Mommy Monday

So once again, evening family play time has superceded my previous blog post idea for the day.  I was planning on posting a bunch of pictures of Cooper in all his hats and having everyone "vote" on their favorite.  Cooper had other ideas :)

Most nights we try to spend some time with Cooper on the floor for tummy time.  It's not his favorite thing, which is why we are happy that his neck is strong enough to have time in the jumperoo or excersaucer because that helps make him stronger.  But we still try.  Most times it just ends up being the three of us laying on the floor with Cooper spending minimal time on his tummy.  Tonight was no different on that front.  However, Cooper has been scooting around on his back, pushing with his feet, and even rolling onto his side for a good week now.  Tonight he made some big moves toward rolling all the way from his back to his stomach and then it just happened.  It was so fun to see him hit a milestone like that :) but we thought it was just a fluke.  So, we just put him on his back again and kept playing.  And...he did it again!!  Well now you know I had to try to get a video.  He doesn't like to cooperate when the camera is in his face so I had to be incognito :)

After a couple tries we got him making his move...

Maybe next week we'll try for the hats :)

Mommy Monday :)

I made it back to Monday this week...

I've been thinking all week about what to blog on...Funny Faces...Fast Asleep or Not?...Football Time...Fancy Hats...and then tonight happened.

Just the thumb :)

Both Richard and I had long days.  I got home first and made a quick dinner because we were planning to spend the evening at the Bekin's farm for a hayride and pumpkins.  When Richard got home we decided not to go.  I was finishing dinner so while Richard changed, he put Cooper in the Jumperoo that Aunt Ashley and Uncle Chris are letting us bring to Grandma and Grandpa's.  Cooper really likes it because his feet touch the floor and he bounces and it lights up and makes music.  He was having so much fun that neither of us wanted to pull him out of it to eat.  So we made our plates up and both popped a squat on the kitchen floor and ate a "picnic" dinner right there in front of him while we played.  We spent so much time down there that I needed help getting up.  But it will be a night I won't soon forget!!

YES - his thumb is stuck in the paci!

Now he is cuddled up by Daddy enjoying his thumb while Dad has some ice cream.  What a great family evening...

Mommy Wednesday??

Yup that's right...Mommy missed Monday and she is stealing today from Daddy.  He's not feeling well so I get the blog for today.

Let me take you back to Sunday...

My mom was in town and made us a big family dinner at my grandparents.  When that happens, this is how we all look after...

After a bunch of naps, we took a trip to Vander Mill Cider Mill to get some apple cider and pumpkins...
  

Donkey came too :)



 

 

Even though it was cold, we had a fun time with our little pumpkin!!

Mommy Monday

Today was the end of a very busy weekend and the start of a very busy week.  This past Saturday I had the pleasure and privilege to not only attend but also to teach an elective at the Harvest Bible Chapel Spring Lake Women's Conference.  The conference focused on placing Jesus FIRST in all areas of our lives.  Because Richard works on Saturdays, we needed a place of Cooper to stay for the day.  We decided to ask Uncle Bob, Aunt Christy, Mady, and Andrew.  Andrew had a football game and Cooper got to be his #1 fan...and his team WON.  Here is a picture from the after "party" :)

I worked today (my normal day off) because tomorrow my mom aka Grandma Teresa comes to town.  We are all meeting in Grand Rapids to get a gift for Uncle Chris and Aunt Ashley's baby in the tummy, Parker.  It's no secret, we are all going together to get their crib from Babies R Us.  The shower is technically on Thursday, but there is really no sense in making two trips to GR, right?  So my mom comes in tomorrow and tomorrow night we are blessed to host some dear friends who trusted the Lord's leading 2-years ago now and became "missionaries" in England, the Lothamer Family.  We will be joined along with them by some other supporters from Harvest Spring Lake.  Then Wednesday is baby shower prep.  Thursday baby shower.  Friday, Saturday, Sunday - Grandma time sure to include good food and fun times.  But all in all very busy.  So tonight, we just hung out and let Cooper play for the first time in his Exersaucer...thanks to the Harvest Ladies for this great gift...

 

Mommy Monday

Adoption Associates Gala

This evening, our family has been chosen to be the highlighted as the domestic family for 2012 at the Annual Change a Life—Change the World Gala.  This year's theme is "What is Adoption"

This night is not only a fundraiser for the four main initiatives of the agency, but also a celebration of the forever families and the commitment these families show as they walk the adoption journey. The fundraising initiatives include supporting birth mother outreach and education; humanitarian aid to international orphanages and children in surrounding villages; grants for adoptive families who wish to adopt but don’t have the means; and lastly an endowment fund used for the long lasting perpetuity of the agency and its mission.  Their focus on birth mother education and support was the main reason that Richard and I chose Adoption Associates to assist us in adopting Cooper.

