{4 month check up}

Cooper had his 4 month check up today, here are the stats:

weight: 19.4 lbs (98%)

length: 26.5 inches (95%)

He has gained a little over three pounds and has grown two inches!! He is easily wearing 6-9 month clothing, sometimes even 12 month for length! He is growing happy and healthy.

We tried cereal for the 1st time today in celebration of making it through another round of shots. C was not to sure if he liked the cereal and was not too sure what to do with that funny tasting stuff in his mouth. He for the most part just pushed it all out of this mouth. Oh well, we'll keep trying!

{santa hats}

the many shapes and sizes of Santa

{Cooper's 1st Christmas}

Cooper's !st Christmas was a 'White Christmas' so we could not resist starting the day off taking pictures in the snow....burrrr it was cold!

After C got his morning nap we got packed up and went over to Mimi and Grandpa for the day. Due to the weather we had a change of plans with the Johnson clan, we'll see them on Sunday for a 2nd Christmas. C was so excited to see all his fun presents!

Daddy had to help him open all the presents, oh! there were so many!!! Thank you Santa...
Our happy lil family's 1st Christmas

So cute...

C was SO tired by the time we got home, he could barely stay awake for his bottle.

Thank you to our wonderful family for coming in town to meet Cooper and spend the week together. This Christmas was truely special.

{Merry Christmas}

{here comes Santa Clause}

Cooper met Santa for his frist of many times to come! Cooper secretly told Santa what he wants for Christmas and since Santa is magical he totally understood his language:)

I am looking forward to spending our first Christmas together, although it has been hard to make plans with all the family, I remind myself it is about being together, not all the other stuff. This is the year that Brandon and I start making traditions for our family!

Cooper has lots of extended family in town this week to meet him. Our family from Alabama and Tennesse have journeyed to Dallas to meet Cooper this year, so this Christmas is very special for our family in many ways. Today I am thankful for a healthy, loving, giving, selfless, happy, humerous family.

{wordless wednesday}

{4 months}

Cooper continues to grow BIG and STRONG!

This month he has started:
*rolling from this stomach to his back
*rolling from his back to his stomach
*playing with his feet
*developing 'hand - mouth' coordiation

His unofficial weight is 18 pounds, but we will get an offical weight at his four month check up at the end of the month.

He continues to smile and laugh and interact all the time, he wants to be on eye level with everyone to see what is going on, not on the floor as much anymore.

To my thankfulness, we were able to drop his dream feed this month, so once he eats at 7:30 and goes to bed at 8:00 he does not get back up till about 7:30am! Waahoo!!! More sleep for Mom and Dad:)

We continue to be thankful that our work schedules allow us to be with Cooper almost all the time. Brandon's work schedule might change in January so we pray the change and adjustment will go smoothly. We truely enjoy the 'work' of loving and raising Cooper.

{wordless wednesday}

{head held high}

Just a few pics to share Cooper's big achievement, holding his head up...soBIG! (tear)

{day 7}

day 7: faith

Today I am giving thanks for Jesus, without him all the things I am thankful for would not be possible. He has blessed me with the Holy Spirit that carries me through each day. I am thankful for answered prayers as well as unanswered prayers. I trust in my faith that God has a plan for me and I try daily to not make my own plans, which has been a struggle many times. This year has had many answered prayers: Cooper's safe delivery, Cooper's health, Brandon's continued love, my mother continues to be cancer free, my dad's improved health, my grandparent's health, having a home to live in, both Brandon and my career changes, Farrah's safety while traveling...as for the unanswered prayers...one inparticular I hope to be reporting as answered soon. With that said it brings me back to faith, knowing that God has the plan, live in faith, work on patience, walk with grace, give thanks!

{day 6}

day 6: friends

I am thankful for my awesome friends, new and old...

here some rAnDoM pics!

DISCLAIMER: Pleases dont be offended if your picture is not here, I am too lazy to get up to find my memory card and there would be way too many to put in one post, plus, you know if your my friend)

{day 5}

day 5: family

As we were sitting at my parents having Thanksgiving dinner tonite, I couldn't resist grabbing the opportunity to get everyone to pose for "a picture with a picture." This is the only professional family picture we had made growing up so it continues to be the main focus of the living room. This picture is from the mid 80's and here is today....

and, well, this is what we really look (act) like...

[Quick explaination: Daddy is trying to 'suck' in to look 20 pounds skinnier, Mom doesn't want to stand up straight because then she would be too tall, Farrah telling Mom what to do and then Me, just there]

With giving thankfullness towards my family I now also give thanks for MY family. Still a little weird to say, but I now have a lil fam of my own!

