Aunt Denise & Uncle Jim Came for a Visit

In December Nathan's Aunt Denise and Uncle Jim came for a visit. Last time we saw them Cooper was just 1 day old. Cooper had such fun with them. And they brought us lunch and presents. It was SO great. We had a nice afternoon of visiting. Can't wait for them to come again!

I HAVE BECOME ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE

I have become one of those people...the ones you see sitting alone in cafes typing on laptops. I always wondered why people would want to sit in a cafe and surf the internet rather than be at home. Well, now I understand, even if my reason is a little unconventional compared to the rest of the people in here.
You see, today Nathan granted me a couple hours of FREEDOM, personal time to do whatever I want, while he volunteered to do the full taking care of Cooper. It was supposed to be 3 hours, but since Cooper didn’t cooperate this morning with his nap schedule, my 3 hours has been chopped down to 1 so we can get to an afternoon appointment on time. And what did I choose to do with my hour?
I knew if I stayed in the house I would be tempted to do things I HAVE to do or NEED to do, rather than what I WANT to do. So I left the house and drove to the nearest place with internet access that I know of—Atlanta Bread Company. It’s quite cozy sitting in here by the fire, eating my lunch in quiet solitude, and blogging—finally. So this is why I have become one of “those people.” [Blogging meaning typing several entries in Word to post tomorrow, because as luck would have it, I can’t get my laptop to connect to their internet. It SO figures.]
Being a mom and working full time are about the only things I have time for anymore. Back in November, just before Thanksgiving, I even went to the extreme of giving my dog up for adoption. I found Lola a very nice home with kids to play with her and another dog to run around with. I knew once I returned to work I wouldn’t have time to give her the attention she would need. Boy was I right! As depressed as I was about it, and as hard as it still is to think of her and not get teary eyes, I am glad I bit the bullet and just did it. Now when I come home from work I don’t feel guilty for not getting out to walk her or to play with her. It’s just best for everyone.
I had always heard that being a mom meant putting everyone else before yourself. It’s true. There’s just no way around it. And therefore, this poor blog gets neglected day after day. I often think of things to blog about, and just have to blog about it in my head while I’m driving or doing dishes or laundry, in between soothing or entertaining my little baby, of course.
I wouldn’t trade it for the world, but I am not a big fan of working and having a young baby. It is “possible” for me to quit, but if I do, it will take us at least 3 more years past our current goal to get out of debt, and it’s quite possible another kid will come into the mix well before then. So Nathan and I are both sticking it out for the time being. It really will be better in the long run, and won’t be for long. We can do it! Budget, budget, budget. That is the key.
So in the mean time, I’ll cherish my personal time once every few weeks when my husband takes pity on me; which means that every so often I’ll get on here and you’ll be blasted with about 20 blogs/updates, or a slide show of photos from the month or two prior. If I don’t respond to your emails/facebook notes, know that I only get to check those things about once a month now. They are even further down the list of priorities/wants than blogging…you get the picture. OK. Enough about me…I know what you really want is pictures and info on the star of the show…Cooper. More to come…much more. :)

A New Year's Eve to Remember

As 2009 draws to a close, and we reflect on our lives and our families, I have an extra reason to do so. Tonight at about 6:15 p.m. my Grandpa Mower passed from this life to the next. After nearly 2 years of living after a major stroke, Grandpa finally found relief in death.

My mind tells me I should be sad, but my heart is rejoicing tonight as I think of the ultimate New Year's Eve party happening on the other side of the veil (we believe in the afterlife and that families and relationships continue beyond this life into the next). You see, my Grandma passed away nearly 46 years ago, and Grandpa has often talked of how much he missed her. Tonight they were reunited. In addition to their reunion, I'm sure there were many others to greet Grandpa: his twin who died at 11 days old; his parents; all of this brothers; his in-laws; and many, many others.

As we went to Utah this last week for Christmas, we were able to go visit Grandpa and introduce Cooper to him. Grandpa wasn't doing well that day and didn't know who we were, and cried while he sat with us before he fell asleep. It was heart wrenching and we all prayed that he would pass away soon to free him from the body that had become a prison to him. I knew in my heart that would be the last time I would see my Grandpa living. I was so happy to be able to get pictures of Cooper with his Great Grandpa.

Things I remember about my Grandpa:

• His AMAZING blue eyes. His eyes were more blue that any others I have ever seen--so blue they were piercing.
• When I was young it seemed he often had salami in his pocket along with a pocket knife and often cut off chunks of it and gave it to me.
• When I was young Grandpa was still killing cows for the butcher for a living. I'll never forget watching him crank the wench on a trailer, pulling a big dead cow up onto it to take to the butcher. I remember how big and strong he seemed and was amazed that he did this every day.
• I remember one spring when Grandpa's pig had babies. We went to his house and he took us out to the barn to see the piglets. I must have been about 6. I thought the piglets were so cute. It was the first time I remember being in Grandpa's barn and having him show us around it.
• Grandpa always grew a HUGE garden. He always had lots of tomatoes and cucumbers to share. He knew how to grow the most beautiful, juicy, red tomatoes. They were so tasty and in the summer he always sent us home with some.
• Grandpa knew how to cook very well. He did a lot of the cooking in his home. Often when we went for a visit he would make a nice dinner of ham, potatoes, the best rolls I've ever had, and more food than we could ever eat.
• Grandpa was always a huge advocate for reading. He didn't become literate until later in life and was always looking out for us grandkids to be sure we knew how to read.
• Grandpa was a very hard worker. He worked several jobs at a time, and worked up until he couldn't work any longer after his stroke.
• Grandpa was an example of service. He served two 18-month missions for our church with my step-Grandma, one in Perth, Austrailia, and another in Delaware. They also served as temple workers in the Bountiful, UT temple for several years. Grandpa was diligent in his service to the Lord.
• Grandpa always had advice to give when we would visit. He most often liked to tell me to be sure to buy two tubes of toothpaste and it would save my marriage from one less fight because if Nathan and I squeeze the toothpaste differently, two tubes would resolve it. We don't have a problem sharing one tube of toothpaste, but it was Grandpa's way of telling us how to compromise and find solutions and humor in living.

