6 months

August came and went and we are now into September!  As many of you know we spent early August moving to our new house and we can't be more happy.  We love that we are able to take walks in our neighborhood without being chased by random dogs!  Cooper has a swing on our porch and loves to spend the early evening outside while we are the garden.
Reid has spent the months preparing to take his comprehensive exams which begin tomorrow and will finish on September 28.  These exams he must pass in order to graduate...so good thoughts his way would be much appreciated!  As for me I am loving my job!  I am so very blessed to work with wonderful people and a wonderful congregation I serve.  They have welcomed our family with open arms.  We don't make it to church as often as we would like because Cooper usually naps between 11-130 most days.
On August 30 Cooper went for his 6 month check up and he is doing great.  He weighed in at 18lbs 8 oz and 26 inches long.  The doctor was very impressed with how social he is...Cooper loves people especially when they talk to him!  He had his shots and headed back to daycare.  Then that weekend we spent with the  family up in Albuquerque.  He got to see his great aunts and uncles as well as Cousin Sara and of course his Bubba and Weeva and Aunt A and Uncle Todd and his cousins Braeden and Paege.  We made it to see our special friends Ken, Pam and Savannah as well as Venus and her family and last but not least my dear friend Cindy...can you say busy weekend!  Cooper was a trooper and we all had a lovely weekend.
Cooper is loving food he loves a spoon and knowing that something yummy is coming to him off of it.  He has had squash, carrots, sweet potatoes, green beans, peas, peaches, apples, pears, bananas and out of all of it the only thing he didn't care for was the peas.  Yesterday we have begun to introduce the meats and we started off with Turkey and rice and he loved it as well.  I have allowed him to suck on a piece of apple as long as I am holding it and he can't get enough.  As for teeth there are none yet but he has been teething for a while now.  Each day I think today is the day but nothing yet!  He is doing really well with sleeping.  He usually takes a 7 oz bottle between 7-730 and sleeps until 630-730a and will have a 7 oz bottle.  I take him to Amber's house (daycare) around 8:10 and she has his cereal and juice ready for him.  She has three other kids she watches and her daughter Sydney is always there to help out.  So he gets alot of 1 on 1 time.  He usually has 2 or 3 5oz bottles for her plus a fruit and/or a veggies for lunch.  He usually naps two times at Amber's house and then we get home around 4pm and he will still take a 40 minute power nap and wakes just in time for dinner.  He is sitting almost completely by himself ( he would probably be fine by himself but I am not ready to move too far out of reach yet).  Cooper loves his jumper and the minute you say jump he begins to try to jump in your arms.  He is beginning to love books, usually can read 3 before he is bored and ready for something new.  His favorite toy would be his stuffed horse but will settle for anything that makes noise or fits in his mouth.  

4 Months

Waiting for the doctor at his 4 month checkup

I know I am a little late but here goes.  On June 27 Cooper turned 4 months...hard to believe!  We had his 4 month check up on the 26th and he is doing very well.  He weighed in at 15lbs and 23.5 inches long.  The doctor is very pleased with how he is progressing and said that he is very strong and was surprised at how well he holds his body weight. 
-On June 15 we got permission from the doctor to start cereal and Cooper has loved every bite!  He eats oatmeal in the morning and rice cereal at night and we have started introducing fruits/veggies during lunch.  Today we are trying squash for the first time and will continue it for the next week to see how he does.  So far he has had sweet potatoes, carrots and applesauce and has loved it all. 

Loving his cereal

-He has grown out of most of his 0-3 month outfits except for pants/shorts, poor guy still has short little legs and can still fit into newborn length pants. 
-Cooper has not rolled over from back to tummy yet, he tries so hard but no success yet.  He is loving tummy time more and more every day, he has begun the swimming motion and moves himself around by inchworming every where. 

Whatcha doin mom?

-He has started enjoying toys more and more, especially his stuffed horse.  I have a video that I caught him playing in his carseat which I will add at the end of this post.

-Cooper loves when people talk to him, he will give you the biggest smile he possibly can. 

-If he could be outside all day he would be a very happy baby.  Now that the temps have dropped a little I am able to take him outside to enjoy the breeze and watch the leaves move.

 

-Cooper was sleeping through the night consistantly but since he turned 4 months he seems to be waking up each night somewhere between 1-3am.  From everything I have read it seems to be very common.  Reid says I should let him cry himself to sleep but I am not ready for that step yet.  I usually go in and give him his pacifier and if needed I will rock him for a few minutes.  Although it is frustrating to get up that early with him after having a few months of sleeping through the night but I wouldn't trade the cuddle time for anything. 
-Since Cooper was born he has only been watched by family or his babysitter until now.  Last week we left him with close friends while we went and looked at a rental house, and he did so good.  We are blessed to have Dani and Bryce in our lives and are looking forward to their little girl's arrival in October...it will be Cooper's 1st little play buddy! 
-Cooper is such a happy baby and his smile can light up a room and we are so blessed to have him in our lives!

Okay enough for now, time to move on to the rest of the pictures and videos!

2 and 3 months old

Two months and three months has come and gone already!  Cooper has been doing great and we are so blessed to have him in our lives.  On Monday, April 30 he had his 2 month checkup and he weighed in at 11lbs 10ounces which is in the 80% percentile and is 22inches long which is in the 50th perecentile.  He is a healthy little guy and we love every bit of him!  He is cooing and smiling and starting to laugh...especially at mommy!  Reid loves to spend the first few minutes early in the morning with him, I guess that is guy's time.  He was sleeping through the night but over the last week has really started teething so he doesn't sleep as soundly and usually wakes up for a feeding.  We have been swaddling him every night but he continually breaks loose so I think our nights of swaddling are coming to an end.  Cooper loves being outside and seeing the leaves move and the feel the grass, but we have to be very careful since he is such a pale little guy.  Since birth he has had a head full of hair but most recently it has been falling out like crazy.  Although I am sad to see it go I am curious to see what color grows back in!  Since the beginning of June we have to be careful leaving Cooper alone because he has mastered the art of inch worming himself around and he is so close to rolling onto his belly from his back.  Since he was 3 weeks old he has been able to role from tummy to back which makes tummy time hard because when he is not wanting to be there he just turns.   In just a few short months Cooper has changed our lives and we can't imagine what life would be like without him. 
A little update on mommy and daddy:
Reid has finished another semester of classes and is spending his summer writing, writing and more writing.  He will be going to Phoenix in July for a meeting and then will return and prepare to take his Comps.  As for me I am happy to announce that April 23 I started a new job at University UMC and am SOOOOO happy!  I work 830-330 and it gives me more time to spend with Cooper and Reid, plus I am in a much healthier situation.  I am blessed to work with some amazing people and for a very special congregation that I have quickly come to love and call home.  
We have planted our garden, and thankfully the rabbits have not gotten into the yard so we should have lots of produce starting in the next few weeks.  Our hope is that we can make all of our own baby food, but we will see if it works out!   


And now to catch you up on photos:

Mommy going back to work

learning to talk to mommy

One of my favorites!  We were planting our garden and Cooper sat in the shade and I caught this series of photos

#2

#3

Daddy and Cooper at church

being a good boy for daddy

Cooper laughing at mommy

enjoying a baby Einstein video

Watching his first Nascar race

wearing one of cousin Braeden's outfits!

Cooper loves his blanket!

Mommy's new haircut!

hanging with daddy

Cousin Paege feeding Cooper

Camo cousins!

Cooper loves EVERYTHING in his mouth...thank you teething!

helping in the garden

enjoying the outside

grilling with daddy

Cooper's hair is falling out