Computer problems & another job for Cooper

We got the black screen of death on the computer the other day. Just a couple of white words saying something about the CPU temperature being excessive or something. Luckily, the computer's still under warranty (that never happens!) so they're sending us a new fan & hard drive & the Geek Squad is coming out next Wednesday to install them. I'm using our old laptop, but it's pratically an antique (I think it's 7 years old) & it doesn't have any of the programs I'm used to. I don't know if I'll be able to post any pictures while I'm using this computer; we'll see if I can figure it out.
Cooper had another modeling job today (& we never even went to the Shedd Aquarium this time!). This was for V-Tech. I was told the toys he was photographed with will be out in Spring of 2009 so keep your eyes open for Cooper. I don't really know anything about the toys, but he'll probably be too old to be interested in them by the time they're available to buy.

Brookfield Zoo & an accident

Sunday we spent the morning at Brookfield Zoo with Granny Smith & Fred. John & I were there with Cooper about 6 weeks ago & Cooper was interested in the giraffes, whales & sea lions, & birds, but that was about it. He didn't really seem to notice anything else. This time was totally different - he was fascinated by everything! He even seemed to notice the animals that were far away. Very cool. The day was turning out perfect until we were leaving the primate house (the last exhibit we planned to visit) & I was carrying Cooper on my hip. Somehow I tripped on the edge of the sidewalk & down we went. I fell to my knees & Cooper landed on the sidewalk on his back & hit his head. Needless to say, we were both hysterical. We were able to get ice on Cooper's head right away, & when we got him into the air conditioning & I was able to nurse him he calmed down a lot & he took a nap. I felt/feel horrible, but we got him checked out at the first aid station & he was fine; he doesn't even have a bump or mark on his head so I'm thankful for that!
John's sister Anna & her boyfriend Pat came over for dinner & played with Cooper. He was as happy as can be.

Wow!

Too interested in the animals to look at the camera

John, Cooper, & Granny Smith

Cooper took this!

Pat, Cooper, & Anna

Anna & Cooper playing with his toes

Two happy birthdays (corrected! again!)

Happy 13th birthday to my cousin Alyssa! (Forgive me Karen - I stole your picture!)

I also just learned my newest cousin was born! Congratulations to my uncle Jimmy & aunt Tina on the birth of their 3rd child, Norah Mayve. Welcome to the world little Norah! I guess this means Cooper's no longer the baby in the family.
(Oops.. I spelled Norah's name wrong when I originally posted this, & then again when I corrected it, but it's correct now.)

Talula Does the Hula From Hawaii

Has everyone heard this story yet? A judge in New Zealand took a 9-year-old into the custody of the government so she could get her name changed from Talula Does the Hula From Hawaii to, well, probably anything but that. I LOVE unusual names (I love Cooper's name, but it was a bit of a compromise because I'm terrified he'll go to school with multiple Coopers). I could spend hours on this page about unusual names.

Caycee's birthday

I can't believe Caycee is a year old already. It makes me think about Justin a lot, too. I think (unfortunately) Caycee's birthday will always make me think of his deployment because it was the weekend before she was born that he came back with the news that he was being deployed. It was really stressful on me, so I can't imagine what it was like for Dayna, especially since she was days away from having Caycee.
Anyway, my mom came into town yesterday and spent some time with me and Cooper. Cooper loved it and I got to take a nap! :) Before she came over Cooper was exploring and discovered the file drawer. My impulse was to pull him away, but I decided to let him play and just watch. Of course it didn't go well. Just after I took this picture he leaned forward, closing his fingers in the drawer. Luckily he didn't hurt himself too bad and got over it pretty quickly.

I'm ready for my job at Decorative!

Last night we went over to Dayna's for pizza and cake. Caycee loved her cake, of course, and Zak (or "Joe" as he calls himself) loved "helping" with the cake and presents. Cooper did his fair share of helping too (not with the cake because I'm a little crazy about what he eats and won't let him have sugar yet!), but mostly just with pushing over the toys.
I took a bazillion pictures (okay, it was really only 115) so it's hard choosing which ones to put here.

The before picture - classic Caycee with her Cindy-Lou-Who pigtails & a crazy face

Yep, that's a whole scoop of ice cream she's holding

Getting serious about eating that cake

After - the sugar high

That cake made me thirsty!

Happy birthday Caycee!
My niece Caycee is 1 year old today!

Back to the doctor..

