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Unbelievable! Cooper is 21 months old and today while we were reading his Dora book he counted to 6 all by himself. I suspect he can get to 10 with a little help and encouragement. Pretty cool!

We've had a busy couple of weeks leading up to Christmas. On the 6th we had the SJAM Christmas party. Peter plays Santa every year for the staff member's kids. There were 41 kids to see this year. I was unsure how Cooper would react to "Santa" but he totally bought into the beard and in NO way did he suspect it was his Daddy. He even went up for a second sitting in Santa's lap. Too cute.

On the 13th we went to the Fire Hall to drop off unwrapped toys for kids in need. I had called ahead to see if they would be willing to tour us through the station and see the Fire trucks. They were very obliging and went we got there we were greeted by our new friend "Firefighter Jeff" who spent 40 minutes showing Cooper the trucks and all the other cool stuff. It was SO fun. We'll definitely go back in years to come.

Christmas isn't here yet and it's already been an exciting and festive month. So much more excitement to come.

Things I never want to forget

There's so much that happens in a day with Cooper and I always think - I've got to write this down...but life is busy and I don't always get to it. Take this morning for example. When I went in to get him up for the day I said "good morning" and he said "morning mommy" - too cute. Then when I was getting him dressed I said "can you say 'love you mommy'?" and he said "love you mommy" but then added "all day long" which is something that I say to him. I cried it was so cute.

Other things:

• His cute little high-pitched voice when he says things like "baby Jesus" and "bless you Mommy"
• The first time he learned how to catch snow flakes on this tongue and in his hands
• The sheer delight on his face when he's coming down the hill on a sled with his daddy
• The bursts of laughter when daddy is spinning him around or playing with him
• The way he walked around in circles in and out of his "fort" that I had built for him in the living room
• How much he loves to run around naked after bath
• How quickly he picks up words...he devours new words like a delicious food

As a subscript...after I finished writing this blog I went downstairs. Cooper was contently watching a cartoon...sitting on the floor cross-legged. Suddenly he stood up and came over to me and said "Mommy" and then gave me a huge hug. Random acts of affection...I'll take it!

It's been too long

I keep thinking...I've got to write something in the blog...I've got to write something in the blog!!! Cooper has been growing and changing SO much and I don't want to forget these stages. We've had a very busy but good fall...and time slips by so quickly. I can say that we are enjoying most moments - I just need to remember to write them down. Here' some of the high lights of the fall:

Sentences - Cooper is stringing words together. His first "sentence" was "Pumpkin...where are you???" in reference to the giant lawn decoration that our neighbor across the street had up for Halloween...Cooper used to like to look at it every night before bed. He also says things like "thank you Mommy", "bless you Mommy", "Daddy - where are you???", "Moon up high" and the list gets bigger every day. It's pretty adorable.

First Hair Cut - we finally had Cooper's curly locks cut off in September. I found a place through a friend where the woman charges by age so Cooper's first haircut was $1. He put up a fight but at the end of the day the cut turned out great.

Big Toys - We have been SO lucky to get so many great toys from our friends. This past summer and fall we have acquired a chalk board, wagon, house for the back yard, sandbox, tricycle, and a ride-in Monster truck...the list goes on and on and we are so blessed to have such generous people in our lives.

Halloween - We managed to get out and do some trick-or-treating this year. Cooper dressed up as a Dolphin and was a hit with the neighbors. We went out at 6pm and just visited about 7 homes on the street. Jennie and Peter came over and watched the door while Peter and Cooper and I hit the street. It was SO much fun and Cooper seemed to enjoy himself.

Independence - Cooper is definitely testing boundaries and looking for ways to be independent. This is sometimes a good thing and sometimes it results in a full blown struggle. We have had to initiate "time out" for those particular days when the power struggles result in hitting. He's very remorseful in those moments...especially when he's given a minute in the "penalty box". Overall these times are challenging for both him and us...but he's a really good little boy and it's good to see him growing intellectually and pushing limits.

