no nap=tired Cooper

Cooper naps everyday with no problem, in fact I think he looks forward to his naps somedays.  At preschool they all lay down for quiet time and often Coop is still asleep when I pick him up.  Last Tuesday, his daily report sheet said he didn't nap, I just assumed it was a mistake.  That is until I was fixing dinner and couldn't find Coop, here he was seconds from a full snooze.  I quickly whisked him up and started a dance party afraid that if he went to sleep at 6, he would be back up at 9 ready to party.

So, this week I asked his teachers about his non-nap day.  They laughed and said they have learned that Cooper and his BFF Meghan can't lay next to one another at nap time...neither one slept that day because they chatted the whole time.  What could have they talked about for over an hour?  Would love to know!

Elf on the Shelf

Elf on the Shelf made his way into our house this year and I don't know who was more excited, Adam and I or  Cooper (definitely not Laney or Lola!).  I put the Elf and his book on the front porch, rang the doorbell and slipped back inside.  Cooper l-o-v-e-s when the doorbell rings, always thinks it's someone coming to visit him!  He was equally confused and excited upon seeing what was on the doorstep.  

He was very intrigued by this little elf!

We read the book that arrived with him-did Cooper really get it?  No, but his wheels are definitely turning over it, that's for sure!  

When it came time to name him, Adam and I were throwing out some suggestions but Coop was stuck on one name...Nineey (phonetically spelled, I think?).  Long story short...this is also the word Coop has been using for months when he doesn't know an answer to a question or just doesn't want to give one.

So, Nineey it is and he has been sitting in a new place (almost) every morning watching over Cooper's behavior.  You better believe Adam and I are using Nineey to our advantage every chance we get!  

ps-Coop is naked for a few reasons...he had just got out of bath, despises getting dressed and it was still warm here that day/night.

Dress Up

Thanks to Laney's grandparents we got to have our first round of dress up today!  

 First up...naked cowgirl!  Mamaw made this hat for Laney, too cute!

 She hasn't quite mastered the Bumbo even though it appears she does in the pic...5 seconds later she was toppled over in it.

 Aloha my little hula dancer!  Grandma and Grandpa brought this back straight from Hawaii!  When I saw it, I thought..."how fun, that could be the theme of her 1st birthday!"  Yeah, that skirt isn't going to fit in 9 months!

Cooper was my assistant, he was dressed up as Batman...lame costume I know, but he was perfectly happy about it!  In this picture all he wanted to do was spin Laney in her rocker...I think they look just alike here...is it just me?

3 Months!

Ok, so it's more like 3 1/2 months-just kept forgetting to take her pictures for the post!  Laney actually shared her 3 month birthday with Dad's 30th!  His birthday is 11-24-81 and she is 8-24-11...kind of fun and totally unplanned!  So, at 3 months here is what our sweet Laney Faith is up to...

-She is still nursing, usually 6 times a day

-Goes to bed around 11ish and I usually wake her up in the 8 o'clock hour.  On the weekends lately both of our kids (and us) have been sleeping until 9:30ish.  Feel very blessed to have another good sleeping baby!

-With it getting cold, I still swaddle her up but she is usually kicked out of it by morning!

-Getting stronger at tummy time, but if we aren't actively engaging her she will just fall asleep.

-Smiling so, so much!  Our favorite is her smiles when she wakes up in the morning...just the best!

-Likes to play pat-a-cake (We sing it over and over and over again and Cooper names the person the cake is for :)) and have her feet kissed on!

-Definitely has cradle cap (working on that) but hard to see under all that wild dark hair.

-Starting to watch Cooper a lot

note to self - I should really start recording some things when they happen instead of trying to recall the whole month in my mind at almost midnight!

 love this-it's like she is reading my mind..."3 months already!!!"

 love those blue eyes and that double chin!

my favorite!!!!!!

Adam's 30!!!

