Cooper's 10 Months Old!

So very late with posting this.. Sorry! We were out of town for Cooper's actual 10 month birthday, and then I started my orientation for work and then training for work.. so I'm a bit late! 

I cannot believe how big our little man is getting! We haven't gotten him weighed or measured since his nine month appointment so I'm not sure exactly how much he weighs but he hasn't seemed to put on much weight! He really is getting tall though! He is a speed demon when it comes to crawling, and will pull himself up on absolutely everything, but seems to have regressed a bit from walking. He used to stand up and take steps when you held his hands and now all he wants to do either either crawl or do the kangaroo hop while you hold his hands. Eh, it'll happen sooner or later I suppose! I'm sure once he starts walking I'll be begging for the days that he was crawling, stationary, etc., to come back, haha. 

Here's to you Cooper James, Happy 10 Month Birthday my little love bug <3 

How old: 10 months

Looks like: Mama's eyes.. Everything else still Daddy

Weight: Not sure.. probably 21-22 lbs

Height: Definitely over 30 inches by now! So tall! 
Teeth: 5 Teeth! 2 top & three bottom! I can see a bunch more top ones starting to drop down.. but that other little bottom one isn't showing any signs of popping through anytime soon, so he looks a little goofy, haha. He has such a big gap between his two top teeth! It makes me laugh! Although, I did some research on it, in fear that I will be paying for braces in the next decade or so, and it's actually a good thing for them to have a gap so that their adult teeth have room to come in and are not squashed together! So for now, we'll just laugh off the tooth gap! 

Likes: crawling, pulling himself up on things, eating eating and more eating, clapping, gives high-fives and kisses. 

Dislikes: Not too many dislikes these days.. We've finally conquered his sleeping issues and he's sleeping through the night in his own crib! AWESOME SAUCE! 

Milestones:We're still waiting on the walking, but we have hit a major milestone! Cooper now sleeps through the night in his own crib in his own room! Wawho!! He has been so much better with naps, and we are all so so much happier since we're all sleeping! Kicking myself now for not giving him his own room months ago! We have also completely night weaned him, so after his 8 pm feeding he doesn't nurse again until at 5:30 am at the earliest, but he'll normally sleep until at least 6:30 am, sometimes even 8 am! 

My Sweet Valentine

Happy Valentine's Day! I have made foot/hand print artwork for Cooper each holiday since he was born, so I had to continue the tradition with a Valentine's Day print <3 I made AJ a basket full of scratch offs and a lotto ticket. Unfortunately he didn't win the big bucks.. but won on his scratch offs! Cooper got a bag filled with goodies, a big boy cup since he loves drinking from ours, Ninja Turtle bubbles, a stuffed dog and Hot Wheels. I mean, what else do you get a 10 month old for Valentine's Day.. a day built on chocolate and candy. Hope you all had an amazing day, filled with love and sweets!

Winter Wisconsin Trip!

We went up to AJ's family farm this week to celebrate AJ's mom's birthday, get some snowmobiling in, and let Cooper play in the mounds of snow they have up there! Of course, the temperature bottomed out right before we got there, so we were stuck inside most of the trip. The guys did get to take the sleds out for a long run on Thursday and Cooper got to go out on his sled for a bit too. Friday AJ's mom watched Cooper for a bit so I could go out riding for a bit =) We also celebrated Cooper's 10 month birthday up there, so Grandma let him help blow out her birthday candles! This kid LOVES fire.. like in an almost creepy way.. hence the scary fire worshiping face in the photos. 

We also got to stop & see my grandma on the way home, as her home is Wisconsin isn't too far off the route home. She hasn't been able to see him since his christening and that was when he was 3 months old. It was awesome to get to see her again, and to have her see all of Cooper's new developments. 

Love this photo of Cooper with the house and barn that AJ's grandpa grew up on

Baby in a bar.. 

Cooper loving on Uncle Andrew

Already dancing on the bar.. 

On the road again to go see Meme! 

Bribery lol

Mars Cheese Castle! 

The big 7-0, Happy birthday Daddy/Papa!

Today was my dad's 70th birthday. We will be celebrating on Sunday with my sister and nephews, but  we had dinner with my parents tonight and gave him his gifts. AJ was able to find him the gun that he carried in Vietnam and while he was a Chicago and Berwyn cop. He got rid of the gun somewhere along the line, and has been talking about it for weeks. Since Illinois passed the concealed carry law, he has taken his class and is now allowed to carry and really wanted this gun again. They are very rare and hard to find now since they are no longer in production. AJ was somehow able to find out and after talking with my mom, we decided we were going to get it for him. He was beyond excited when he open the box and saw the gun. I literally think he was about to cry. He even said that his life is now complete, and this was the best birthday EVER. I think that means we did well. =)

So here is to an amazing 70th birthday, Daddy. I love you to the moon & back! You are my first love, my hero, my role model, the man who set the bar to which ever other man in my life must measure up to and showed me what a perfect father is. The only thing better than having you as my dad is Cooper having you as a grandfather. I love you, Daddy. 70 years young!