"See Poop" - Cooper has become fascinated with pooping and peeing. I think in part this has to do with the fact that Grace who he goes to daycare with was potty training this fall. I started showing him his poop when I would change him because I had read that kids are sometimes traumatized when they see their poop in the potty for the first time - I wanted him to know what is coming out of him. This was quite interesting to Cooper and made diaper changes interesting.

Parade Season - We took Cooper to the Thanksgiving parade on Oktoberfest weekend. He REALLY loved it and especially liked the marching bands. We'll be taking him to see the Santa Claus Parade this weekend and are really looking forward to it.

Mommy Says...Cooper and I play all sorts of games in the car. I was asking him one day what different animals say..."What does a horse say" and he would respond "neighhhhh" and this would go on and on. I decided to ask him "what does Mommy Say" to which he replied "Love" and since then whenever I ask him what mommy, daddy, cooper, Gramps, Nan, Grandma, Papa etc. say - he always responds "love you". This really says it all - Cooper is SO loved.

Can't always get what you want....

Although I think that for the most part we are trying to teach Cooper that he can't always get what he wants when he wants it (even if he says please) it's sometimes true for Peter and I too. Sometimes we want to go for a family walk...or take Cooper out in the wagon...or play in the back yard and he just doesn't want to play along. We took him to see Mighty Machines over the weekend. He loves the show and loves all things mechanical but to be honest he didn't seem to really enjoy himself at the live event. Part of the problem was that the little ones were allowed to go up into the big machines and honk horns so it was VERY noisy and Cooper was a little scared. We wanted him to like it...I even think that he wanted to like it, but overall he was much happier away from the noise digging in the sandpit and playing with a beach ball. Better luck next time I guess!

First Haircut

Today was Cooper's first haircut. We probably put it off a little longer than we should have but it was hard to say good-bye to those gorgeous blonde curls! Just recently it started to get a bit unruly and on a daily basis he was coming home from daycare with things like syrup and sunscreen in it. I took him to this little "hole in the wall" salon in Kitchener that our friend recommended. The woman there is really great with kids and charges by their age - so Cooper's first haircut was $1. He fought a good fight while his hair but being cut but Cecelia the hairdresser stuck with it and in the end he got a really great cut. He looks a lot more like a little boy now...but still our sweet cute little Cooper.

Sweet life

Life is so grand that some days I really have to pinch myself. Cooper is doing just amazing. We just came through a bit of a rough week where I think he was getting another tooth - that was not fun because he was uncomfortable and all around pretty touchy...but even when he's touchy he's still pretty amazing.

He's really getting concepts like "fun" and "love" and every day we'll ask him..."did you have fun today?" and he'll say "swimming" and we'll say "who did you go swimming with? and he'll say "Kim" which is our neighbor with the pool. We also ask him "Cooper - who loves you?" and he'll say "Nan"...and we'll say "who else?" and he'll say "Daddy" and we'll keep going and going until he's said everyone (Gramps, Grandma, Papa etc.)

We've had a really fun summer with Cooper from trips to the beach to boat rides to hanging out at the cottage...life is just SO sweet!

Holy crap this kid is fearless!

Just spent a lovely day at Victoria Park in the splash area. The first time we went I thought for sure that Cooper would be afraid of the fountains of water - boy was I wrong - he LOVED it and we ended up leaving the park with a sopping wet toddler...no change of clothes...no towel!

This time we were more prepared and Cooper had a blast. He ran from one station to the next and even learned how to push the buttons to turn on some of the fountains. He was so happy...and soaked and we all had a lot of fun. He's just a delight to watch!

Tonight when I was getting him ready for bed, I was brushing his hair (his long locks!) and he was holding a book in his hands that has opposites in it. He turned to the one page and said "loud" without me even asking him or prompting him. He turned the page and got "dirty" right, as well as "heavy and light"...scary! He's like a sponge and he's getting a lot more than I thigive him credit for! Today for example I said "duck shit" in front of him and he tried to say it back to me...time for mommy to start self-editing!

J

Holiday High

I've been on holidays for a week now and my time with Cooper and Peter has been divine. Being on holidays together reminds me in some ways of the time we had last summer when I was on maternity leave and Peter was off for the summer. It as a crazy time at points because we had a "newborn" but it was also a lazy time - we really enjoyed the simple life last summer!