Adam shared his birthday with Thanksgiving this year, so we really got to celebrate all week and weekend long...my kind of birthday :).  I knew I wanted to do something special for him (i seriously love celebrating birthdays...and not just my own ;)).  I had sent an email to family and friends asking them to send me a birthday card for Adam with their favorite memory.  I ended up receiving 30...how perfect!  Starting in the morning, I gave Adam one every half hour.  They were so fun to read and I think they will be 10 times funnier to read on his 40th, 50th, 60th bday and beyond-I hope Adam enjoyed it as much as I did!  The Friday after Thanksgiving I talked him into going out to dinner-he had a looong night celebrating the night before which made me nervous that he wouldn't want to leave the house!  But, all the pieces fell into place...we went to dinner, his brother texted him to meet them at Wil Jenny's for a drink before heading home and SURPRISE!  I think he was surprised...were you really Adam (i know you are/will be reading)?  It was such a fun night with a great group of people!!!!!!!!!!!!  Thanks to all who participated and helped us celebrate Adam!

 The Jones/Zicks/McCormacks and a McKenzie ;).  Please note Kyle and John's shirts...just the beginning of their party pranks!

 My fam...the rest were still living it up in Hawaii

Can't believe this is the 9th birthday I have celebrated with Adam!

Adam and his college BFFs :)

The Jones'

KC Plaza Lights

You know how when something is great in your own city, you don't take advantage of it like you should?  For example, I was born and raised in Kansas City, but in my 30 years have never seen the Plaza Lights ceremony in person!  Well, I can now check that off my list of things to do!  Our niece Ava-Grace and her dance company were a big part of the pre-show so it was a great reason to see her and the lights!  There was about 20 of us so we decided to rent a trolley and it was so much fun!  The little boys were dancing machines and of course, Cooper had an eagle eye out for diggers on the highway.  As I mentioned before the weather couldn't have been more perfect-we wore coats and were totally comfortable all night.  In fact, the kids kept wanting to take their coats off!

 All of sudden Cooper grew in hair and we have no idea what to do with it!!!!

 Helloooo trouble

 As I mentioned in the Thanksgiving post, Laney stayed back with family.  Definitely not a good place for a newborn!

 Dad's shoulders worked overtime

When not on their Dad's shoulders, the kids hung out (literally) on the fence in front of stage.

 Our dancing queen, Ava-Grace!

 Ta-Da, so pretty!  Look at all the cameras/phones, there were mobs of people!

 Uncle Kyle and Aunt Maggie

 No better way to wrap our visit than with a firetruck spotting!

 Some serious birthday partying followed the trolley ride...at least for the guys.

A good end to a fun day!

Thanksgiving

The day before Thanksgiving we embarked on the shortest leg of our Thanksgiving journey...STL to KC.    Thanksgiving was extra special this year because it was also Dad's 30th Birthday!  It was a busy day as you will see in the pictures, but oh so fun and the weather was beautiful-60's and sunny!! 

Adam and I are most thankful for our healthy and happy children-we feel so blessed to have them in our lives and do our best to soak up every minute.  This week I was so thankful that Adam has a job that allows him to take a week of vacation with us to really get to visit our families and not just for a weekend trip.  If you asked us, we would say Cooper is most thankful for his blanket, thumb, and trucks/diggers.  And for Laney, well she is probably most thankful for my milk (tmi?? :)).  

 Happy 1st Thanksgiving Laney Faith!

   We had lunch with the Jones'-that we were late to, of course!  Adam's sisters pulled thru with a cake and candles to celebrate him!  And we got exciting news that the baby in Aunt Tanya's belly is a GIRL!  Yay for Laney ;), we can't wait to meet her in March.

Little Laney Faith was super loved, there was always willing hands to hold and play with her! 

 After lunch we headed south to Wea with my family.  However, half of them were missing as my parents and Alli and Rusty were in Hawaii for a wedding...we were all super jealous!  Laney and Gunner got to hang out :).

 Coop was too busy all day with his cousins to slow down enough to eat, let alone take a family pic with us!

 HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I think Cooper came in for about 5 seconds at Mama Kelly's house.  He was on the ranger seeing all the cows, horses and donkey and soaking up all the attention he gets!

Laney got to stay and hang out (thanks Mama, Aunt Kim and Aunt Trish) while Dad, Coop and I joined the Jones' down to the Plaza lights ceremony...more on that next!