As part of the event, our family will be on stage as the Executive Director reads a short bio about our family/adoption.  As many of you know, we created a 10 post Adoption Journey as part of this blog.  When the marketing director ask me for a "short" bio, she didn't have a clue how HARD that would be for me.  But in the end I was able to trim it down to one page (about twice as much as the other family!!)  As the bio is being read, they asked for some pictures that could be scrolled across the screen.  These are the ones we chose...

 

 

 

They are also going to ask us what adoption means to us.  Here is our answer...

"To us Adoption is Faith.  We trusted the Lord throughout this process and He was gracious to give us an amazing journey and a beautiful baby boy and we are thankful for His Faithfulness"

God started us on this journey and he will carry it unto completion!!

Mommy Monday

The Mind of a Mom

So last night I came to the realization that my mind has transitioned to that of a Mom!!  This came after a 1:00 am feeding.  I thought these were behind us since Cooper had been sleeping so well for the least few weeks.  When he woke up it was around 12:50 am and I thought to myself "he can't be hungry"...a few other thoughts like maybe he got scared or cold went through my mind.  So I got up and rocked him for a few minutes which seemed to help.  So I laid him back down - CRY!  Then I tried to rock with the pacifier - he calmed down again so I laid him in the crib - CRY!  So I tried to give him the pacifier in the crib (this is something we never do by the way) - still more crying.  I don't know why I forget that he really only cries when he is hungry...maybe because it was 1:00 am.  So I made a bottle and fed him - 3 ounces and he was back to sleep.  Apparently, he just needed to be topped off :)

Here is where the Mind of a Mom set in...I went back to bed and laid down and thought "hmmm his blanket was kind of bo-jangled...maybe I should get up and straighten it...what if it gets tangled around something and cuts off the circulation...it's thin enough that if he gets it up around his face he can breathe through it...I hope he is warm enough if he's not fully covered...should I just get up...no he is fine just go to sleep"  Mind you that all the while Richard is sleeping soundly beside me :)

In the end I just fell asleep without getting up and he was absolutely fine - he woke up again at 5:00 am for another feeding (the best Dada ever took that one!!).

When I got up this morning it occured to me that just as little as a few short months ago that if I woke up in the night it was because I had to go to the bathroom or Richard was snoring in my face.  Getting back to sleep then might have meant reminding myself of a few things I needed to do the next day or getting Richard to turn the other way.  But now just a few short months later I have another human being to think about.  And not just any human being, but our son who has stolen my heart and put it in his pocket for safe keeping.

Let me tell you that the Mind of a Mom is not only evident in the middle of the night.  I think it will be there forever and always.  Like now when I'm packing the diaper bag for a trip or making sure his laundry is done and bottles are washed...or in about a year when he is toddling around and I am thinking about all the things that need to be moved up out of a toddlers reach...or a year or so after that when I'm wondering if he needs to go potty so we keep on the right track with big boy undies...or how he is doing on his first day of kindergarten...or if that tackle hurt when he plays his first football game...or if he is eating that special lunch I made on his first day of middle school...or if he is safe on his first day of driver's training...or if he has butterflies as he is walking up to get his diploma...or if she said YES on the night he proposes to that special girl God has chosen just for him.  The Mind of a Mom does not rest and I'm so very thankful to have one!!

So excited to growth with him in all that God has in store...

Mommy Monday

Well normally I will be home with Cooper on Mondays.  However, today I decided to work.  Why you say...well it's because on Wednesday when Richard would normally be home with him and I would be working, Cooper has a doctor visit.  I just couldn't talk myself into being OK with missing this one because they will be giving him his first set of vaccinations.  I think I will be more sad than he will so I just need to be there!!

That meant that today Cooper got to spend the day with Great Grandma Dorothy.  She just loves him so much which makes it just a tad bit easier for me to leave him and go to work.  Well actually, Richard is technically the one to "leave" him since he drops him off in the morning, but you get the idea.  As a bonus today, Grandma had an eye doctor visit so Cooper got to spend some time with Great-great Aunt Jane (my Grandma's sister) - Thanks so much for helping Aunt Jane!!

Cooper had a great day and mine got even better as soon as I was out of work and home with him.  Something not so new that he has been perfecting the past couple days is thumb sucking.  The night he was born he already got his thumb in his mouth and enjoyed some suckle time.  But since then it has been hit and miss, especially since he is an active little guy and flails his arms around.  Now that he is getting a little older (9 weeks tomorrow) he is improving and has been getting that thumb in more often...

The night he was born :)

Trying...

