Summertime

I love Cooper being home for the summer. I can't say that I am enjoying trying to get them to nap at the same time, but other than that I'm loving it. He is eating so much healthier now that he is home and I can make him stuff. Today I pureed up some spinach ravioli and put cauliflower and broccoli in and he even scooped it himself and fed himself. I made Hank some sweet potato's, he is finally starting to eat things that I make for him. I think tonight I will try to see if Cooper will try pinto beans...pureed of course. We started potty training this morning. So far he has been dry except for right when he wakes up in the morning. He always wakes up and plays in his room and I don't hear him. So it's hard to catch him before he uses his diaper. We got up this morning, ate breakfast and headed out for our run. It was so nice and cloudy and breezy this morning. We actually made it an hour instead of the usual 45 minutes. The boys fight the whole time they are in the stroller. They hate it when each other touches the other but yet they won't keep their hands to themselves. Ahhh

Cooper loves to say cheese for the camera now. Hehe, he is all gums

 Hank has grown out of all his hats...that means more tagging for the consignment sale.

KP Treatment

If you are like me and have those nasty rough red bumps (keratosis pilaris) on the backs of your arms and have tried every over the counter product available, this is for you! This post will pull up in a google search so that others can find it when they search kp treatments. I have ordered countless products to try to rid myself of this redness and bumps. I have hated them my whole life. I finally asked Zac if there is a prescription for something like this.  He said "Em, no offense but that is very trivial compared to what I do every day and I don't know what would help it." Well that is just great, I up and went to the dermatologist (should have done this years ago) and he gave me a prescription for 6% salicylic acid cream. I started using it and my skin started peeling off as if I had a sunburn. After a few days, beautiful clear skin!!!


Prescription only, but very worth it. It's cheap too.

 It says to keep the area covered, so I went and got a wrap, cut it in two, apply the gel then wrap it up at night.

Finally very happy with my arms

13 Months

Yesterday my sweet little Henry was 13 months. I just have to say I really could freeze time right now. He is at such a perfect and precious age and I know that very quickly he will outgrow this baby stage. He is walking really well, talking some, loves to eat......every time he sees food (even if he's just been fed) he says "t,t,t" and wants whatever you are eating. He is catching up with Cooper so quickly which really makes it feel like I have twins. It's especially hard when they are both ready to eat and I have two mouths to feed at the same time.

I forgot to blog about this and it was so cute. When I pick Cooper up from school, the first thing he wants is juice and a chewie. I handed him his juice and searched for a chewie but all he had in his backpack were underwear. So he used his (clean) mickey mouse underwear as a chewie and was perfectly happy. He tried taking them with him into target, but that's where I drew the line.

 The boys and I are running every morning. I bring my phone and make sure we do not come back in less than 45 minutes. Hopefully soon I'll work up to an hour but these guys are heavy and I can't pump my arms, so it's really rough using the jogger.
Hehehe, you can tell from the hair we had been running. Cooper fell asleep and laid his head over on Hank, it was too cute.

Memorial Day

This Memorial day we all went over to Erin and Michael's for a cookout/pool day. At first the pool was not open so we set up the kitty pool and let the boys play in it. The guys grilled out and Mom made my favorite thing of all....homemade ice cream with Butterfingers. I ran extra hard this morning to indulge in that yummy stuff. Cooper loved playing in Finn's kitchen and the boys played upstairs for a long time. Right before we ate, we all played with water balloons in the back yard. Greg got poppers for the boys and Finn and Cooper learned how to throw them down and make them pop. After we ate we all loaded in the back of Michael's car and went to the pool. Last year Cooper was still pretty small, but this year was perfect. He got right in that water and even played under the waterfalls and went down the slide so many times. Hank even wanted to go down the slide. He went several times too, and they just laughed. It was so much fun.

 I was so shocked he played under these waterfalls, normally he hates that sort of thing.

