Daddy's Home

Scott returned from his trip. His last trip overseas. The reality of our move is starting to sink in. It always sneaks up on me. First you find out where you are going and when you need to be there and it seems so far away. Like you have plenty of time to do everything. There's time to visit those last few places you hadn't yet, or make a trip to your favorite place and schedule play dates and lunches with friends. But time slowly creeps up on you and before you know it, the end is closer than you think. The packers/movers are scheduled, the house is purchased, the organizing & purging has begun. Next week, Scott is going to do his last flight here. For all we know, it could be his last flight in the C-17 ever. When I think about this move, I get really sad. We have made so many good friends here and it will be hard to say good-bye. It will be harder to watch my girls say good-bye to their childhood friends. Their first friends they will most likely remember. The friends that all other friends will be compared to as they grow older. But, Scott and I will dry their tears when they miss their friends and help them find new friends to play with, all the while reminding them to keep their friends here in their hearts forever. As they say in the military, it isn't good-bye, it's see you later.



Cooper's 7 weeks old and wearing 3-6 months clothes. I think we can squeak by a little longer on the size one diapers, but it won't be long now! He is a growing boy!

Rainy day

Hanging with Cooper. Board games with Mckenzie. Reading books with Abby. I'd say it was the perfect way to spend a rainy day.

Lazy Sunday

We didn't do much. A trip to Target and Icees for the girls. Cooper still has a cough so I am trying to keep him in as much as possible. The girls spent the afternoon playing around outside. They decided it was warm enough to wear swimsuits and squirt each other with water. Fortunately, it was Abby's idea and she always asks before doing things. It was not warm enough out to play in the water outside so I let them take a bath instead.

Lounging around

We spend many Saturday mornings when Scott is away just lounging in the bed. The girls like playing with their brother and it gives me a chance to snag a few photos :) Abby went over to a friend's house to play this afternoon while the rest of us stopped at the park to play. It was a quick visit to the park as Cooper decided he was hungry :) But, after he was fed, Mckenzie and I got in some one on one time playing board games. Surprisingly, we didn't break out Candyland. Instead she opted for a Curious George game.

Playmat

We broke out the play mat the other day. He seems to enjoy the lights and music, though he doesn't like to lay there for long. The first day we used it, the girls squeezed in beside him and probably enjoyed it much more than he did!

Tummy time!

Cooper was working on tummy time again today. He seems to like being propped up on the pillow much better than just laying on the floor.




Abby was working on a penpal letter today for Daisy's. Brought back memories from when I was a kid and had a penpal by the name of Sarah Fancher. I think I still have a Christmas ornament she mailed me one year. I wonder if people still have penpals today? I remember getting lists of names (where on earth did they come from I have no idea) and choosing a name to write to. I hope Abby enjoys having a penpal as much as I did.

St. Jude's Trik-a-thon

Mckenzie, along with her preschool friends, rode her bike for St. Jude's. She told me she had lots of fun doing it, although she got tired towards the end.

6 weeks!

I found a much better place to photograph bear and Cooper.

Cooper

Mckenzie's skirt

Mckenzie's three favorite loves are in this picture. Her bear, Candyland, and her pink skirt. She seriously wears this skirt 3 times a week. Sometimes more, but rarely less. I'm pretty sure she would wear it every day if I would wash it more often. I wish she would wear something else, but I don't generally battle over clothes. Why force her to wear clothes I want her to as long as the ones she wants to wear are clean and weather appropriate?

Bedtime

Abby loves to read and she read a book to all of us tonight.



Cooper likes to be awake in the evenings, more so than any other time during the day. Sometimes he is happy and other times, not so much.

Making Cupcakes

Mckenzie wanted to make cupcakes today so when Abby got home from school, we did just that. I feel bad because the girls and I don't get to spend as much time together anymore. I feel like I'm always saying something like "I'm _____ Cooper, but as soon as I'm done, we can play". So it was nice to be able to make cupcakes with them.

Cooper and his Lovie

Our friends have given each child a Lovie. Abby was given a lamb, Mckenzie a bear, and now a monkey for Cooper.