I am thankful for my family because we all truely love and care about one another. I am thankful for my parents showing me that marriage can last, in a society that 30+ years of marriage is now a rarity. I am thankful for my mother who is the nicest yet strongest women I know. She is a survivor. I am thankful for my father will help with anything and who can cook up some yummy grub. I am thankful for my sister, who is my best friend. I am thankful for the opportunity to now create, mold, lead and love my family.

{day 4}

day 4: creativity

I am thankful for the ability to be creative
I am thankful for the time to be creative
I am thankful for the space to be creative
I am thankful for time spent with friends while being creative
I am thankful for the alone time being creative
I am thankful for the moments that spur me to be creative
I am thankful for the memories that are preserved by being creative

{day 3}

Day 3: Private Practice

I am thankful for my new career venture. It provides me with so many new opportunities. Not only can I set my own schedule and run my own show, it provides me autonomy in my work. Sometimes I think back to grad school when professors would talk about 'when you are in private practice' and I would sit there and think 'how in the world will I ever make it there.'

I have good friends to thank, especially Susan and Maria. Susan for helping me get my internship where I met my supervisor Maria, who carried me with her. She trusted in me. Not only did she trust in my work ethic, she she trusted in my ability to help others, my knowledge of theory and crisis stabilization. She instilied in me the confidence I needed to know that I am able to do what I go into the office to do and the ability to manage and maintain whatever I am faced with.

I thank my husband for being supportive of my career transition when there were plenty of other transistions to focus on. He has been very helpful and supportive during this stressfull transistion.

I am thankful for the time I am able to spend with Cooper since I only have to work 3 days a week now.

I am thankful for Cain being my partner in crime and going to work with me.

I am thankful for Maggie and Sadi for teaching me all they have about stupid annoying insurance panels.

I am thankful that I truely enjoy my career.

{day 2}

Day 2: Brandon

I am thankful for a wonderful husband.(PERIOD)

{day 1}

A Week of Thanksgiving

My fellow boggers and Facebookers have been doing a month of Thanksgiving, but I knew from the start I would not be able to keep up with that, so I am going to comit to one week of faithful Thanksgiving.

Day 1: Cooper

I think the shirt says it all. I love this baby more than I knew love was. I tell him everyday I love him all day long and I kiss his cheeks every chance I have, all day long. I am so thankful that the Lord blessed us with Cooper at the most perfect time in our lives. He brings joy to my heart every day and makes me strive to be a better mother and person everyday. I am excited at the thoughts of what the next day will bring with him and cherish the days already past spent with him.

{No pressure, REALLY!}}

I got Cooper all dressed for college football today while B was at work.

I say no pressure, becuase I am sure Brandon would be so proud if C grew up to play for Texas, but we have had numerous conversations about how we are not going to be those parents that push our dreams and plans on our children, so once agin weather C wants to dance for the American Ballet or play football for the Cowboys we are behind him. Heck, at this point C loves Northpark so much, he might be a fashion designer! Needless to say the boys ended the day watching the TX game together...
I love my boys!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

{3 months!}

WOW!!! 3 months already, so bittersweet!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Our baby just keeps growing big and strong, happy and healthy. While he is still our 'chuncky monkey' he is so much more our 'happy baby.' I wish I was better at words to express how much I enjoy spending time with him. I am so thankful I did not go back to my 40hr/wk job, I would have never known how much I was missing. C spends his days of course eating, sleeping and pooping like every baby, but we also spend alot of time going for walks outside, picnics with other babies and mommies, meeting friends for lunch or coffee to hang out and maybe walk the mall. C loves Northpark! He even is a great help with laundry day:)


We could not have asked for a more laid back easy baby. As long as we stay on his schedule he stays very happy throughout the day.

Developmentally he continues to amaze us. He has found his hands and is getting very good at soothing himself. I can hear him in the middle of the nite sucking his fingers all the way into our room! With that said, C has moved to his room in his crib to sleep and is now sleeping through the nite! WAAA-HOOO!!!! He now holds onto things, AKA his rattle and my hair and is getting even better at holding his head up. He is tickelish and we have found many ways to make him giggle and squeal, which we love to do until he gets the hick-ups and we have to stop. He is also very talkative! I am inclined to say the most talkative baby...we just sit, or lay, with him and talk and talk and talk he loves interacting with us. Once again, I guess he gets that from this father, we all know I am of few words most of the time.

