Cooper's Treasures

Every single day, I find little piles of things "neatly" tucked in areas throughout the house. Now, really, these items might be "things" to me, but to a certain two-year-old, they are his special treasures for the day. Things he won't let go of or out of his sight for anything! I love to see what he decides to gather up for his special collection and where he decides to stash his goodies.

Whenever he piles up his treasures like this, it's like he has a plan. He picks each item out and places it in the chosen spot. And, I quickly learned that when he has these little piles of things going, I shouldn't even attempt to put things away. He will notice, and he will call me out on it, "Uh oh, Mama!" And, he will immediately go around and create his little treasure pile again. So now, I just smile when I see these little piles and enjoy watching him work to create them.

In his little wagon: fire truck, legos, towel, stick horse
In his red car: dirt and a pumpkin
In my coffee maker: a sippy cup
In Philip's chair: a cable cord, leaf blower, truck book, lid to an old coffee pot, a set of keys, a toothbrush container, and a wooden stick
In a bucket: blankie, a flashlight, stegosaurus, two frogs, and an octopus

Art Class

After eight weeks in art class with Cooper, I learned several things:

• Cooper doesn't really love to paint, but does love using clay and textures in his artwork
  
• Washable paint is genius
• A patient Mommy is just as important as washable paint
• Sometimes washing hands and music time were the best parts of art class

I was really excited about this class after hearing about it and couldn't wait to jump in and help Cooper explore art projects. We definitely had our difficult weeks where Cooper wanted nothing to do with the art project we were creating and everything to do with playing in the tent or just doing his own thing. But, week by week, I learned how to handle the situation (for the most part!) and what to say to help encourage him to want to participate in the art project. It was a learning process for both of us! Luckily, Sarah and Jackson joined us for the session, and Sarah used to be an elementary art teacher, so I followed her lead on a lot...ok...almost everything!
The session focused on food, so each week we created an artistic food item--ice cream cone, gingerbread man, turkey, cracker, gumball machine. We also used food sometimes to paint with, like an apple or potato as a stamp. The first couple of weeks, Cooper wanted nothing to do with touching that cold, sticky paint. The last couple of weeks, however, he got a little more brave and adventurous and started putting his hands in the paint and then swirling them around on his paper (and sometimes the table or his shirt or my pants). Huge progress, if you ask me!

It was amazing to me to see how many parents ended up doing the artwork for their child. My rule was always that Cooper does the art--I'll show him what we are doing and how to do it, but he is the one who is going to create the finished masterpiece. Now, that did mean that our turkey had eyes that were a little caddywhompused or our gingerbread man's mouth was on his arm or our ice cream cone was up-side-down, but the point is, that's how Cooper created it. The masterpiece of a two-year-old! And I thought they were absolutely perfect!!

I always made a really, really big deal about the art and went on and on about how proud I was and how I couldn't wait to show Daddy or Poppi his art, and that really seemed to help Cooper get excited about the art, too, and he realized that he really did create something special.
Best buds!
Class always ended with a little jam session.

Every week after class, we would take the boys to play in the Children's Museum. Our last week, Cooper discovered that you could actually milk the cow in the farm section. He kept calling the cow Bevo and he thought he was helping Bevo go potty. I just left that one alone.

Coop loved playing in the fire truck and watching the big dinos move and growl.

I'm not sure if I have the next Picasso, but I sure love to see Coop's creative side!!

Take Me Out to the Ballgame

In September...late post, sorry!...Philip took Coop to his first baseball game, and they had a blast! Coop loves to watch baseball on TV with Philip, so when Philip scored his firm's tickets for a Rangers game, he and Coop packed up and headed out to the ballpark. Philip did have to do some convincing before I agreed to let Cooper go. It just seemed like such a big boy activity...Cooper is still my baby! Was he old enough? Would he be safe? He's never been in a crowd like that...would he stay close to Philip? He's not used to eating junk food...would he get sick? (I know...I know...ridiculous.) I finally agreed and off they went. And, I have to admit, I cried when they walked out of the door. It was just such a big boy thing to do! I thought about them nonstop, and I can't remember exactly, but I'm pretty sure I called Philip at least five times while they were gone.