..but this time was just a well visit. We had Cooper's 9 month appointment (I can't believe he's 9 months already!) on Monday. The appointment went well; at 6 months Cooper was in the 95th percentile for height & weight & his big head was off the charts, but now he's about 75th for weight & head & his height is about 50th. He's doing everything he's supposed to do, & the doctor thinks he'll be walking soon - YIKES! She also confirmed that he's getting his 9th tooth! I mentioned to the doctor that I'm reading about immunizations & trying to decide what to do, but that I think I'd like to delay some. She was completely fine with that & said I could even separate some of the combined shots (like MMR) if I want.
This new pediatrician is so much better than the old one. The old office claimed to be breastfeeding friendly, but when Cooper had the stomach flu & was throwing up they told me to stop breastfeeding & just give him Pedialyte; they said "dairy" was to hard to digest & he needed only clear liquids until his stomach was better. Of course, I ignored them & Cooper was better the next day. They also kept telling me to let Cooper cry at night, turn off the monitor & sleep in the furthest bedroom from him until he learned how to sleep through the night. I'm so glad we switched. But (I should have expected this!), I think the new pediatrician is pregnant! She wasn't showing enough that I could say something, but I kept sneaking looks at her belly & I'm pretty sure she is so hopefully the other pediatricians at the new office are as good as she is.
We also had a La Leche League meeting Monday. I love La Leche League; all the moms are so supportive & I feel much more comfortable with their parenting ideas than most other parents I meet. We had lunch with John at work too, since the doctor is near the courthouse. I love surprising Cooper with a visit with dad in the middle of the day. He gets so excited.
Yesterday we went to a playgroup with a bunch of moms & babies from our nursing group. The group (not La Leche League, a different nursing group) is run by a hospital & it's only meant for moms & babies under a year. When your kid turns one you "graduate" (get kicked out!). I think it's because the group is very large and the conference room they have it in is crowded, and they don't want siblings there so I think it's just to keep it from being totally chaotic (although they are usually 20-30 moms with babies from newborn to a year so that's pretty chaotic already), but I think it's pretty crappy. It think it sends a message that breastfeeding should stop at one & it's just stupid that you're in this group with all these people you've gotten to know so well & then you're banished! Anyway, we kind of started a tradition of the mom/baby "graduating" having a birthday playdate when they turn one so we went to one for the two kids turning one this week. Cooper was actually the second youngest baby there (I think one was 7 months); the oldest was about 15 months. We had lots of fun & we were both exhausted by the time it was over.




I had to include this picture too.. it's at home playing with dad. The picture isn't great (I think I was twisting my arm around & randomly pressing the button to get it), but the expression is awesome.

Outing with Granny Smith

Sunday we spent the day out with Granny Smith & Fred at the Tinley Park Caribbean Beach Block Party. It was HOT (consequently, my brain wasn't fully functioning & I forgot I had a camera & hardly took any pictures), but we had a lot of fun.

Cooper checking out the animals with dad & grandma

Rehydrating in a cooling center with dad

Uncle Adam visits

Adam made the long trek to our house Saturday for a visit... all 3 blocks. I like teasing him about how he lives so close but we never see him, but it's really just because he's a busy man. He helped Cooper build some block towers & Cooper "shared" (handed him blocks & pulled them away immediately) some blocks with him. (I think Cooper's teeth were bothering him; he was not very smiley for the camera.)

Cooper, artist

Well, I posted about Cooper's first painting so you've all seen that he's obviously very artistically gifted, but now he's expanding to a new medium - photography. Here's is Cooper's first picture, taken with John's cell phone.

Happy (belated) birthday to Becca!

Believing hear, what you deserve to hear:
Your birthday as my own to me is dear...
But yours gives most; for mine did only lend
Me to the world; yours gave to me a friend.
~Martial

May you live to be a hundred years with one extra year to repent.
~Author Unknown

Kohl Children's Museum

A good friend is a connection to life - a tie to the past, a road to the future, the key to sanity in a totally insane world. ~Lois Wyse

Cooper & I spent Friday with my friend Becca & her daughters Samantha & Madeline at the Kohl Children's Museum. We had so much fun; I think the kids enjoyed it too. There was a ton of stuff to do & not enough time, or energy, for everything. We were able to eat lunch outside & it was gorgeous, until we started cleaning up & got hit by a torrential downpour. We were under a roof, but had to drag the kids, & strollers, & random crap out of the rain because it was coming down sideways. After everyone was completely worn out (moms especially), we took a walk & all three kids fell asleep almost immediately. Becca & I got to check out some shops & get some ice cream at Ben & Jerry's (outside again, & rain again!). Overall a wonderful day.

