Baby Cooper

Baby Cooper was born the day after Christmas, as a scheduled induction.  11 hours of labor from the start of Pitocin, and with 25 minutes of pushing he came into the world at a whopping 10 lbs, 1 oz!  We were not surprised that he was a boy as the doctors and ultrasound had made speculations about a large baby. 

Mom was here to watch the other kids while we were at the hospital.  Neither I nor Cooper had any complications and came home a few days after he was born. 

And he has been a really good baby.  We went through a couple of weeks early on when he would get fussy in the evenings, but around 6 weeks he started sleeping through the night for several hours, waking only to nurse.  He does not seem to like riding the car anymore though, but all in all, we cannot complain about this precious little guy.

Here are some pictures!

 

Vollmer Farm Pumpkin Picking October 2015

Wedding Outtakes September 2015

Isabel:  Almost 9 1/2
Ian:  Almost 4 1/2
Caroline:  Almost 2 1/2
Mommy:  26 weeks pregnant
Daddy:  Just bearded and handsome :)

OH....I haven't updated since APRIL!

Yikes....well let's see.

Caroline turned 2 in April.  Ian turned 4.  Isabel turned 9.  In April we found out we were expecting Baby H number 4, and I am now almost 22 weeks along, due in December.

Caroline since turning 2 is probably one of the most verbal two year olds I've met.  And she is highly opinionated.  I need to get back out the "strong-willed child" book that I read when Ian was 2 and apply the same concepts.  But here and there she is starting to realize that it is better to obey Mommy and Daddy than to test the limits.  She's recently started praying the mealtime prayers with us instead of saying, "No!  No prayers!"....so that's an improvement ;)

Ian has become more courageous in every area of his little 4 year old life.  He was braver in the swimming pool and especially in the ocean this year.  We are still working on manners with him, as he still makes demands rather than requests ;)  "I need some more juice" as he hands his cup to Mommy, rather than, "Mommy, may I please have some more juice?"

Isabel completed third grade in June and had a busy summer, visiting my parents in the mountains for over a week, going to Vacation Bible School, Science in the Summer Camp, and our beach vacation with her Godparents and their family.  She starts 4th grade this summer.  She likes to take luxuriously long, hot showers and we've been working on literally timing her to keep it reasonable. ;)

Caroline's favorite things:  Team Umi Zoomi, Milk, Bun Bun, Blankie, Snakie, Ellie and Pillowy.  Making "pizzas" out of playdough.  Catching toads and chasing butterflies.  Bathtime.  Making jokes and singing songs incorrectly on purpose....like, "Old MacDonald had some pants...oinky, oinky, oinky" and "Passghetti and meatballs!"  She loves music, singing and dancing with someone.

Ian's favorite things:  Rescue Bots, Puzzles (United States of America and 100 piece world puzzle), pancakes, doughnuts, playing in his room with trains with Isabel, playing in the sandbox, holding the new baby chicks, hugging the goats, feeding the chickens live bugs, and riding in the Barbie jeep or the pedal car, helping me make coffee in the a.m.

Isabel's favorite things:  Writing in her poetry journal or "The Story of the Rose", writing letters and making things for our neighbor Mr. Price, her American Girl Dolls and stuffed animals, riding in the front seat when it's just Mommy or Daddy driving her, drawing.

That's all I've got time to write for now....maybe pictures later!