We don't go back to the doctor till after Christmas, so I don't have any new stats to report. I am looking forward to starting him on cereal after his 4 month birthday!!

{final touches}

As some of you know my scrap shack has been causing major problems since we thought we were done with it. All the rain in October showed us that there were major leakage issues and with all the moisture in the room, due to standing water (sometimes up to 10 wet-vacs full of water), the ceiling started sweating and hence ruining stuff I had laying out. SO, my Dad finally offered his technical assistance and he and Brandon litterally riped the roof off and put a new one on in 1 day! They were so tired!!!!
I know B is so tired of even thinking about my room, s0 our fingers are crossed this will fix all the problems. B said that if this does not fix it, he is pulling his truck into the backyard and Ramming it down! I sure hope he doesnt come through on that.
Now I am craving some major scrapbooking time, I have alot to catch up on!
Oh, and our next project is a 'man room' for B!!!!

{Happy Baby!}

We always smile and talk to Cooper calling him a 'happy baby' while he smiles and talks and sometimes giggles back at us. While I was at work tonite B captured this of C just giggling away, he just might be the happiest baby on the block.

We truely love him, he brings us so much joy. As B was showing me this video tears were in his eyes, I truely love him too!

{October rAnDoMnEsS}

I sit here writing this post not sure where to start. The last few months have been a whirlwind of change full of excitement and anxiety, now it is time for the dust to start settling. Since I could not mention a couple of the changes on this blog until they happened I thought I would give a short recap of what has been going on with me and B. Back in July, yes July, B was offered a job with DART which he had been applying and interviewing for since January. It was a great offer at a not so great time since Cooper was expected to be here August 13th and they wanted him to start the 1st of August. Luckily B was able to talk with them and they pushed his start date back, however when C was not here on 'time' I got very scared that B would have to go ahead and start his job and possibly not be able to be with me for C's arrival. Obviously, with this all in the past, Brandon was there for C's arrival (thanks to a scheduled induction) and started his new job the next week. The day we brought C home from the hospital B literally dropped us off at home to go up to Dallas Dodge and resign and clean off his desk. It had to work like this so B could use the rest of his vacation time and not be told to 'just go' which is how the car industry treats people who have worked for them for over 15 years. Now B has been at DART for 10weeks and loves it, he says this will be his last job. I am so releaved that he loves his job and I love that he is now home everyday by 4pm. He has gone from working 60+ hours/6 days a week to simply 40 hours and has great benefits. Perfect timing for our new family.

As for me, on October 16th I went in to guit my old job. This too was something I could not mention, but has been the plan ever since we started talking about having a baby. Many of you know I was A)miserable at my old job and B)preparing to make the change to private practice. There is never a perfect time to quit a steady paycheck with benefits to be self employeed so we planned that after we had a baby I would make the change for the ultimate benefit of the family. This has been the huge career step I have wanted to take for a couple years and thankfully I have the most supportive husband I could ever ask for. So now I am offically self employeed. I am back at work one day a week with many mixed feelings about how to define my new role as a mother mixed with my career goals. Right now all I can say is I am very glad I like what I do becuase when I get to work I totally enjoy it, but before I leave the house for work I struggle with wanting to leave C. Hopefully with time balance will come. Mondays are "daddy daycare days." B has Monday's off so he is in charge of C while I am at work. This has been the most comforting part of the going back to work experience, knowing that C is with B. Now when I start working a second day a week and I have to leave C with the sitter I am not sure how I will feel.

So needless to say 2009, specifically August 19, 2009-October 16, 2009 have been a time of GREAT change for B and I. All change for the good, but we all know that even good change can be stressfull. B and I have joked numerous times that if we can make it though this we will be able to make it through anything. Now that we have offically set all the newness in motion we are working at adjusting to our new life, new roles, new jobs.

here are a few RaNdOm October pictures of lil C...

going for a walk all bundled up for a cool fall day... I love this fun polka dot blanket...out for Daddy's birthday...
Mommy playing photographer (which is really hard with infants!)...
another one of Mommy playing...

{Cooper the Friendly Ghost}

Cooper was a friendly ghost for halloween, just something simple since Mom here is not and never has been a big Halloween person. We went to the annual neighborhood Halloween party and saw lots of trick or treaters and enjoyed hanging out with our awesome neighbors. Before the party Cooper the Friendly Ghost and I went trick or treating at Oma and Grandaddy's to say hi, here he is ready to go cruise the neighborhood...

Next year we have to step it up a bit for his sake:)