December 2016

Connor's intellectual curiosity is starting to come alive. He usually comes home from school talking about something he learned that day - "Mama do some animals sleep through the winter?" or the other day when I was getting dinner ready he saw the bag of buns and asked what was keeping the bag closed (a plastic tab) and how exactly it worked.

Connor's birthday party was a lot of fun. We had a proper party for him this year because I expected he would really want one after seeing his sister have parties... but it was too funny because when I asked him who he wanted to invite he said "only Sloane" who is his best buddy at school.

Christmas was a blast this year. Last year was almost embarrassing with how many presents found their way under the tree, so this year we were purposeful in keeping it more minimal. I think the kids enjoyed it more and so did Matt and I. We just got the kids each a National Geographic Kids Encyclopedia, a few fiction books, and tickets to The Secret Garden which we will take them to in May. They got plenty of other toys from their aunts and uncles and grandparents.

We flew to Scottsdale to visit Nanny and Grumpa the day after Christmas which was really fun. Keeping a minimal Christmas in mind I love that Aurora asked me why she didn't get a present from Nanny and Grumpa under the tree and then quickly corrected herself and said "Oh yeah! Going to Scottsdale is the present!"

Connor had his pediatrician appointment and he is finally growing! He was about 25% for height and 35% for weight. I hope he is filling out a little in preparation for a big growth spurt!

For Connor's birthday we got him tickets to see Rudolf the Musical. He said he wanted Aurora to be able to go too, so the four of us went and it was so awesome. Our seats were in the first two rows and he was memorized the whole time. Magical :)

The kids have been having a blast singing all sorts of Christmas songs and my personal favorite is when Connor sings "We wish you a merry christmas tree…” ;)

-- Cooper at 14 months --

At the beginning of the month Cooper was just starting to choose to walk between things! He was able to take a few steps, regain his balance and walk a little more. And now by the end of the month we had a full time walker!

He is starting to following simple directions -- please put that back in the bin etc

He loves climbing on things! Especially stools and chairs... you know things that hurt to fall off of ;) His favorite right now are the kids chairs at the kitchen table. He will crawl under the table to push them out so he can climb on them.

He had been sleeping really well... well until we traveled to Scottsdale. Then it all totally fell apart. I hope it was just the new location and things will get back to normal once we are settled at home.

November 2016

Happy Birthday Connor! How are you three years old?! You are the sweetest little man I had ever met and I am so thankful to be your Mama!

Funny quotes from Connor --

“The dragon is going to crash the castle… because he has a mighty tail!”
 - While doing a 100 piece dragon puzzle

"Mama who was Connor when I was a baby?"

“I’m not talking to you”
 - This little guy is getting quite assertive!

And Happy Thanksgiving! We did a quiet thanksgiving here in Denver this year and again ordered food from Whole Foods. Why cook a gigantic meal when it is just Matt, the kids and I? Although somehow even though I wasn't cooking a ton of dishes it was still a really hectic day. I think its just the nature of a holiday...

We had our first Parent Teacher STUDENT conference this month. Aurora lead the entire thing and did an amazing job reflecting on her strengths, weaknesses, accomplishments and challenges. Her teacher said she was impressed with not only the depth of reflection Aurora showed but how quickly she was able to express it all.

I got to go have drinks with some girl friends :) I don't know when the last time was that I did that, but it was good for my soul. I would like to say I will make this a semi-regular part of my life but I know I will be writing a few months from now and not have gone again! Why is it so hard to carve out time for myself?

-- Cooper at 13 months --

Cooper is talking more -- Go-gah (yogurt), Dada, go go go, muh (more), baba (banana, book)

He is a pretty reasonable solids eater. He will pick at most things but never eats a ton of anything (except his yogurt!)

He seem to be totally capable of walking, but has no interest. He will take a few steps if someone sets him up to, but almost never chooses to on his own. He gets carried everywhere, why choose to put in effort if you don't need to? ;)

Cooper is standing really well on his own. He has gotten stable enough that sometimes he will stand and eat his yogurt packet at the same time.

That boy is obsessed with books! He reminds me of his sister with his intense love of them. He would be happy being read to all day long.

Cooper got his first haircut! Matt had been on my case for a while to cut that boy's shaggy hair. It was looking so funny being super short/non-existant in the front and long and shaggy in the back. He looks like such a little boy now!

Nanny got him a wheeled airplane that he can push around and he loves to chase Connor with it. It is hysterical to watch him try to catch Connor who is riding the plasma car all over the house.

