Happy BirthDAY!!

Coop's actual birthday was pretty low key, but I wanted to make sure that all day long he felt extra special! When he woke up, I went into his room carrying about eight helium balloons and singing Happy Birthday to him. I loved the look on his face when I put all the balloons in his bed--huge grin, squealing, and jumping up and down. Hopefully he knew this was his special day. (Unfortunately, I didn't get a picture of this.)

Coop's day consisted of...

Playing on the playground and in these cool twisted trees with some of his favorite friends, Jackson and Stella.

Running through and playing with all the birthday balloons filling his playroom.

Stopping for a just a moment to take a picture with Mommy.
Enjoying the world's largest chocolate chip cookie during our family dinner at our favorite neighborhood restaurant.
Opening presents and playing with our new toys.

(I LOVED the look on his face when he saw the kitchen from Mommy and Daddy. Priceless!)

Singing "Happy Birthday" and blowing out the candle not once...

Not twice...

Not three times...

But FOUR times in a row! Each time we finished singing, he would blow out his candle and ask, "Again?"

And finally enjoying our cupcake. Who needs a fork when you can just put your face in it?

Such a fun, fun day and so glad we could all (minus BaBob...he wasn't feeling good) celebrate Cooper!

Fun on the Pumpkin Farm

We had so much fun at the Owen's Farm this fall. I tried to take Coop once last year, but the day we decided to go was rainy and cold and just yuck outside. Plus, I thought he might be a little too young for some of the activities. But, this year, he was the perfect age to enjoy the fun on the farm and I couldn't wait to take him! We ended up going several times during the fall, but the first time we went, we met some playgroup friends out there and Philip was actually able to come with us, too. Bonus to have Daddy on such a fun day! There is admission to get into the farm, but that includes unlimited hay rides, food to feed the goats, and you get to take home a pumpkin.

For sure the highlight of the day was the hay ride. I mean you get to sit on huge hay bales, ride in a trailer and be pulled around the farm by a tractor. Coop thought that was pretty awesome. So much so, that we rode that thing at least nine times. It was even a few more, but I stopped counting after nine. I loved seeing how much fun he was having on those rides!

Coop would clap as the ride came to an end and quickly say, "Again! Again! Again!"
And off we would go...
Coop loved all the areas to run and play. They had a maze to run through and, since it was around Halloween time, they had a huge hay bale with climbing bars on the side made to look like a spider.

Between hay rides, Coop got the opportunity to "drive" the tractor!

Then, it was off to feed the goats! Coop was so excited to be completely surrounded by goats! He was just carrying on his own little conversation with all the goats, half babbling, and he kept saying, "Hey goat! Hi! More goat! Hi big goat!" It took just a minute to teach Coop to lay his hand out flat and let the goats come to him.

Coop had so much fun playing with his friend, Stella. At one point, I looked over and Coop very nonchalantly grabbed Stella's hand, turned to see if anyone noticed, and then walked over to the spider hay bale with her! Isn't he too young for actions like this?!

And before we left, Coop got to pick out his own pumpkin from the huge pumpkin patch. It took him a long time to find just the right one, which made me realize...he's so my son. He had a difficult time making a decision and wanted to find the perfect pumpkin to bring home!

More About Cooper at 2 Years Old

Here are some other things I love about Cooper at 2 years old:

• Any time he dances or walks fast or walks with determination to get somewhere, he bends his right arm and swings it back and forth really fast. It's so cute! I know he is really focused on something when that arm starts going.
• Before he gets in the bath, but after I've stripped him, he bolts out of the bathroom and runs through the house naked. He thinks it's the funniest thing and loves "surprising" us with this...every night! Philip calls it Coop's nightly naked jog.
• He loves touching his sippy cup to someone's drink and yelling "cheers!"
• After he wakes up and I ask what he dreamed about, he always says either Ooh Ooh or Jackson
• Loves, loves, loves his Poppi. He talks about Poppi all day, "Talk Poppi? Wi Poppi go? Poppi work. Sweep take trash out with Poppi. Poppi shave. Call Poppi? Poppi put shirt on (bringing me a shirt he wants Poppi to put on him)." It makes my heart glow.
• If he sees a mess..."Uh oh. Mess Mama. (then singing) Clean up. Clean up. Evbody Ev. Clean up." Then, he'll get a towel, wipe the floor and say, "trash." And after it's cleaned up and the towel is thrown away, I always hear, "Yea!"
• He loves his bed and is not making or showing any attempt to climb out...yet. He plays in bed before falling asleep and after waking up. Sometimes for as long as one hour! I hear him talking through the monitor and I just love his little conversations. As long as he has all his animal friends and music playing on his mobile, he's a happy camper!
  
• He is VERY particular about what songs we listen to in the car and what songs we sing at bedtime. Recently the ONLY song we listen to in the car is from the Neil Sedaka CD my mom bought Coop. It's called Hey Little Devil, and Coop likes the part where kids sing "Whoa Whoa Whoa Yea Yea Yea" throughout the song. So every time we get in the car, Coop starts asking for "Whoa Whoa Yea Yea song?" And then we listen to it over and over and over and over again. If he doesn't like the song playing or the song I'm singing, he'll either say "new song" or just a flat "no."
• He tells everything "bye" when we leave the house--toys, Drake, balls, kitchen, cats, blankie.
• He is still a great eater, but some of his favorite foods include carrots, peas, edamame, turkey/cheese sandwiches, green beans, and apples.
• Tells Drake "good boy" all the time. I heard him telling this to Mocha the other day, too. And, he loves to call Drake into his room, "Da da! Dake! Daaaa Daaaa!"
• Calls himself "Toopie" (He says "c" words with "t's": cow is tow; cool is tool; cat is tac; cooper is toopie).
• He picked up "Oh man" from Sarah (Jackson's mom) and "ruh roh" (like Scooby Doo) from me. And it's so cute how he says both of them!
• He tries to get himself dressed. I always give him some time to try to get his shirt or shorts on. He knows exactly what to do, but it's the how to do it he's still working on. I love seeing his concentration on this.
• He's talking more and more every day and starting to use words like this, that, me, and you. And if he wants to do something I'm doing--watering the flowers, for example--he'll say, "my turn."
• We go for a run several mornings a week, and Coop is completely content eating his waffle breakfast in the stroller and enjoying our morning outside.
• He loves to grab anything with a handle--a grocery bag, Mommy's purse, diaper bag, a basket--put it up on his shoulder, walk out of the room saying, "bye bye, Mama" and then return with a very excited "hi!". He usually tells me that he's just gone to Jackson's or Poppi's house or the grocery store or the park.