I could go on and on with memories of my Grandpa. He was always so happy and I know how much he loved me and the rest of his family. What a special way to remember the turning of a decade.

Cooper meets his Great-Grandpa Mower (Dec. 23, 2009).

Grandpa meets his two newest great grandsons, Calvin and Cooper, both born in 2009.

4 generations

My last picture of Grandpa. I love you Grandpa and will miss you!!!

What are YOU thankful for?

My Dad sent me the link to this video. I thought it worth sharing.

In the Spirit of Thanksgiving

So what are YOU thankful for?

Things to be Thankful for

We certainly have a few things to be thankful for this year. Among the biggies: Nathan finished school and started his new job, and we added Cooper James to our family. What a big year.

This year for Thanksgiving we have visitors! This is the first time ever that we have hosted Thanksgiving in our home. And who better to have come? Poppy (Nate's Dad) and MeeMaw (Michele) came to visit Cooper for Thanksgiving! This picuture was the first time Poppy held his new grandson.

Coop was all ready for Thanksgiving dinner, sitting in his swing for a few minutes while we all ate (it's blurry because I didn't stop the swing).

This was the yummy food we consumed in mass quantities...turkey, stuffing, sweet potato casserole (thanks, Mel!), corn, mashed potatoes & gravy, green bean casserole, corn, rolls, banana cream pie, chocolate pie, and apple pie. A pumpkin pie is yet to be made, but will surely be enjoyed later this weekend as well.

It is fun to have Nathan Sr. and Michele here for a visit. I couldn't have done Thanksgiving dinner without Michele, who was a HUGE help and I think did more food prep than I did (feeding/taking care of Cooper in between).

After dinner Cooper and I played and he was all smiles for awhile. It has been a good day.

Bring on the leftovers!

8 Weeks Old: Cooper Discovers Toys

Cooper turns 8 weeks old tomorrow!

In honor of his age milestone, I guess he decided to show us just how smart he really is. He has been watching us shake/rattle/squeak his toys for several weeks now. He usually watches intently, follows them with his eyes, and occasionally decides to try to smile or giggle about it. Today was something new. I laid him under his jungle gym of hanging toys while I tried to get the dishes done. Within a few minutes of laying there just staring at his toys, he started to repeatedly bat at this particualr toy, which has a bell in it. He loves this one. I thought he may be doing it by accident, but once it stopped, he'd hit it again. Smarty pants. He looks less than thrilled in these pictures, but I think he's just concentrating really hard.

(Yes, we need a video camera...it's on our Christmas list as our gift to each other. So soon I'll be able to post clips of him doing something rather than posting pictures like this.)

Follow up on musings...

Got the car registered. The DMV was EASY! Walked right in. No line. Had to make one call to my insurance company to have one little thing corrected, and VOILA! $48 later I was registered. No late fees. No taxes until next year. PHEW! (The Drivers License Division was a WHOLE other story. Ridiculous lines that you had to stand in, not sit. I took Coop with me to that one, and it was awful. But hey, that worry is finally off my to do list. Hooray!)

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Left Coop with the babysitter for the first time yesterday. It was only for 2 hours while I went to the DMV and ran a few other errands. The purpose was to let them get familar with each other before I return to work tomorrow. Tomorrow will be for 4 hours, and then next week it's all day. Boo hoo hoo. I didn't cry yesterday though like I thought I would. I tried to call my sister, Camyll, for moral support as I drove away, but she didn't answer. So I mustered my strength, took a deep breath, and focused on the tasks at hand. I'm sure sometime within the next week of dropping him off I'm due for a total meltdown in the car afterward.

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From a drawing at my doctor's office, I won a free photo shoot with a professonal photographer. They waived the sitting fee and I get a free 10 x 10 print. Woohoo! Coop and I did a 2-hour photo session yesterday, and the kid thinks he's a future model. I'm excited to see the proofs, but not so excited about the cost of their packages--too expensive for my taste. How will I ever choose just one?

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During the photo shoot we had Coop entirely in his birthday suit for a few (covering up unmentionables, of course). With the diaper off, he sneezed while I was holding him and pooted all over my hand. That was an experience I'll never forget. He pooped twice more--once all over the front of my new white shirt (good thing I was able to get it out!), and once all over their white background/floor. It was gross, but comical. Then he peed all over us 4 times. They said in their disclaimer that accidents are prone to happen. I told them it was Coop's punishment to us for taking his clothes off. Coop agreed.

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With Cooper's eye infection, his eyelashes have been matted/wet a lot. I have noticed how much they've grown in the last few weeks. With a son that is the spitting image of his father (I get asked by strangers if he's mine, and say he must look like his dad--thanks a lot), it's nice to know that he inherited ONE of my features--long eyelashes. Girls, eat your hearts out.