We are down to one nap. He has been going down around 12 after we pick Connor up from school and have a super fast lunch. He still really wants his morning nap, but then wouldn't nap for the rest of the day so unfortunately he is going to have to adjust.

Cooper has been sleeping like a champ. He falls asleep easy by himself after books and typically sleeps through the night. Thank you Cooper!

October 2016

We got a terrible stomach plague this month. I should have known it was coming because we are never sick until Matt goes out of town. It started with me, then Connor and then Aurora. Thankfully it got weaker as it went though the family and also thankfully Cooper didn't get it. I was completely useless for two days though. I remember lying on the couch while the kids watched TV (which NEVER happens) and hearing them yell to me that Cooper had crawled all the way upstairs... oops...

Aurora is settling in at Logan really well. She loves her school and her unit work (Greek Gods and Goddesses). I don't think we could have picked a school that was more tailored to that child.

Connor is finally getting more comfortable at Paddington. Everything was fine until my first volunteer day. After I stayed at school with him once he couldn't understand why I wouldn't stay everyday... It has been so hard to see him struggling with drop off, but lately he has seemed okay as long as I get him settled into an activity before I go.

We are looking at new houses! After coming back from Grand Junction and watching the kids play in Roger and Cindy's big backyard we have decided that we need to find a new place with room for them to run and play. We will see!

Aurora got to go to her second Broncos game with Dad! That girl is turning into a huge football fan.

Halloween was fun this year. We had a Butterfly princess and a Red Dragon... except the Red Dragon didn't last very long because the poor boy basically baked in his costume at the Halloween Parade. He flat out refused to wear the hood when we went trick or treating with Aurora's friends Ellie and Eliana.

-- Cooper at 12 months --

Cooper has started standing on his own!

He has also started talking up a storm -- buh-buh (bye bye), go-goot (yogurt), ro-ro (Aurora), Da da da (Dada) Ma ma (Mama)

Cooper gets really excited after he nurses in the morning saying Da-da-da-da-da-da and looks for Matt. It's super cute.

I set up the play slide in the living room and Cooper loves playing with it.

We haven't transitioned to cow's milk yet, but he does eat a ton of whole milk plain yogurt. With other solids he tends to be picky from day to day, but overall eats most things.

He is still very content to ride around on my back, has shown no real interest in walking.

He is super smiley when people talk to him. As the third I think he is just happy when someone finally pays attention to him ;)

I have been taking him to the park lately and he loves crawling around on the play structure. Up the stairs and down the slide... up the stairs and down the slide :)

He has been waking up around 5:30/6, taking two naps around 9 and 1:30, then going down for bedtime at 6:30. I think we may his bedtime a little later to try to get a more consistent 6am wake up.

September 2016

Happy Birthday Cooper!! We made it through your first year. You are turning into such a sweet little boy with a big love of life. You love to dance and be a part of the action no matter what is going on. We had a little party for you with the kids and they were so happy to celebrate you becoming part of our family!

We drove out to Grand Junction to celebrate Grandma Minnie's 90th birthday. It was so special to have the whole family there together. It was also the first time Grandma Minnie got to meet Cooper who is in part named after her late husband, Charles. She made sure to introduce him to all her friends -- it was so sweet.

We started soccer with both kids this fall. Aurora is hysterical because she can't be convinced to participate in the practice, but you get her in a game and she starts knocking heads and pushing kids to the ground. I know who she is related to ;)

Well, we got our car tires slashed... I have never had anything like that happen before. We caught it on video with our security cameras, but I'm sure it won't matter. With all the car windows that have been broken and our neighbor's car getting stolen I am starting to not like living in the city as much as I once did.

Aurora went to her first Broncos game!! We were worried it would be too loud for her -- but we could not have been more wrong. She had a blast!

-- Cooper at 11 months --

Cooper is crawling around everywhere, especially the stairs...

He also loves to watch and play with whatever the older kids are doing, which often causes tears all around - the big kids don't want to share and Cooper ends up hurt.

Cooper just started cruising. I don't think there is any chance he will be walking by his first birthday like Connor but he's definitely moving around.

He's a good eater and has started signing MORE and I think sometimes he signs ALL DONE.

He loves bananas, yogurt and grapes.

He can say Mama and Dada.

Cooper loves being outside. He knows when we put the dogs out, comes crawling and cries if we close the door.