The boys ended up having a great time, and Cooper couldn't have done better. I was thinking they might only last a couple of innings, but they stayed through the seventh. And, they caught a fly ball on the way out!! Coop got to try all the ballpark staples--peanuts, hotdog, and cotton candy. (Luckily he showed no signs of a belly ache!)

Playing on this tractor was definitely a highlight for Coop!

The man sitting behind Coop and Philip had a megaphone, and Coop was all over that!

When the boys got home, Cooper rushed over to me and told me all about his adventure at the ballpark, "Baseball game. Hit ball. Throw ball. Run. Eat hot dog. Play tractor. Big walk!" Sounded like a great first baseball game to me! I'm so glad that Philip had that time with Cooper, and I can't wait for them to have more baseball adventures.

Love You Forever

Have you ever read the book Love You Forever by Robert Munsch? Well, if you haven't...you should! Especially if you are a mother and double especially if you are a mother of a son. It will melt your heart completely and bring you to tears. My Aunt Betsy gave me this book when Cooper was just a few days old, and I remember her telling me that the first time I read the book, I should have Coop in my lap and read the story to him...with some kleenex within reach. I followed her advice and Love You Forever has been one of my favorite books ever since. It's so heartwarming and just a great story of true, raw, unconditional love a mother has for her child.

Over the last week, Coop started picking this book off his bookshelves for me to read before bedtime. The first time he asked me to read this book, I thought we would only make it through a page or two because the pictures aren't as bright and vivid as they are in his usual book choices. But, he completely surprised me, and we made it through the entire book! Which I, of course, loved! Holding him and rocking him and reading this sweet story to my baby. We have now read that book almost every night for the last week, and he has yet to stop me halfway through for a book change.

Tonight at bedtime, we finished reading his first book, one about a train, when he jumped out of my lap and started looking through his shelves asking, "wi go? wi go boy book?" He then spotted a tiny corner of a book poking out behind some others and said, "here is!" He ran to my lap holding Love You Forever.

After I read the book, holding him so tight, he started to flip through the pages, pointing to the different pictures and saying a couple of words that are part of the story for that particular picture. It was just so amazing to see him flipping back through the book and completely on his own kind of reading his version of the story. I didn't say a word. Just listened to him "read" the story again. "aww. baby. rock rock back forth. strange music. mama wadder (ladder). man call mama on phone. talk phone. hold mama." At this point I asked Coop what the mama told the boy and he said "love you ever." And...cue melting heart.

This sweet little moment with my baby couldn't have come at a better time.

Fall Leaves and Outside Fun

A few weeks before Christmas we headed to the Arboretum for some playtime and to meet Santa! Playtime was super fun; meeting Santa was a complete disaster. Even though we had been talking about Santa and looking at pictures of Santa, and Cooper talked about wanting to see Santa, when it came to show time at the Arboretum and actually meet Santa, there were only big tears. Oh well! There's always next year! Coop did talk constantly about meeting Santa after this day, though, and kept asking to see Santa again. It was like he had forgotten he cried and just focused on the fact that he got to meet the big guy!

On to playtime...

Cooper loves running up and down this long walkway to the water fountains and the big frog.

Love this picture of the boys!

Ever since Cooper could pull himself up to a standing position, he's been pushing and moving furniture. He would move the cribs at daycare--they were on rollers and Coop would pull himself up and start pushing them (with kids inside) around the room! So, it didn't surprise me when he began rearranging the outdoor furniture at the Arboretum. The table did look better where he put it. :)

Santa might have not been a hit with Cooper, but when it came to Frosty and Rudolf, Coop couldn't get enough hugs.

Family picture attempt...fail.

After the Arboretum, we headed to a field near the lake that was completely covered in leaves. Big, orange, crunchy fall leaves!

Love. This. Picture.
Coop realized that leaves aren't as tasty as he might have thought.

Is there anything better than making a big pile of leaves and then jumping in them, throwing them up in the air, or covering someone in them? I think not.

Such a fun, fun fall day!