This holiday is a good mix of fun and relaxation. We headed to the beach first for a couple of days at the Oakwood Inn with Nan and Gramps. They were thrilled to have us come, and I am thrilled to be able to share my childhood holiday destination with Cooper. We had a great time splashing in the pool and digging in the sand. Overall a great time!

Cooper really enjoyed the pool and was great with wearing his lifejacket - no fussing what-so-ever! He likes to "jump" in the pool (from seated position) and kept saying "gan...gan...gan" which we finally figured out means "again!"

He was a complete ham in the restaurant and really mastered the art of the "high 5" during dinner...as well as the "cheers" between sips of his bottle. He was a riot and a really great little traveller. He slepted beautifully and overall we had a wonderful time and look forward to many happy memories in the "Bend" with our happy family!

J

The shoe on the other foot...

Tonight Cooper was upset in the bathtub which is very unlike him. He was likely overtired and was crying and calling for his Daddy even though I was right there with him and ready to comfort him. Usually Cooper wants me if he's upset and although I'm sensitive to how this must make Peter feel at times I realized tonight when the waterworks turned off at the mere sight of Daddy - that being on the other side kind of smarts!

Bathtime turned out to be a bit of a flop overall tonight, however he finally calmed down enough for a couple of stories and a sit with Mommy. I have to admit though that my usual energy wasn't in the storytime (I didn't even alter my voice for the characters!) and that my feelings were kind of hurt from his previous freak out. It seems ridiculous to say and I know that he's only 16 months old - but Cooper hurt my feelings a little bit tonight. Ouch!

One thing I have thankfully learned on this journey is that "tomorrow is a new day" and I look forward to seeing my sweet little boy's smiling face when I go in to get him ready for his day.

Simply the best

I find that I really need to make sure that I'm paying attention all of the time now with Cooper. 1 - for his personal safety of course, and 2 - for the very fact that if I blink I might miss something.

One of our most common phrases around the house right now is "did he just say...?" because every day Cooper is communicating with us more and more. He's learning to say "please" and says it quite eagerly whenever he wants something. At first we didn't know that was what he was saying because it sounded more like "PEEZ!" but eventually we figured it out. He also says bulldozer (bull-doh-doh), back hoe, and digger - and it appears that he knows the difference between the 3 - can't say for certain because Peter and I don't know the difference between them!

He's also got a fantastic sense of humour. The other night at bathtime he was playing around me while I was filling his tub. I left him in the bathroom for a second to grab his towel - he was standing fully clothed by the tub and I figured the worse trouble he could get into would be to throw all of his bath toys into the water. My mistake! When I returned to the bathroom a nano-second later, Cooper was standing in the tub - he'd somehow managed to climb in. He was in the big tub standing next to his little tub and he was SO proud of himself. He giggled and giggled and so did I. I kept asking him "how did you do that" and he would laugh and laugh. I still have no idea...but lesson learned!

Had a great long weekend with Cooper and am looking forward to celebrating Canada Day tomorrow with him. We took him to Victoria Park on Sunday and had a great time on the slides and swings. He's pretty fearless and we love it (ok it makes me a little nervous but I'm dealing with it!)

JK

Mini-me

It's such a funny time now with Cooper because he's really into copying us. He loves to pretend to talk on the phone and he's taken an interest in "mini furniture" or furniture that is just his size.

When I was home visiting my parents over the weekend with Coop, my mom was so great and put out my old table and chair from when I was a little girl - it used to be her table and chair. I didn't think that Cooper would really be into it but he LOVED to sit in the chair and eat his snacks or "talk" on the phone. Too cute!

For the trek home I decided to borrow my friend's portable DVD player. The ride is almost 3 hours long which is a really long time for a 1 year old. I had picked up a Mighty Machines DVD from the library but I didn't put it on until he started to get "squirmy." He was delighted and just watched the show intently. A truly great invention.

Bringing up a good citizen...

I worry sometimes (ok - all the time) about Cooper's future and if Peter and I will make all the right choices to put him on the path to being an outstanding citizen of the world. A pretty heavy load on my shoulders - but I want to do my part to get Cooper there.