First Grade Musical

Abby performed in her first grade musical tonight. You could tell she loved singing and being on stage. The kids sang five songs. It was really cute and I am so glad we all were able to attend.

5 week bear pic!

I really need to find a better place to photograph this bear. I am tired of seeing my dining room chairs in the photos!



Mckenzie's friend came over after dance class this morning. I wanted to get a photo of the two of them as our time here in NJ is winding down. I can't believe in less than three months we will be moving again. It seems appropriate though, because whenever we have lived somewhere long enough to run into people I know when I am at the grocery store or Target, we are getting close to leaving :( I love our life and I love getting to meet new people and experience new things. I just get sad when I think of all the friends we will be leaving behind. It seems so different this time as so many of our friends are civilians and I really wonder if we will see them again... Usually we say "See ya later" and somewhere, somehow, you do.

One Month Check Up

Cooper had his one month well child visit. I thought he would be around 10 lbs and Scott wagered he would be close to 11. Well, we were both wrong. He weighed almost 12 pounds and was 23 inches long! I guess that is why his sleepers are getting too small. He is growing up so fast! Cooper is such a happy baby and he is so laid back. He really only fusses when he needs something and then for a little bit in the evenings. But overall, he doesn't cry a whole lot. (That's not to say he hasn't had his moments, but every child has off days.) He has made so many milestones already. Smiling with purpose and rolling over from tummy to back! Cooper is such a precious baby and a wonderful addition to our family. Every time we add a child to our family, I wonder if I will have enough love to give, but somehow, there is always an abundance to go around. The great thing about love is that you can never use it up and it just keeps growing day after day. Holding Cooper in my arms the day he was born, I thought I couldn't possibly love him any more than I did in that moment. But like so many times before, I was wrong. My love has only grown for him as he continues to grow.

It's Poopy time!

I don't think Scott nor I have ever laughed as hard as we did this afternoon. Cooper had a messy diaper and it was one of those that warranted a bath. So, I set up the bath tub in the kitchen and Scott was nice enough to grab Cooper to bring him over to me. As Scott was carrying Cooper towards me, he started grunting and the next thing we knew, there was poo all over the kitchen floor! Little man just kept going and Scott was holding Cooper as far from his body that his arms would let him. We thought it was over and wouldn't ya know it, the little man did it again! We all were laughing so hard. It was completely unexpected and none of our girls ever did that to us. I wish I would have grabbed my camera, but I was laughing too hard.

Daddy's home

The girls were hanging out with Cooper on my bed this morning so I took the chance to snap a few photos of them together. The girls just love Cooper so much. They fight over who gets to look at him or kiss him or touch him or hold him. I just love how much they love him and I know he loves them too! As soon as Abby realized I was taking photographs, she changed out of her pj's and into her T-shirt that says Large on it. Mckenzie's says Medium (she won't wear hers though, I had to bribe her to wear it just one time for photos when my friend Courtney came over to take a few photographs of our family), and Cooper's says Small.

Scott made it home from his trip today. It was so nice to have him back. Somehow I managed to take care of the three, but it wasn't easy. I am so lucky to have friends that helped me out while he was away. Scott noticed how much Cooper change, but newborns change a lot in two weeks!



Cooper accidently hit Abby in the nose right before I snapped this one!

One Month

My little snuggle buddy is already one month old and I still can't get enough of him. The baby smell and the cuddles and precious smiles are beyond breathtaking.

Dentist Appointment

Mckenzie had a dentist appointment this morning and I was so nervous for her. She doesn't like going and she doesn't like the fluoride treatment. I was worried for nothing though because she walked right on back without me and didn't throw a fit at all! The dentist said she had him laughing and did great! I kept Abby home from school as she was running a fever. I felt so bad telling her she couldn't love on her brother today, but we surely don't need to get him sick as well.



I just love this little outfit. Forgive the wonderful iPhone photo quality!

Silly Dog!

Can you say now I have more laundry?!

Dad's night

Mckenzie had Dad's Night at her preschool. Since Scott is away, our friend was nice enough to take her.



Cooper's 4 week bear photo!



And, Cooper rolled over today!!!! Way too early if you ask me!