Tuesday, January 21, 2014

Follow Me

Hi friends~

Cooper is growing so fast.  He is starting to talk and repeating everything and getting the hang of what words actually mean.  Over the past 2+ weeks he has had several bouts of stomach problems.  We think he is finally over it but we arestill watching his dairy intake as there is a possibility that he has developed an intolerance. 

All that to say that over the past couple of weeks we have had many, many diaper changes.  Just prior to his "sickness" he had started to use the potty on some occasions and wearing undies too.  However, with the rate he was "going" I switched back to diapers.  There were a ton of trips to his bedroom for changing and I started to tell him to "follow me" when we would go in there for a change (because he was getting too heavy for me to carry every time :-) ).  After a couple days of multiple trips he started to repeat "follow me" anytime we made a trip in there.  It is quite cute hearing a little "follow meee folllloww mee fffffollow mee" coming out in his little toddler speak/singing. Then he got to where when I would say "follow me" I would have to say it again and again and sometimes make it into a game so that he would actually follow because he knew what was coming.

I am in the process of reading a book called The Beloved Disciple by Beth Moore.  The subtitle is Follow John to the Heart of Jesus.  Just a few chapters in I read the quote "We'll see that John followed Jesus on some amazing paths.  Are you willing to follow Him?". Then in the next chapter Mark 1:20 "Without delay he called them [James and John], and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed Him.".  "Without delay".  That isn't always how Cooper follows me and in reality that isn't always how I follow God.  And just like Cooper, sometimes I need God to tell me again and again to follow because I think I know what's coming and I'm not sure I'm going to like it.  Everytime I read the word follow or followed I can hear my little man's toddler voice in my head repeating "follllloooow meee". How the Lord uses everyday things to get our attention. 

According to Merriam-Webster the primary meaning of follow is "to go or come after or behind".  Just like when Cooper comes behind me down the hall to his room for a diaper change or how James and John walked the path behind/with Jesus as he traveled during his ministry.  But there are over 20 meanings and sub-meanings of the word.  Including-to copy after, to keep the mind on, to accept as authority, and to engage in as a calling or a way of life.

Because I stay home with him and I'm his mom, I am Cooper's biggest influence at this point in his life.  And I want him to "follow me".  Not just to his room for a diaper change but in the actions I take and the ways I teach him.  That's because of my love for him, and because I believe I have his best interests in mind and heart, and because I want to keep him safe from harm and hurt.    In the book Beth also talks about how she followed Christ and anything that she is or has value of is from Him.

!!Light bulb on!!

This is also what Jesus meant when he said "follow me".  He didn't just expect the disciples to walk behind him throughout the towns.  He wanted them to learn from him, to keep their minds on his ways, to accept him as their authority, and to engage in his ways as their way of life.  This was because of his love for them and because he wanted their best interests and he wanted to keep them safe from harm and hurt. He leads us for our good and w need to remember that anything we have of value is from Him.

Just like I want Cooper to "follow" me, the Lord wants me to follow him.  I'll be honest and say I haven't been doing a very well at this of late.  I've been frustrated by the cold weather keeping us inside, and having a sick baby, and having a messy house because I have a sick baby, and missing out on fellowship, and on and on.  I've been letting bitterness and worry into my mind and heart and slowed my following pace.  So I'm glad his mercies are new every morning and that I can choose today to catch up and follow more closely.

Sometimes being a stay at home mom is hard...

Like when this is how he wants to eat breakfast...

 or when he unrolls an entire brand new roll of toilet paper

 or when he takes after his daddy and won't eat his bananas

Or when we have to watch the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse ALLLLLL day LONG!!

Or when he's sick...

Or wants to watch MORE ELMO!
 
But I wouldn't trade it for the world because he makes my life such a joy and more interesting and fun everyday.  And I know and pray that this is how God feels about me too because I am His adopted daughter and am living by following Him!!

Friday, November 15, 2013

Sick Baby

So we had our first experience with a stomach bug this week.  Now Cooper has been sick before...cold...ear infection...etc.  But this stomach bug is a new thing.  He woke me up Thursday morning having thrown up twice in his bed.  It must have been in the middle of the night because it was like he had rolled in it and it had dried all over him...hair...socks...pjs...sheets...pillow case...you get the picture.  I washed him and his pjs and sheets and monkey and puppy and sprayed everything down with Lysol.  He hasn't thrown up again but he ran a low grade fever through last night.  He finally improved today.