Cooper, Madeline, & Samantha

Samantha, Madeline, Cooper, & Becca

Cooper & Madeline

Naps for the kids, break time for moms

Props to dad & a surprise for mama

I took Cooper to Babies R Us today for a car seat safety check. Only 9 1/2 months after I wanted to have it done! Anyway, the check went really well; the seat was installed perfectly. The brand we have is apparently the only convertible seat with a tether & the guy checking the seat said he's never seen one tethered correctly until ours. He gave "props" to John for doing such a good job of installing it!
Tonight John & I were playing with Cooper & he said "mama"! It was actually "mamamamama" or something like that, but close enough! He's been saying "dada" for weeks so it was great to finally hear mama. I know he has no idea what it means, he's just babbling, but it's still wonderful to hear.

Roofers need love too (apparently)

I drove by this truck the other day. The picture's not great because I took it with my cell phone, but the large brown box that's packed on its side has this printed on it: Roofers need love too.
Weird.

My mom opened a can of worms & now I'm flying my freak flag

Okay, so my mom posted something on her blog today about to do lists; check it out here: My world: To do lists. I, like a lot of people, also have a to do list obsession (like mother, like daughter). It's actually a bit of a problem for me.
I make to do lists, & I love to cross things off (that's the whole point, right?), but how do you properly organize a to do list? Sometimes I think you just make a list as you think of things, but then it always gets really long & it's hard to keep track of things or find things, or not miss things that need to be done. So I feel like there should be some kind of organization to it, like categories or something. So then I separate things into things I need to do on the computer, or while I'm out, or housework. But then I wonder if I should make a separate list of things I need to buy, or include it on my to do list. And do I separate that by store? And should I rate the items, like things that need to be done ASAP, or this week, or that I just need to keep in mind because they're more long term things? And when can you cross things off? I mean, I need to plan Cooper's 1st birthday party, but it's not 'til October. So do I cross it off when I come up with some plans, or when I've sent out invites, or not until it's over? Then I'll have my list for a really long time. And when you have a list for a while, even if it's just an hour but you've crossed things off already, it gets kind of sloppy. So I want to rewrite it, but then nothing's crossed off & that's kind of sad. So do I recopy what I've already done & cross it out again, just to have things crossed off on my list? That feels like cheating.
It sounds sort of funny or crazy, but I'm not making this up. I really am that much of a freak.
Anyway...
I had a friend in college who would make to do lists for me, & I'd make them for her. I came across a couple of them recently.



It's nice having someone else write a list for you because instead of feeling guilty about eating ice cream you feel obligated to do it.

I turn my back for one second...

Naked breakfast

Cooper needed some air time for his rash so we tried breakfast without a diaper today (thanks for the suggestion Mom!). It actually worked surprisingly well once I got him in there, until...

I'm naked from the waist down!

Love those puffs!

I'm naked from the waist down... and pooping!

Up the stairs & back to the doctor (again!)

What a long weekend! Saturday we went to a first birthday party for our friends' Terrence & Jill's son Logan. There were tons of kids there & we had a lot of fun. Then we went to check out our friends' John & Larissa's new condo. It's gorgeous! I'm so jealous - I can't wait to move into our new place, wherever that may be.
John had to work Sunday & we had an open house (no one came, again!). Luckily, John didn't have to work as long as he thought so there was time for some quality Daddy-Cooper time. Cooper also went on a bit of a sleep strike - he was up on Sunday from about 7:30am to 9pm with only a half hour nap.
I thought maybe he'd sleep extra long last night (wishful thinking), but he woke up once to nurse, as usual, & then woke up at 5:50am! He did take a nap though, so that's good.
We were back to the doctor today. I swear, I'm not crazy. This is the 3rd doctor's appointment this month - I feel like people must think I have hypochondria by proxy or something (is there such a thing?). Cooper had his last dose of antibiotics (for his ear infection) Friday morning, but Thursday night a nasty rash popped up. I was hoping it would go away, but it got worse over the weekend & by this morning I was sure it was a yeast infection - poor Cooper! It looks so uncomfortable. We got a prescription for Nystatin cream & it should be cleared up in 5 days or so. We also have to get Cooper some nude time to let the rash air out; if anyone has any suggestions on how to do that safely (for Cooper & the carpet & walls!) let me know. Cooper took long naps in the car so hopefully he caught up on some sleep.

Here's some pictures from this weekend:

Daddy is Cooper's favorite playmate

Daddy taught Cooper how to climb stairs (thanks Daddy!)

I made it to the top!

Cooper of the future

I've just been looking at pictures & wondering what Cooper will be in the future (yes, just another shameless excuse to post pictures of my baby!).

athlete?

spelunker?

waste management specialist?

swimmer?

food critic?

dentist?

vampire?

I never think of the future - it comes soon enough. ~Albert Einstein
(Probably good advice!)