Cinnamon sugar cookies. Nom.

SO amazed with his gifts! 

CJ just really loved the box.. 

But first... Let me put on my nurse hat

Holy mother of all chaos. When it rains it pours, right? So, Sunday night after we finished cleaning and reorganizing Cooper's nursery we all went to bed to get some much needed sleep. It was the first night that I've been in a separate room than CJ, so I had such a hard time sleeping. Well, come 11pm on the dot per usual, Cooper woke up. I am trying to night wean him so after trying to give him back his paci to put him back to sleep without holding/feeding him to no avail, I picked him up to rock him back to sleep. I noticed that he was burning up, so I took his temperature and of course it was 102. I immediately got the Tylenol, as he is never this warm. I figured it might be the teething, as he just recently cut two more teeth, but I couldn't stomach putting him back in his crib when he wasn't feeling well. We put one of our couches in his room when we rearranged so Coop & I snuggled up on the couch and fell asleep. He actually slept pretty well, on top of me, but I think he only woke up once to nurse for about 30 second and fell back asleep. Normally he does not enjoy cuddling, he wants to lay next to us, but have his own space. So, I knew he wasn't feeling well when he literally couldn't be any closer to me. We woke up later than usual, called AJ to say good morning like we always do, and found out that he was feeling horrible as well.

Of course, Cooper's fever did not go below 100, and I had to go into my new work to fill out paperwork and get my health screening done before I have orientation. Zibba was set to watch Cooper for me while I went, and when he wouldn't nap in the morning, I knew it was going to be a rough day. Cooper was hysterical once Zibba walked in the door, and it only got worse as I handed him off to finish getting ready and then all hell broke loose once I tried to leave. He sobbed for 20 minutes after I left, and then finally decided that Zibba was a decent snuggle buddy and spent the next two hours showing her some love. I was able to get him to take a much needed nap once I got home from work, even though it only lasted 40 minutes. I couldn't get his fever to break at all, and at this point he was fighting me every step of the way when I tried to feed him his solids, which he normally loves. Thankfully he was still nursing well. AJ came home and was sick as a dog, and so began my week-long nursing shift. Cooper's fever finally broke Tuesday night, but he is still pretty crabby/clingy and picky about eating. AJ finally went to the doctor today and got medicine, so he should be feeling better soon, fingers crossed.

I feel like I have been a single parent this week since I have been keeping Cooper quarantined from AJ because I don't want him to get sick as well. Let me tell you, it is not fun. All you single Mamas, I have a new found respect for you.

Sick Snuggles with my babe <3 

Cooper's Nursery!

So, today we spent literally ALL DAY cleaning and organizing and reorganizing. We moved our bed out into the living area and our bedroom is now Cooper's nursery. I am thrilled to finally say that he has his own nursery. I had so many plans for Cooper's nursery when I was pregnant, and when getting our own house got put on hold, so did those plans. While we are still searching for our dream house, I am planning on getting Cooper's nursery together little by little and putting it together here, and then will move everything over once we move and hopefully expand on it. For now, all of his toys and play mat will stay in his room. We have a giant TV in there, and we can close the door to somewhat contain the beast who is on the move 24/7. One of my requests in our house search is an upper level with a loft that I plan on making Cooper's play area.. (I SO want a loft). We are going to do a hunter/outdoors theme for the room. Mostly all of his decorations will be DIY things that I've found on Pinterest, etc. We already have the antler letters for his name, which we are keeping. I will keep you all posted on all of Cooper's decorations as I do them! I'm thinking of making videos on how I make some of these things, in case others want to make them for their little ones! We have some photos/artwork to hang on the walls still, but by the end of the day, we were all so pooped that it just had to wait. Cooper took two 20 minute naps all day because his crib was on the other side of the room while we cleaned the floor, and I think he was just super over stimulated with all of the commotion. Hopefully everyone gets a good night's sleep tonight and we can finish up the room tomorrow and work on organizing our living area/bedroom.

Here are some photos on how his nursery is now.

Up-cycled mason jar from Cooper's baptism that we now use as a paci jar 

"COOPER" Letter Tiles 

That face gets him out of a lot of trouble when he's being bad 

My awesome down slippers from Ikea that AJ got me because me feet are always icicles! SO. Freaking. Comfy!