Now some of you may not know this but after next week I will be a full time stay at home mom :).  This week has given me a little glimpse into that life.  And even though he was sick I absolutely loved being home with him.  We cuddled together a ton these past few days.  But let's be honest I got a little stir crazy.

So this afternoon we decided to take a short walk and then a long car ride.  Cooper got to see many of his favorite things.  A school bus stopped to let kids off right next to us while we were walking.  We stumbled upon a few dogs (ie woof woofs).  There was also a person pulled over by a police car right in front of our house so he got to see a weeeoooweeeoooweeeooo.  Then on our car ride we passed Jeffers Elementary right as the buses were leaving.  He go so excited.  He is really starting to talk!! 

Check it out :)

 
 
By the way I have played the video back for him about 25 times tonight and over half the time he repeats everything and even offers up some good weeooo's!!


Wednesday, July 10, 2013

Happy 1st Birthday

Can anyone believe that it's been a whole year since Cooper came into the world?!?



Happy Birthday Buds!! <3

 
 
Today I'm thankful for God's provisions, that Cooper's birthmom chose us to be his forever family, and for this little man who has brought us more than imaginable joy over the past year!!

Tuesday, July 9, 2013

Over 30-days...

I realize that it's been quite some time since the last post (I actually started this post at 23-days...).  Sooooo...I decided to go back and see how many days I took pictures of Cooper (and our family) over the last 37-days...

June 3 - Reading a little Curious George.


June 4 - Daddy's birthday and we got new phones and here are a couple "test" pictures-

 
 
June 5 - Celebrating with Daddy at PF Chang - Pump House Yogurt - and Cooper's new bike helmet.

 
 
June 6 - Riding his new toy...


June 7 - No Pictures...which is odd because Grandma Teresa came into town from Florida. Must have been too busy playing and showing off all Cooper's new tricks to catch any shots.

June 8 - A day at the Zoo -




 
June 9 - He will eat almost anything...even sand :b


June 10 - It's my 11-month birthday and I don't feel so good!!  Trip to the doctor with his first ear infection :(

June 11 - Cousin Parker lovin on his ducky :-D


 
June 12 - No Pictures

June 13 - Rocking along to Adele on the Sonos while steaming the floors...sorry it was the only picture for the day so I had to share...



















June 14 - No Pictures

June 15 - Dinner, Frozen Yogurt, a Walk, and Backyard Playtime with Grandpa & Grandma.


























June 16 - Daddy's first Father's Day - Numero Uno #1





June 17 - "Helping" Mommy with the weeding.



June 18 - Bike ride...



June 19 - Breakfast at Morning Star (Oooooh) "driving" in the Home Depot and Noah's "Peacock"

 
 

















June 20 - No Pictures

June 21 - No Pictures

June 22 - No Pictures

June 23 - No Pictures

At this point you must be wondering - "were you sick or something" - well actually I wasn't but Coop didn't feel too good for several days.

June 24 - SPLASH Pad...



June 25 - Cooper had his first "official" trip to the beach. I say official because he visited the GH State Park before this...but didn't get into the Lake until today. He LOVED him some big "bathtub"





June 26 - Yup...he climbed up on the loveseat all by himself!!


June 27 - Afternoon at the beach with Mommy.  Still liking the sand!



June 28 - No Pictures

June 29 - Dessert at the Melting Pot...notice anything "funny"...



June 30 - Happy Anniversary Mommy and Daddy - no pictures...

July 1 - Sound asleep with Puppy up top and Monkey down low :)



July 2 - No Pictures.

July 3 - Cooper makes himself comfortable where ever we take him :-D



July 4 - Celebrating the 4th with Grandpa and Grandma Hulst.  Cooper loved the kiddie pool but wasn't too sure about the fireworks!!






July 5 - No pictures...too busy getting ready for Cooper's birthday party...

July 6 - After his birthday party (a whole other post to come), Cooper slept off his cake high, played with one of his new favorites, and then we all went for a ride on Grandpa Dan and Grandma Sara's boat to watch the sunset.




 






July 7 - Cooper got a ride in his new tricycle...thanks Grandpa & Grandma Hulst, Uncle Bob, Aunt Christy, Mady & Andrew, and Uncle David & Aunt Heather.  Cooper loves this thing = screams when we try to get him out!!
 



July 8 - No pictures
  
July 9 - A ride on my new quad... 
 



And tomorrow is Cooper's 1-year birthday.  What a wonderful year we have had growing together in love as a family!!  Can't wait to see what God has in store for us all over this next year :-D