final things done before baby.



Betsy and Kevin were here the beginning of the month but I guess Cooper decided it was only fair to wait until my parents arrived instead since Betsy and Kevin got to be around for Connor's birth.

Aurora started school at Inspire and is loving it! We have yet to see any pushback from her about going to school in the morning and always seems happy, albeit very tired, when we pick her up. She has also started "big girl" ballet classes -- "no more tap for me Mama!"

 

-- Cooper at one week --

Cooper is doing amazing! He is proving to be a pretty relaxed guy. The first few days he was pretty grumpy, but he has since chilled out a little and is either eating, sleeping or just looking around at what is going on. He is sleeping quite a bit during the day (as most newborns do) and even sleeping reasonably well at night. He is giving us roughly 2 hour chunks of sleep mixed in with some awake time, but I'll take it!

Cooper Charles McCord

Welcome Cooper!

Finally on Sunday, September 20th, Cooper decided he was ready to join us. My parents had just gotten in Friday night and were very excited they had not missed the birth. It's pretty interesting that Aurora came the earliest and Cooper the latest. Although knowing Aurora and Connor's personalities it isn't that surprising ;)

I had a few random contractions throughout the evening that had a little more "bite" to them, but nothing I would even describe as early labor. They were more like the contractions I remember having the day before Aurora was born. It did make me think that things were getting closer though!

Around 8pm I decided to go upstairs and take a bath. I had 3 or 4 fairly intense contractions in the tub which were 5 minutes apart. Then I started to feel a little nauseous, so I got out and went to wake Matt up and tell him I was pretty sure Baby was on the way. He had crawled into bed and passed out when I got in the tub. I had a few more before he got up to call the midwives because they were pretty intense and not very far apart.

At 9:00 Matt brought the baby monitor downstairs to my mother and we were off to the birth center. My contractions were pretty intense through the car ride and I could feel them moving deeper into my pelvis so I figured things were probably moving along pretty quickly.

We got to the birth center around 9:20. I got out of the car but couldn't make it across the parking lot before throwing up everywhere... At least it wasn't in the car! Aubre, the midwife, came out and I remember her saying "I know you don't want to walk right now so let's not even think about it let's just get inside"

They checked me inside and said I was completely dilated so at this point they weren't going to bother trying to get my antibiotics started (I have been Beta Strep Positive with all three pregnancies). Then they let me get in the tub. I remember the intensity being so strong I wasn't even sure how to sit down in the tub but felt much better once I did. I think I started pushing right away and Cooper was born in maybe 3 or 4 good pushes. Even though the entire labor was faster than Connor's, I felt more in control for the actual birth.

Proud Big Sister Aurora

It was no surprise to me that out came a boy, but I think Matt was surprised again ;) Apparently Cooper was pretty blue when he came out but Aubre said that was pretty common and she didn't see anything to be concerned about. Even after the blue faded he was extremely pale for quite a long time though. After the birth Aubre left us to hang with Cooper so she could attend to another Mama. 

At some point the nurse came in to check Cooper out and take measurements. He was by far my biggest baby at 8 pounds and 21.5 inches long. We were at Mountain Midwifery until about 2am when they discharged us and sent us home. It was a crazy quick night but there isn't anywhere I would have rather been at the end of it than in my own bed with Matt and Cooper!

August 2015

We are getting ready for school and baby! Aurora had her last camps this month and we finished on a high note. She had two princess camps at dance and another week of Avid which all went beautifully. Hopefully school will continue this trend. We had our first Meet and Greet for her new school at the City Park playground and that also went well. She was a little nervous about going but had fun and played with a few kids there.

I finally hired a nanny! I have been trying for weeks to find someone to watch the kids when this baby is born and also to help out around the house afterwards. The whole process has been a disaster and I finally broke down and used a nanny service which solved the problem immediately. Thank goodness! Maddie will be starting with us the beginning of September.

