Can you imagine?

Can you imagine Rob and I doing this at our wedding? This made me laugh so hard today I had to share it.

Santa!

I know it's not even December yet BUT...how can one resist seeing this little face with Santa? He was all smiles and laughing with Santa but when the camera was on him..it was all business. Wonder what he asked for? We are really in the Christmas spirit at our house and I am eager to watch Elf again this year. I love to replay it over and over again when Will Farrell finds out Santa is coming and yells "SANTA!"

Hope's half marathon and weekend fun

This morning we got up to cheer on Hope as she ran her half marathon. We enjoyed the cool morning breeze while sitting at an outdoor cafe while Hope ran her heart out. You can check out her blog for the details. We are in Christmas OVERDRIVE around here. Mom leaves for Kimmy's this Thursday so we have been decorating fools at my house. The mantel, the tree, the outside. Rob managed to hang the lights on the roof and not fall off so I am very happy. . Pictures of all our decorations to follow, if I weren't so lazy I'd take pictures now and post but..I watched a marathon this morning so I am tired! ha ha Cooper of course was the supervisor...watching us act crazy as usual!

Happy Thanksgiving

Doodie!

Doodie! This is the name Chrissy and I called each other since the 3rd grade. Why? I have no idea, but now 25 years later, she still yells it when I see her. Today we met up for lunch (yummie Pizzeria Uno's!) and visited with the kids. What a great day to spend time with old friends...the great kind of old friend that you don't have to say anything to, they just can read your mind and know what you are thinking and feeling. We had that kind of day and it was so nice to relax, chat and just.....be. Doodie isn't the only nickname our friends shared and I know Booger is out there reading this now (yes, Catholic school taught us all to great things!) ...so ...enjoy the pictures and memory lane. PS- In the 3rd grade pic, I am in the center of the picture, 4th from the right, under the teacher. Chrissy is top row, second on the right :) We've come a long way baby!

Focus

Focus and perspective are things we work on our entire lives. Keeping focus on our goals, keeping a perspective on life etc. This morning, I noticed Cooper is focusing so much better on objects and he gazed into my eyes for long periods of time while eating and playing with me today. This picture I snapped as he stared at his giraffe for what seemed like an eternity, without looking at me or losing his focus as I snapped pictures and questioned him "who's your little friend?" Interestingly enough, both Robin's blog and Laurie's blog talk about perspective and focus, focus on what we have in front of us today, be thankful and grateful and to be mindful of the days blessings and tasks, nothing more. With Thanksgiving this week, I woke up today not really in a holiday mood. My dad is now gone 3 months as of yesterday, Cooper is 2 months old today and thinking of these milestones brings me to both ends of the emotional spectrum. So for today, I will work, take care of Cooper and shop for my Thanksgiving dinner items one at a time. I will take the lesson from Cooper and just stay focused on what is in front of me, nothing more.

Trying to suck his thumb

click on the play button to watch the video

Story Time

My sister Kim's baby is due in 5 weeks and since she lives in Maryland, the family has been recording ourselves reading stories to the baby. My sister wants to play these stories at bedtime so the baby hears our voices even though we live in Florida. We read a few stories (does everyone think the sound of their own voice is the most annoying sound ever????) and I propped Cooper up in his reading corner. He is way to small I know but I keep propping him up on things and taking pictures.

Happy Veterans Day

Yes folks, this is Rob when he entered the Marines 20 years ago. Can you believe it?

The few, the proud, the crazy as I like to say.

Since most of you know us, you'll appreciate that Rob always says "A lot of good people got post traumatic stress disorder and lost their mental health so you can have the right to vote". So today, thank a veteran for your freedom, some of their sacrifice is immeasurable!

Semper Fi

This pic was taken of Cooper when he was about 2 weeks old. Future marine? I like to think he'll be too busy at Harvard law or medical school for the military but ..another 18 years we'll all see.

Star light, Star Bright

Since Hope linked to my blog I feel compelled to show the pictures of Cooper's room. Some of the most fun I had in decorating our new house was the nursery this year. I had always wanted to use my wedding veil as a canopy for the crib.

Having a boy made me think I couldn't do it but I think it turned out ok and not too girly ( my husband's concern). Once Cooper is old enough to pull on it, it is coming down but for now, I like to just sit in the room to enjoy looking at the veil and my mobile from when I was a baby that my mom saved for me that we now use have on Cooper's crib.