 Papa had Hank and Sam duty.

 This is the most precious picture.....

Day 2 at the Pool

This morning we all got up and Zac had to run to the hospital to freeze some sort of samples that he is doing research on. Since he did that, I decided to go for a run with the boys. Today was day 2 of using my jogging stroller. Oh my gosh...it is so different running with a stroller than it is on your own. I hope I build up endurance pretty quick because this is kicking my butt. We have walked/jogged for 45 minutes each day. And it is HOT outside. Once we all got back home, we headed down to the pool. We were all burnt from yesterday so I put swim shirts on the boys today and loaded myself down with sunscreen. This year kids actually recognize Cooper from school. It's great because all around the kitty pool I hear "Cooper...Cooper is here" And they play with him very nicely. Last year he got bullied some, so Iam very happy that he can stand his ground a little more now. I noticed today how beautifully Hank tans. I must say I am jealous of that Cox skin color. I tan great but I tan more reddish/brown. I am going to try to not tan much this year at all. It's hard though being outside a lot.

 Luke and Cooper

Hank's first swim

Our pool opened today. First of all though I have to say how much I am already loving Cooper being home for the summer. I didn't have to hear that darn alarm go off at 6am and the boys slept until 7. At 12 I took the boys to the pool. Krista met us there around 1 and the Price's from our church were there too. So I ended up having a lot of help. I don't think I could have done it without them. Both boys were scared to get in the water and were clinging to me for dear life. Lydia got Cooper for me and got him in the water and slowly but surely we got Hank use to it as well. Once Hank warmed up, he loved it. He didn't want in the float though, he just wanted to walk the sides of the pool. Cooper did great. Last year he fell a lot and would go under water, but he was so much steadier this time. He had a blast. Cooper and I are both burnt. I couldn't reach my back to sunscreen it and forgot to ask anyone to spray it. It's very red. The boys lasted 2 1/2 hours at the pool. I was shocked they didn't melt down before then.

Look who is coming down the stairs the correct way. They taught him this at school. He holds the rails and walks down.

 Best picture all day. Hank lounging, eating nilla wafers. Hilarious

 Hank taking a ride on the boogy board

 Krista and Hank

Last Full Day of School

This morning Hank and I went to meet Cooper at school for a pizza party. His teacher made a cake and ordered pizza and they had popcorn earlier in the day. I showed up and Cooper was eating his sandwich and he was soooo excited to see me walk in. He came running over and actually greeted Hank first. He doesn't do well with me being at school though. He assumes if I am there then all school rules go out the window. After they ate and sat on down for a minute, we all went out to the playground. I watched him play for a little bit and then headed back home. I told him bye on the playground and he shook his head no. I felt bad for him. Hank was a jewel the whole time. I have never seen him so well behaved. Tomorrow is Cooper's last day of school and he will get out early at 10:30. School has been so great for his development. He talks more now than he ever has. I can actually make out words that he is saying. His teacher has been so great for him and we are just praying that all goes smoothly and we get her again next year. She truly has a calling and a gift to work with these kids. One child with special needs is stressful enough for me to handle and she has a class full every day.  Pretty much all of his little classmates are moving up to kindergarten which I hate, because they have been so good to him.

 Already hugging....we will miss her the most

 David, Cooper and Emma all dancing around.  David befriended Cooper pretty much his first day of school and called him his little brother.

 Taylor and Hank being as good as gold.

 Had to come home and get some pictures of this little cutie too!!

On the way home from church tonight Zac looked back and Hank had the insole out of his shoe and was eating it. He not only got the shoe of but got the insole out.....what the heck Hank. I walked up to the door of the nursery tonight and Hank took one look at the nursery workers and immediately burst into tears. Then when I picked him up I stood at the door watching him laugh and play. He looked up and saw me and went straight from laughter to sobbing and reaching for me. It was hilarious. Cooper never cried for me, so this is all very new for us.