Lately I've struggled with what to do about Cooper's "temper." Don't get me wrong - he's an amazing little boy and for the most part he's happy and sweet...but I'd be lying if I didn't mention that at times (especially when he's over-tired or teething) Cooper can be a bit of a bear.

Take today for example - when I picked him up from daycare he greeted me with a happy squeal and a sticky hug. He was thrilled to see me. This changed however when I went to put him in his carseat. Not one to like to be confined...and going on only one nap, Cooper was not happy about the situation and his way of telling me was to "smack" me. I took his little hands in mine and said "NO...Mommy doesn't like it when you hit!"

He seemed to ponder this for a moment before he took another swipe...Urgh!

My tactic is to avoid rewarding bad behaviour, try to steer him away from a temper tantrum before it escalates, and teach him consequences when he does do something that's not very nice.

These are the tougher moments and I know they are only going to get tougher - so even though I don't always think he understands the message I am conveying - some day he'll get it and for now it's good practice.

JK

Magic

I sometimes think that being the parent of a 1-year old is a lot like being a magician. First there's the smoke and mirrors tactics involved in the "art of distraction" - an exercise I participate in almost every day when Cooper is getting cranky or frustrated and needs to be diverted before he has a mini-meltdown.

Then there's the actual "magic" part of being a parent of a 1-year old. The pure delight and joy that he experiences when I do the slightest little tricks. Today for example I made myself "disappear" under a blanket and Cooper was thrilled to see me re-appear over and over again. I could have done it a hundred times and he would have had the same reaction - squeals of delight. I can also make toys disappear and reappear with the same enthusiastic results.

What a joy it is to be in a situation where the truly little things in life are like magic in Cooper's eyes.

JK

The runs...

I've always found it most challenging to "diagnose" Cooper when he's sick. We always run through a list of things...teething being at the top of the list and sometimes I think we blame teething for things that aren't teething related at all.



Just when we rejoiced over beating the chicken pox last week Cooper started to come down with syptoms on the weekend. He didn't have as great of an appetite and he had some pretty runny poop. He wasn't pooping all of the time...so I really thought the loose stool was all about the teething.

And if it wasn't that darn teething...Peter and I were convinced that it had to be that Cooper was a little "off" because of the massive heat-wave we had this week. Cooper didn't seem to like the heat and it was especially bad because our air conditioner was broken. Even though we spent time in friend's pools - the heat was really bothering him! He was crank-y!



Today I took him to see Dr. Neary because the loose poop has been going on since Saturday and it's now Thursday. It seems that Cooper's play-friend at daycare also has the "runs"...hmmm maybe teething is contagious! Dr. Neary is thinking that it's more like a stomach bug. Hopefully it clears up in the next few days - if not - Peter and I get to experience the joys of collecting a stool sample.



Meanwhile my little guy has certainly not been well this week. He's not super sick...just a little off. He's needing lots of extra cuddles - especially from Mom. Whatever he's going through...I hope it passes soon!





JK

Fridays with Cooper

I feel really lucky to be able to take Fridays off right now so that I can spend the day with Cooper. We don't have elaborate plans for the day usually, but we always have a lot of fun.

Cooper is really turning into a little boy. His vocabulary continues to expand - he says "all done", and "down" and has recently learned "bike", "pig", and "wow!" He loves to laugh and loves to make us laugh. If he knows we think something he is doing is funny, he continues to do it to keep the laughs going.

He's also getting more generous with the hugs and kisses. The other day when I picked him up from Betty's he gave me a hug and then when I picked him up he kissed me on the lips without being asked. Completely melted my heart! What a sweet boy we have!

J

PS - looks like we've dodged the Chicken Pox for now - I'll be booking the vaccination for next week!

Butterflies

Sometime towards 3:30pm every day I start to get antsy and can't wait to leave my desk and all my work behind. It's not because I'm tired, or bored, or under-stimulated - on the contrary, I'm loving being back at work! The restlessness comes from the very idea that in less than an hour I'll be walking up Betty's driveway to pick up Cooper.

