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Happy 16 months!! 

Clothes: 12 months & 18 months- 12 months in separates, 18 months in onesies and jumpers.  We are getting close to 24 months though, and I have put up several 12 months things and even some small 18 month ones!

Growing Up: Cooper is running around like crazy!  He has also mastered several words, though most of them start with 'b', so they all sound similar: bird, bye, bug, boo, boom, book, ball, dada, hot, bubble (BU very emphatically), pop (a bubble pops), up, & please (dees).  He has started saying please on his own, but usually needs a reminder.  Still no momma.  He can sign milk, car, book, please, more, eat, and hat.  He can also blow kisses without a prompt now.  Cooper also has been picking up on things we do and tries to do them himself (putting dishwasher detergent in, folding clothes, combing his hair, blowing on his food if it's hot, etc).  He can also locate ears, nose, mouth, tongue, foot, toes, and belly.  He can point to yours, but not his- except he can stick his tongue out. :P

Likes: berries, rolls, carrots, walking, riding mommy like a horse, riding his horse, books, throwing things, emery boards, taking clothes out of the closet, balls, leaves- dead and crunchy ones especially, digging through the trash, bouncing, playing chase, being outside, playing in the rain, opening closet doors, hugs and kisses, patting things, drinking mommy's smoothie, shoes, digging through mommy's purse
 

Dislikes: when you take away something he was playing with, mommy or daddy leaving him, when he wants something to eat he can't have, riding the in car, "No", not being able to go outside, food with tomatoes, having a poopy diaper, eating noodles

Schedule:  

This is our basic schedule, but it changes depending on how well he naps and when he wakes up

7:00 - up for the day!
8:15 - breakfast

9:30 - nap

11:00 - play
12:15 - lunch

2:30 - nap

4:00 -snack
4:30 - play

6:15 - supper

7:00 - bath

7:30 - bedtime

Moments:  Cooper got to see most of his family in one week!  He hadn't seen Uncle Clark since Christmas!  He threw up for the first time (yuck!), but he wasn't sick.  He is not eating with a bib on most of the time instead of ripping it off, so he doesn't have to eat naked now.  He fell down the stairs in the sunroom a couple of times, so now he is scared to try to go down alone.  I won't say that bothers me!

Photo + Life Dump

Fall is almost here! Although if you were to step foot in our house, it would be fall. We have had a great first summer in West Tennessee! It hasn't been too hot for too long, so we have enjoyed the sun room and the back yard (minus the mosquitoes). We have also started running (well, jogging). We got a jogging stroller and hope to run a couple of 5Ks in November. Cooper really likes riding and pointing out all the dogs (woof woof). 

I also bought myself a sewing machine (an early Christmas present), and have enjoyed teaching myself a few things.  I have made a pillow and some napkins so far.  I am also working on a quiet book for Cooper, although I am hand sewing a lot of it.
 

Farmer's Market Run

The Cooper tornado has been here

Happy in the morning!

Cooper has figured out how to open the pantry... (and the laundry and closets)

Whoa, now!

Coop has learned where his tongue is

I accidentally left the ladder in his playroom during construction. Oops.

Happy with his Bargain Hunt and Dirt Cheap purchases

He loves our new couch and pillows!

J and I went on a date a couple of weeks ago.  Getting in some putt putt action.  And I won!

And some bowling... look, I won!! And I broke 100!!! (J won the first time.)

Giddy up!

I tested out pumpkin cinnamon rolls.  They will be making an appearance again!

Uncle Clarky is fun!

LOVES playing in the rain!

Finally had some success with homemade whole wheat rolls.  Seriously. SO. GOOD.

Cooper's first pumpkin!

Running!

What, momma?

We made another trip to the zoo.  It was much less crowded this time.  We had a great time with our new friends.

Do you see the orangutang? He is under the sheet!  He peeked out, then covered himself back up! Too funny.

Cullin, Cooper (putting the moves on), (an unamused) Jubrey

Look! It's a panda!

Poor panda.  It has such a rough life.

With a tiger in the background

The zoo wore him out.  How is that comfortable?

Poser

We have a busy few weeks ahead of us... a wedding, trips to NC (Cs) and FL (J), footballs games, and a beach trip!  It will Coop's first time.

Cooper is understanding more and more lately.  It is crazy how quickly he learns things.  Our lives are so full of joy!

The Great Room and Entry

It's the post we've all been waiting for! Mainly just me because that means I am done painting (for now at least!)

We hired people to take the beams down, scrape the ceilings- then smooth and paint them, add recessed lighting and a fan, add crown upstairs in the landing, and paint the entryway.  We painted the walls in the living room/ play room, and I painted ALL the trim.  Crown. Baseboards. Stairs. Spindles. So glad that it's done.  And we got a new coffee table, couch, and loveseat.  We also changed out the outlets and switches to white, then changed the back plates to white also.

It feels more like us and feels brighter and airier.  And a fresh coat of paint always cleans things up.  Without further ado, the pictures:

Before

After- walls are Aqua Pura.  The recessed light in here were already installed.  We took the frosted glass off and put in higher wattage bulbs.  You can actually see when the lights are on now!

Before

After- new rug from Dirt Cheap and gallery wall using what we had in ATL and NC

Before- it's hard to tell, but the popcorn was stained

After- pre ceiling fan and painted walls

Before (sorry it's blurry)

Annnd After :)

Playroom before

After- we plan on getting a new fan for this room sometime soon

Before

After

Before

After

Before

Annnnd After :):)

So that's what we've spent the last few weeks doing!  There are still a few things we are going to work on and change.  A new ceiling fan in the playroom, painting the shelves in the playroom, and a fireplace makeover!  Hopefully we will get a fan soon, and the fireplace is up next on the to do list.  But we will be taking a break for a while!

We are so glad we decided to add recessed lights.  It is amazing how well you can see with lights!  And a fan.. oh man!  I love a good ceiling fan.  We are so glad it's all done, and we can enjoy the room now.  It feels good to be home. :)