Almost...

VICTORY!!

I also have to share just a couple pictures from yesterday...Dada and Cooper watched their 1st NFL game together (or maybe that was the back of their eyelids)

Go Lions!



Big Strrrrrrrretch!!...even the monkey was laid out :)



Next Monday will be my first official working Mommy Monday - until then - Enjoy!

Mommy Monday

Happy Labor Day to all my faithful followers!!

Before I talk about today, I have to go back to yesterday.  Our church, Harvest Bible Chapel Spring Lake, started having two services yesterday.  So for the 1st service at 8:30 - we checked Cooper into the nursery for the first time with our good friends Roger and Julie Helms...

 

 and Sammy started his first day in the middle school JAM group so Mr T shared Donkey with him for a picture too :)

After church we took a quick rest before getting ready to go to our niece's, Mady's, birthday party.  We were supposed to be at the party at 5 pm which meant we should leave home by 4:00.  So by 3:55 pm we had Cooper in his car seat and we were finishing up our final preparations and feeling victorious.  Then all of a sudden Coop started grunting and made a big poop...needless to say we didn't get out the door until 4:10!  Really becoming parents :)

Mady's birthday was fun - here are a couple pictures...


Coop and the birthday girl





Lovin on Uncle Bob & Aunt Christy



On to today...we had a family dinner today at my cousins Rena and Edd's house.  Edd makes a fabulous pasta called Harvesters.  It is a big family hit and we are always excited to be invited.  The Curry house has a pool and Cooper took his first swim today...

 

Swimming wiped him out

 

Daddy having fun with the shark towel

Mommy too

What a SUPER fun time with our guy!!

Tomorrow I start back to work 2 days a week for the month of September.  My grandma will have Cooper on Tuesdays and he will be home with Daddy on Wednesdays.  I know he will be fine, but Momma might be more than a little sad.  Pray that I will fall right back into my job and not miss Coop too much!!

Tadbit Tardy Tuesday

So if you are keeping track, I missed my first Mommy Monday yesterday.  Cooper and I had a quiet and productive day at home together...a shower, laundry, feedings, diaper changes, dishwasher, play time and a nap.  And then in the evening we had dinner out at the Wisen's.  After we ate, we spent some time on the deck and Cooper ate a great big 7 ounces...then we took him home but before he would go to bed he had to eat again (another 2 ounces)...what a big guy!!  It was a great day, but I got so caught up in being a mom that I forgot to post...

It was convenient though, because today Cooper is 6 weeks old!

Now he is really starting to develop a personality and interacting during play time.  My favorite new thing to do is the gitcha gitcha gitcha game - check it out

OK so maybe Daddy and I like it alittle more than he does, but sometimes it gets him to grin really big.  Love his SMILE!!

We had another big weekend, as this past Saturday we went to Grandma and Grandpa Hulst's for a little party for Cooper.  The theme was "Gone Fishing".  It was really cute!  Cooper got to meet some of his great aunts and uncle, we ate good food, had family fun, and everyone enjoyed seeing and cuddling with Coop.  Because we already have so many clothes and such, Grandma recommended that we have a formula/diaper party - what a great idea because we are stocked up again!!  Our digital camera is on the fritz so I didn't get any pictures, but Aunt Heather got a bunch that I will try to share later.

Then on Sunday we went up to my dad's after church and had a family dinner.  This was the first family dinner that Richard and I have ever attended at my Dad and Sara's.  So it was new for us, but just another day for Cooper.  It was nice for him to spend time with Grandpa Dan and Grandma Sara and good for Richard and I to acclimate to visiting.  I am so excited for all the things that my dad will teach Cooper.  Like how to fix cars and how to soften up a brand new baseball glove, and what a proper camping trip is like!!  This little guy has really affirmed that God has been leading me toward admitting that I played a part in staying away so long due to holding bitterness and unforgiveness in my heart.  God is the one who led me to a place of forgiveness and I had a wonderful afternoon with my dad and Sara and my brothers and of course Ashley and Noah.  Feeling sorry that we have missed out on these times in the past, but happy to make amends.  So we will be visiting again soon.  Ps - thanks Aunt Ashley for letting us borrow our camera until we decide which one we want to purchase in the near future.  Oh and I'm not sure why we didn't get any pictures of Grandma Sara - next time for sure :)

Tonight, Richard and I went out for dinner as part of the Bekin's Birthday Celebrations.  It was nice to have a "date night".  Knowing that Cooper was getting SPOILED by great grandpa and grandma made it even more fun for us to be away for an evening.  But it was also wonderful to come home and have a little play time before bed...

So much for Mommy Monday this week...hope you have enjoyed Tardy Tuesday :)