I took Connor to a class at Great Play after Aurora had a birthday party there and he absolutely loved it! I think this was probably the first class he has ever gone to that was just for him and he almost didn't know what to do with himself. It was a great hour of Connor being able to do whatever he wanted without his older sister directing everything.

We had our last set of family pictures taken as a family of four! Kristin came over to the house to do the shoot and they came out great. I can't wait to meet this little one.

We bought a new car! Or should I say truck ;) After going back and forth for months we finally decided on the Escalade ESV (or Escalade Stretch as Nanny calls it) because with three kids, two dogs and all our gear to head up to the mountains I am sure we will need the extra cargo space. Now I just have to learn how to park it...

We finally made it up to Breckenridge this summer when Karen, Brad and Ruth came out to visit. I can't believe Ruth is almost two and this is the first time I have met that sweet girl. The kids had a blast playing together and it was such a special time to catch up with two of our very favorite people.

-- Connor at 20 Months -- 

Connor is talking in real sentences now. I love being able to hear what is going on in that little mind of his. It is also hysterical to hear him start to repeat things we or his sister say like “Oh my gosh!”

He loves jumping off everything. Currently his favorite is jumping down stairs.

He want to do everything himself -- “CaCa do self”

He knows some of the basic colors — blue, purple, green, yellow. He still gets confused between orange and red but those can be tricky.
He has been trying to "count" with us lately -- "six, seven, eight, nine, SEVEN!"

He is getting more teeth, but they seem to  be mostly on one side which is odd. He has one molar finally coming in on the right but has both plus an incoming bottom canine on the left.

He is sleeping from about 6:30/7 until his wake up light goes on at 5:55. He rarely wakes before then, or if he does he goes right back to sleep. Often we wake up in the morning to him standing in his crib saying “Green light yay!”

There was a random week this past month where he was totally refusing his nap, but we seem to be past that now thankfully.

July 2015

22 pounds (5%)

31 1/2 inches (25%)

For the 4th of July our neighborhood had a festival in Cranmer Park which was a lot of fun. They had food trucks and some carnival games. Unfortunately it poured on us the entire walk home. Connor was the only one that wasn't entirely soaked by the time we got home because he was in the stroller. 

 I am now 33 weeks and still feeling pretty well! My glucose screen came back negative thankfully and at my last visit they "cleared" the baby -- at our last visit the baby's heartbeat was irregular but at our last visit all sounded well. The midwives said that happens a lot and if it is an isolated incident doesn't usually mean anything.

We are seeing a lot of whining and behavioral outbursts from Aurora lately. I'm sure it is part age appropriate and part the coming baby. We have had to start doing time outs which we have never really done before but they seem to be working. We are also cutting down on "second chances" because I think she is starting to rely on them thinking that she can act however she wants and always get another change. So if we have specifically discussed a behavior and its consequences then she doesn't get a second chance... or we are doing better at not giving second changes for it I should say ;)

Aurora is back to doing puzzles. She was all about them for a few weeks and then didn't touch them again until recently. She doesn't always have the patience but she does sometimes sit through a whole 150 piece puzzle. 

Camps are still going great. In July Aurora had weather camp and space camp at the Museum of Nature and Science, Brave dance camp and Avid4Adventure outside at Wash Park. I was a little nervous how Avid would go since it is 9-3 and lots of physical activities that I figured would be outside her comfort zone. I am so pleased that she has enjoyed everything about it -- rock climbing, canoeing, biking... She even has gotten excited about riding her bike at home which she previously didn't show much interest in.

The kids have both been wanting to help in the kitchen some lately. I enjoy the company and I enjoy that they are participating in meal prep. Connor also seems to eat some things he wouldn't usually try if he has helped make it (like kale and swiss chard).

