My Angel Mother

Happy Mother's Day Mom.
I want you to know that I love and appreciate you very much. Thank you for all your selflessness and sacrifice in raising your 8 children. Although we are all grown up now with families of our own I thank you for what you have done, do at present and will do for me and my children. We are so excited to be moving back to Calgary so that our children can be around you more often.
I enjoyed the time you were here visiting us. I felt so loved and I am grateful for the support you gave to us, especially while Avery was in the hospital. I am blessed to have such a strong valiant Mother.



3 generations.



Cooper Day 4

We have been to Costco twice this week and they are doing some kind of construction in the parking lot. With construction usually comes heavy equipment and what little boy doesn't love a track hoe, front loader and the like. He saw them from a distance and got so excited. I told him after we were done we could go check them out. He was fascinated by them. He now says front loader and back hoe. It is so cute how he says them too. Now he looks out our front window and continuously says back hoe in hopes that one will pass by our house!
He was like that during the winter as well with the snow plow. Any time there was a loud vehicle he would point to the window and say "plow".
We also went down to the harbour today and saw the docked boats. He kept saying "hi boats" and really stressing the TS. He just makes me laugh so much. It is so great being his Mom. I love it. He makes me so happy. Both of my children do.

Cooper day 3

I have missed posting something about Cooper for both Tuesday and Wednesday. But you know what? I am not going to beat myself up for it. In all reality I don't think anyone else really minds. It was more for me but instead of blogging about it I am enjoying Cooper before he turns 2 and is no longer my baby but my toddler! We have had a really fun week so far. We have gotten out of the house more in this week then almost all the weeks combined since Avery has been born. The weather has been great. A little windy or actually a lot windy but the sun has been shinning.
This week we went on a hike which required some major off roading in the double stroller. I have been wanting to do this walk forever and I took the kids and finally did it. It turned out to be quite the adventure as the trail was a lot more rough than I expected. We had a good time though and our stroller didn't fall apart. I think I got some really great pictures.
Today we went for a walk at a large pond, looked at the ducks and a swan and played at a really great toddler park. I can't wait until Avery is big enough to play with Cooper. I think Cooper enjoys the park more when he has some friends to enjoy it with. We also did some shopping to get ready for Cooper's birthday party.
Here is the invitation.

He is into a lot of things right now and one of them is balls. So we are having a ball theme party. I will post pics after is all said and done.
I sure have enjoyed my little man this week. He is so fun to be with and listen to his talking. He says the cutest stuff.

Cooper. Day 2.

Cooper is a sweet little boy. He has a tender heart. Often when I discipline him he breaks down and starts to cry even before I am finished and will want to give me a hug and cuddle. I don't know if that is normal but please don't tell me if it is! I want to keep thinking he is a tender heart.
He has his days, I am not saying that he is perfect, but I appreciate his sensitivity and how for the most part he wants to make amends if he needs to.
I particularly am pleased with his relationship with Avery. He watches out for her. He is a great big brother. He always has a kiss and hug for her, tries to help her if she is crying, plays with her and even shares. She in turn adores Cooper. It is so amazing the connection these 2 have. I can't explain it in words as to how it makes me feel but I just love it and it makes me ubber happy. Seeing them together is one of those motherhood gems that makes all the hard times more than worth it.
It kind of reminds me of my older brother. I thought he was the best and he took good care of me when we were growing up. 
Being as Cooper loves his little sister he likes to share. Avery will be laying on the floor playing with one of her toys and Cooper will announce "share", which means I want to be down on the floor beside her. When I hear this I react quickly. If I don't Avery will end up with a portion of her body laid on or squished because Cooper has tried to lay beside her to squeeze into the area under the toy. (You will see what I mean in the pictures). I move her over and help Cooper get situated so that he doesn't knock her in the head with an elbow or lay on her arm. Avery's reaction is one of happiness and she loves it when Cooper comes to "share" with her, that is if he hasn't hurt her in the process of trying to share.



This is what we call the caterpillar. It is a small mat but big enough for 2 little bodies!




Cooper having a tender moment with his sister.



This one cracks me up. I wonder what is going through Avery's head. Maybe: "I am so lucky to have such a great big brother like you Cooper! Or: "you again, would you just leave me alone to play by myself already"!



One of his many little tender touches he has for his baby sister.





My sweet little ones. I am one happy Momma.



Avery is 4 months old today

Avery is becoming quite the little chunky monkey. Her cheeks have really filled out and she has so many rolls on her legs. It makes me smile. I like my babies to have some weight on them. Here are a few of the shots we took today. Not edited as beautifully as I would like but better up on my blog then not, right?



Loving those rolls to the bottom right of the picture!



She is tolerating tummy time better and better all the time. I can't believe how much better she is as lifting her head up in such a short time. We tried this last month and she couldn't lift her head very well at all. They grow too fast.

Cooper's almost 2!

To celebrate/mourn my Little Man turning 2 on May 8th I want to do a week of posts about him. To kick things off are pictures of him before and after a hair cut. Each time I cut Cooper's hair it gets a little easier, emotionally that is. Even though I once again lopped off all of his curls I wasn't wanting to bawl my eyes out after it was done. I am excited that soon I will be able to get pointers from my sister in law on how to do a better job.



BEFORE the hair cut. Such a cheesy grin. The only way I can get a picture of Coop these days is either with this grin or he is a blur running away.




TV face on. He hates his hair being cut so I have to A.) let him watch a movie while I do it (hence why the TV face) and B.) bribe him with candy.



AFTER (notice the candy outline around his lips? Smarties.) Still having TV face.



This is more his real smile, not the cheesy grin. I think he was at a part in the movie he really liked. He was watching Bambi.

 Our Little Man is sure a joy to us. He is really into Buzz and Woody from Toy Story right now. He tries to say the phrase that Buzz says "To infinity and beyond", but his way is more like "finy beyond". It is so cute. He also says helicopter, heli-cop-piter (which he is also really into). Once in a while we try and catch a glimpse of the Cougar helicopters that frequently fly over our house.  I guess you have to hear him say it to see how cute it is. He is growing up so fast. I can't believe where the time has gone. It feels like last month I was leaving work to go on mat leave. CRAZY.
Stay posted for more on Bubba as we call him. Funny thing, if you ask Cooper what his name is he says Bubba. It it hilarious.