Austin is One Month

Look who's one month old and pretty awesome.

Checkup stats:
9 lb 8 oz (exactly three pounds over birth weight!)

He's eating every two to three hours during the day still and just recently started having one or two four hour stretches at night. I'm hoping he continues to add hours overnight--Mama sure needs more sleep!

We are having so much fun with Austin and getting to know him. He's started having some fussing periods. Sometimes it's just a fussy "moment" during the day, other times his fussy moments last all day, which makes for a long and difficult day for me until Philip gets home to help. But, we are figuring it out each day. Cooper is still just doing great; I'm so proud of him. He loves his little brother so much, giving lots of kisses throughout the day and telling him "I love you, Baby Austin." He loves to check on Austin and show him toys. When Austin fusses, Coop helps to sing or pat him or just talks to him. I really couldn't be prouder of how sweet and loving Coop is. He is such a great big brother!

Big trash truck, little baby.
I had a lot of fun taking these one-month pictures of Austin. He got pretty cozy the second I put him on the bean bag. It was cute to watch him slowly fall asleep and then go from being curled up to hanging his arms and legs over the edge of the bean bag. Coop started playing all around him, and Austin did not even budge.

The other day the boys and I were in Coop's room and Austin was laying on the rug, but started fussing. Coop said, "I have good idea! How bout put him on my stool? (meaning the bean bag) That make him happy!" Sure enough, the second I laid Austin on the bean bag, he was happy and content. I made sure to make a big deal to Cooper that he had such a great idea and he helped take care of Austin. Coop was sure the proud big brother.
Fireman Cooper decided to clean the board...
...then he was off to fight another fire!Happy One Month, my sweet Austin!!

Let's Talk About Trucks

When I picked Cooper up from school today, this was our conversation in the car:

Me: How was school today?

Cooper: Good.

Me: What did you do today?

Cooper: I play with tractor. I play outside and with my friends and with toys.

Me: (Holding up the turkey artwork he did) Did you do this today? I love it!

Cooper: Yes, it's a chicken...for Tankgiving.

Me: A chicken??

Cooper: Yes. It's a chicken. See?

Me: Did you read a book or sing songs today?

Cooper: Mom, I don't want to talk about school. I want to talk about trucks on struction sites (that means "construction"). Ok?

Me: Sure! That sounds fun.

Cooper: There are cement trucks. And gas trucks and harvesters and diggers. Oh, look that trash truck!! (Pointing out the window.) That big!!! I have big trash truck that like! Where it going? What those guys doing? They building road? Maybe I go to Jackson's house after naptime? What Jackson doing? Whoa! You see that truck? (Pointing to a delivery truck.) What inside that truck? I drive truck like that one day. That truck go to struction site? This lollipop yyuuummmmyyy! Where we going now? Daddy be home 15 minutes? (Everything is 15 minutes these days.) Hi Baby Austin. Baby Austin sleeping. He not see that truck. Whoa!

And so on and so on... I wish I could have recorded everything he said. He was quite the chatter box, jumping from one thing to the next, but always bringing it back to trucks.

Love this all boy!

Sniffle, sneeze, cough, cough

That's all I'm hearing around this house. From all four of us. Yep, all FOUR of us have a cold. I'm claiming Cooper as Patient X. He started it and spread it all around. I tried to keep his hands clean and sanitized. But, it didn't work. We are all sick.

I got nervous when I realized Austin caught the bug, too. He started sounding congested and I feared it was in his chest, so I whisked him off to his first sick appointment Monday morning. I felt better after the doc told me it wasn't in his chest; it was just the congestion rattling up and down in his airway. Still, he doesn't sound good and it's made me one nervous mama. I slept with him on my chest for most of the night the last couple of nights, and I have a feeling we'll be that way again tonight. But, I don't mind. As long as he is sleeping, content, happy, and able to breath better, I'll do whatever it takes.
Nothin better than curled up in Mommy and Daddy's bed watching Berenstain Bears when you are sick.

Halloween 2011

I wasn't sure what we were going to do for Halloween, with Austin being only 12 days old. But we pulled it together and had a great time. Gammi, Annie, and Allan came along for the trick-or-treating while Nana and BaBob stayed at our house to hand out candy. And, bonus, Jackson joined us, too!

My little pumpkin and my big fireman (minus his costume).

Coop was so different this year compared to last year. He was excited about dressing up and getting candy, but SUPER excited about going door to door. He sprinted from house to house saying, "Let's go!" or "Next house!" between each house. I tried to keep up, but it proved impossible.

Coop has always loved to ring door bells, so being able to ring bell after bell was another highlight for him. A few bells were just a little too high for Coop to reach, so Jackson got to do all of those. I'm pretty sure at each house the boys went to, they each rang the door bell (one right after the other) at least once each if not five times each. I tried to keep reminding them to only push the button once...oh well!

Goodbye hugs from Jackson.

I was a little worried about what to do with all the candy Coop got and how I was going to explain to him that we couldn't eat it all at once, and it's only for special treats. But once we got home, he didn't really seem to care about the candy. (Score for me and Philip!) I put it all away and he hasn't even asked about it once since that night. I guess Philip and I will just have to take care of the stash!

Our First Outing

Yep, I did it. We made it out of the house. Me and my TWO boys. I'm a weirdo when it comes to germs and newborns, so I'm not ready to take Austin out to the grocery store or have playdates just yet. But, a park? Absolutely! Yes, it did take me an hour to get out the door, just to go to the park. But, we did it. Austin slept the entire time, which actually made it pretty easy (did I just jinx our next outing for saying that?!).

I often take shadow pictures of Coop and I on our outings. One, because I think they are kind of fun, and two, because that's sometimes the only way I'm in a photo. This is the first shadow picture of all three of us.

Looking forward to more outings with these two!

Meeting Bevo and TX/OU Weekend

For as long as I can remember, TX/OU Weekend has always been a big weekend for my family. I started going to the games when I was in junior high and up until I had Cooper, I hadn't missed a game in many, many years. But, now, I enjoy the festivities and having family in town while the boys--Philip, Ed, Brian, Ben, and Ferris--go to the game. I know it's only a matter of time before Cooper starts asking to go with them.

The last couple of years, we've kicked off the weekend by attending a "private" party in a neighborhood near ours. This is not just any TX/OU party. This is a party where Bevo shows up and hangs out in the front yard for an hour. They have burgers, beer, and goodie bags from the Co-Op. Awesome? You betcha! We went with a friend of Brian's a few years ago, and ever since then, we've just kept going. But, I mean, Cooper would be so disappointed to not see Bevo up close every year, right?

When Coop noticed Philip and I doing "Hook 'Em," he, too, wanted to put his horns up.

Hook 'Em Horns!!

Later that evening...

It wouldn't be TX/OU Weekend without a live radio show from our house. Ed has broadcasted from our house for the last several years. When we lived in the loft downtown, we had a big party on the rooftop with lots of people and beer. While we don't have a big party anymore, it's still a ton of fun and a great way to get ready for the game!

Coop loved having play time with Rankin and Ben

While the game didn't go exactly the way we wanted, we still had a great weekend. Hook 'Em!