-- Connor at 19 months --

 

Connor is officially potty trained! "pee pee pobby - yay!" Obviously it was a lot of work spending 3 entire days not taking my eyes off him to teach him the ropes but he got it amazingly quickly and after day 1 we have had very few accidents. If he is pants-less he will pretty much go find his potty on his own when he needs to go and will tell us he has to "pee pee" if he needs help with his shorts.

He is still climbing everything. He has even started climbing the jungle gym down in the basement...which is simultaneously awesome and terrifying! The boy has no fear, so he pretty much always has a bruise or goose egg on his forehead. Poor dude.

The screeching is really becoming a problem. Not only does it give Matt and I a headache but e has started doing it in the grocery store and out at dinner. I was in Whole Foods the other day and at least 5 people commented on it. Everyone was very nice and understanding, but I would still rather not draw that type of attention. 

He is walking up the stairs while holding onto a hand or the railing. 

Even though he can totally walk everywhere he is much happier being carried. I am trying to remember to put him down and ask him to walk more because I don't want it to be a shock when the new baby comes and he has to do more himself.

Connor is becoming a really good helper. He goes and gets napkins to clean up if there is a spill, he helps pick up toys, and his favorite is feeding the dogs. He wants to "feed doggies" about 10 times a day.

June 2015

Aurora has had two dance camps so far and they have been great! There has not been a single tear and she even got to be a helper to one of her friends that was crying at drop off. It was so amazing to see her be the one to go take her friends hand and offer to walk in with her.

We flew to Massachusetts to see Mimi and Papa for almost a week and then headed into Boston for Matt's cousin Robbie's wedding. The kids had so much fun playing with Mimi and Papa. Aurora got to swim in the hot tub and both kids loved running and playing in the yard. Friday Papa drove us into Boston and then my parents met us at the hotel to watch the kids while Matt and I went to the wedding. It was a rare treat for the kids to get to see both sets of grandparents at the same time!

Thankfully Connor and Aurora have been playing better together lately. After the past month of them just terrorizing each other I am so happy that they seem to be enjoying each other again.

Aurora is reading everything! I am constantly amazed at how quickly she picks up new words. She doesn't like having to stop and sound out things she doesn't know, but we are working on that. She is also developing quite the competitive streak. We have talked many times about how her friends aren't going to want to do things with her if she is constantly telling everyone she does things better than they do... but this will take time.

I can't believe I'm 28 weeks already. The middle of the pregnancy seemed to go really slowly but now as the 30 week mark is approaching September is starting to feel awfully close. I'm tired all of the time and not as patient as I would like to be but considering those are my biggest complaints things must be going pretty well.

-- Connor at 18 months --

This boy is talking a ton! I used to joke that with a sister who talks as much as Aurora does Connor would either have to be super loud to compete or not say a word until he turned three. I think we have our answer :)

He is using two and three word sentences. Where Dada go? and Dada work! are two of his favorites

He is also responding really well, I feel like he understands most of what we say to him even if it is more complex than a very simple direction or statement.

He is finally starting to eat well! I wouldn't say he eats a ton but he is finally starting to each chunks of meat and not fight us about everything on his plate. As a result he is actually putting on some weight and was in the 5% which is an improvement (albeit small) from the sub 5% category he has been in.

He was a champ at his 18 month well check. He got two shots and didn't shed a single tear. What a brave boy!

We got him a sleep light that seems to be working pretty well. We started having it turn green before he wakes up and steadily pushing the time later and later every few days. He picked up the concept pretty quickly and we have him now waking around 5:30 which is a huge win.

He has been a little cranky lately but I think he's getting his first molar. We have also been dealing with quite a bit of hitting lately. He does seem to understand he shouldn't be doing it and will repeat "no hitting" back to us but that doesn't stop him from hitting the next time he is frustrated ;)

It also looks like it wasn't just a fluke that he threw up in his car seat while we were in San Antonio. He has had two repeats since then -- one while visiting my parents and one here in Denver. We are going to try switching his car seat to see if that helps because its really awful to make that poor boy ride around in a seat full of vomit. Yuck.