Maybe I'll find him in the backyard on the swing or in the sandbox...or maybe like today I'll find him sitting quietly with Betty on the couch, reading a book. Maybe he'll be glad to see me, and maybe he'll be indifferent (depending on the cool toy he's discovered) but none of this matters because I'm there with him...sharing his space, his air...his intoxicating giggles - and there's no place I'd rather be. I actually get butterflies when I'm driving up Westmount Road - there's an excitement that I feel like when I first started dating someone - but only better and so much more rewarding!

Cooper is learning how to kiss now. He's also getting more generous with the hugs - it's the best thing in the world. Tonight he gave Peter one of those sloppy, open-mouth kisses that only a parent could love. The best thing ever!

JK

PS: Day 13 and no spots! We're almost in the clear on the Chicken Pox front!

Weeeeeeee!

My mom (Nan) was up visiting us in Waterloo. Her and Dad (Gramps) took care of Cooper while Peter and I went away for the night to celebrate our 4th anniversary. I'll get to that in a second. Nan and I took Cooper over to the park to go on the swings. As we started pushing Cooper he instinctually started to say "weeeeeeee" as he swung back and forth. Such uninhibited delight is a wonderful thing to be a part of!

Peter and I had our first night away from Cooper last night. We have been away individually (Peter several times and me only once) but never together. Nan and Gramps were happy to watch Cooper while we were away and it seems that Cooper was happy to have them here. They worked hard to tire Cooper out (and he is definitely tired today!) and it sounds like they played and played all day long! Gramps taught Cooper to pump his arm and "toot" like a truck - very funny...and apparently he's blowing kisses now too!

Peter and I had a great night away and were also glad to get home to our little guy! All around a great weekend!

J

PS: Still no spots!!!

Belly laughs

There's something so wonderful about being along for this ride called parenthood. I feel blessed to have the presence of mind to "stop" and smell the joyful moments and what I've discovered is that there's a lot to learn from a one year old! Everything that Cooper experiences is new and delightful in his eyes and at the age of 35 I have the pleasure of recapturing some of this youthful pleasure through his innocence.

Walking in grass barefoot...seeing a school bus...being licked by a dog...or noticing your own belly button for the first time are the gifts that Cooper is sharing with us each and every day and it's magical.

Yesterday Cooper stood in front of the mirror and held his shirt up so he could see his belly. He laughed and laughed as he patted it and I think he was making the connection that his "little friend" in the mirror is actually him. Very cool!

JK

PS: One "spot" on his shoulder tonight during bath time - could be a blemish...I hope he doesn't wake up with more...the morning with tell!

All choked up...

So this morning after Cooper finished his breakfast he was sitting on daddy's lap enjoying some of his pita while Peter read the paper. I was fixing my lunch and heard a weird gagging sound coming from Cooper. A piece of pita had lodged in his throat and he was starting to choke. I yelled "he's choking" and Peter quickly turned him over and "patted" his back until the piece came loose. I then fished it out of his mouth - needless to say Cooper was not impressed with us.

This experience was unsettling and made me realize that although I was a lifeguard in the early 1990's that doesn't mean that I remember my lifesaving skills today - much like I couldn't do a "stride jump" or swim 60 lengths anymore either... Soooo I've done a little research and have discovered a company out of Toronto that comes into your home to teach infant and child first aid and CPR. I'm going to make a little party out of it and invite over some other moms.

I know that there's many bumps, bruises, and accidents ahead, but hopefully this course will make me a little more confident to deal with things and keep a "cool head" - yah right!

JK

PS - no chicken pox yet!

I love being a mom!

Call it cliche but I REALLY dig this mom-gig and I want to share my simple yet delightful experiences far and wide. Like today for example - Cooper who is now 14 months old has started to dance. He turned on some music (supplied by his Leap Frog toy) and started to sway in a circle. Not only cute but proves beyond a doubt that bad "white guy" dancing is more nature than nurture!

We found out that a child at Cooper's daycare had come down with the chicken pox. We are only a month shy of getting the vaccination but there's not much we can do. We'll just have to cross our fingers and hope that if he does get them that he won't be too sick with them!

JK