One of the best things I have ever seen in a long time are these easy to stick on decals you can use to create sayings, add your child's name to the wall, etc. Pottery Barn and others have them but I got my here on ebay.
My husband tells people he free handed it on. If you don't know him MAYBE you'd believe him but neither he or I can draw a straight line so...you can tell this is very easy to do.
We are NOT artistic people and we love how this turned out since now it looks like we are.

I bought other decals for another part of the house (iron looking designs and the word Family) at AC Moore...I haven't tried them out yet but will let you all know if they work out. I see they have chalkboard peel and stick decals so for those of you I know who may want to try out chalkboard paint this may work too.

Grant or Ella?

My sister and her husband are not finding out the sex of their baby...due now in 5 weeks. They had a 4D ultrasound done today. I know it's impossible to tell here in the picture but if you have any guesses...let me know what you think...boy or girl?

Happy Birthday Meredith!

So I usually forget the day but this year I didn't forget....I just didn't get a chance to call or email. I am a bad friend! So...here's you to your 20th birthday (we are still only 20 right???) Mere! PS- Why can't I find any recent pictures of you and I except of my wedding 2 years ago??? Maybe because we only take pics of Brody and Cooper now? LOL

8 pounds 14 oz

Today's doctors visit was no fun for Cooper, he was a champ though when he got 3 shots. He seems unfazed but poor little guy turned red and cried when they shot him. 2 minutes later, he was in my arms and fine :)

Last days of Freedom

A sadness has creeped into my perfect world....I go back to work on Tues. I really have nothing to complain about, I work in sales remotely for a digital print company. I make my own schedule (even though it's a 24 hour/7days a week business) and can sit in my pjs all day if I want to. I was lucky enough with the c-section to get the 8 weeks instead of 6 and I realized I have never in my life (since maybe high school) had this much time off. I started working right out of high school, through college but I secretly always felt like I wanted off the treadmill of worklife. I love to work, my jobs over the years have been great and I have gotten to travel the world. Taking a home based job 2 years ago was my step toward motherhood. Now, with 4 more business days off of work, I am left feeling like the summer is over! I haven't felt this way in a long time. I am sure once I get back in and realize how great it is to have one hand in the business world and the other in Cooper's world all under the same roof I will feel differently. I just have to work far away from the TV! Some of you have the idea of how hard it is to rip yourselves away from Oprah, the View and other daytime family :) Not to mention a trip to Target or the mall on a quiet weekday morning. Ah....the slowed down pace has become a nice routine and guess I will have to pick it up a notch. But for today, I have to go back to see if Anne Curry's flight got her to the South Pole on the Today Show...Matt Lauer is counting on me! Oh...and so is this little guy to make sure he gets fed now :)

Belated Halloween Fun

My sister had a Halloween party at her place up in Maryland this past weekend, I think this pix of her and Delilah the wonderdog is so funny. She is due in 6 weeks now so I am getting excited to see if Cooper has a new boy or girl cousin.

Brody's 2nd Birthday!

Today we went to our first (of many I am sure!) birthday parties. We celebrated Brody's second birthday in style with an Elmo themed party. Aside from Brody eating the cards and any other paper he could find, my favorite moment was watching his Ya Ya play with Mr Potato Head ("doesn't this hand look too high?" she asked as she poked the arm in the ear hole)....I am still laughing over the fun we had. Cooper of course you can see from the picture, slept almost the whole time. It was a beautiful weekend with clear skies, cooler weather with less humidity, I hope it stays. It is November but Florida is not known for seasons so I'll take what I can get...my waist wasn't sweating this weekend so I considered it cool. This is my last week of materity leave, where did the 8 weeks go? I am so lucky to work from home I really have no complaints but I don't miss customer calls with problems, cold calling and price negotiating. But...sales is what I do for a living so I guess I better get to it when I am back officially next week. Until then I am going to do my best to enjoy every day this week without messing up my schedule. That is : The Today Show all morning, the Veiw, the Young and the Restless, Ellen then Oprah. Oh yeah...and I watch play with Cooper, take pictures, email and go on blogs in between all my TV watching ;)

First Trip

Cooper took his first trip today over to west coast to pick up his Nana and to meet and visit with his Auntie and cousin. He was great on the trip, slept in the car most of the way and was alert and playful while we were visiting. Now after his bath, he is wiped out cold sleeping away...hopefully for the next 5-6 hours :) I too am really tired all of a sudden, the 4 hours in the car (there and back) can get to you I guess when you aren't really even doing anything. I forget what mess traffic can be in the in that area...I don't miss that over here on my sleepy side of the state. It was a nice day but it is good to be home.