6 Months... He aint no baby anymore!

James is very very very close to sitting up by himself. As you can see below, he can technically sit up while holding onto something...

But what James can do VERY well, is ROLL. All over the place.. When he is in his crib. When he is getting changed. When he has a dirty diaper. The boy will not stay still. Then when you HOLD him down, he does this awful grunt (which sounds painfully like his father) and then he just lies there hating life until you let him go.

We are also trying solid food. And when I say solid, I really mean Applesauce. James hates that too. Work in progress. Aaron will not accept defeat.

We are getting excited for Christmas and to see Bebe and Pops. We are counting down the days: 9 days to go!

Month 5

Well, another month has come and gone WAY too quickly.  James is becoming quite the little boy, but thankfully still very much a baby. We are still 100% on formula, but I see his little mouth starting to make chewing motions and he seems to want to grab what ever it might be that we are eating. He thinks eating chips is really funny (but I hate to tell him, he has a ways to go before he can eat those).

He is also losing a bit of his "laid back' attititude. Not sure if that has to do with day care or just getting older, but he is definitely getting a bit of fire in him!

But, my God, he has such a good personality. He smiles at the slightest things (although he might be a bit bi-polar with his ugly cry face & his super happy face - switching between the two in a matter of seconds!). More often than not, he is just a happy little guy.

Discoveries: Making lots of bubbles, throwing toys on the ground, pulling his ear (please God, don't be an ear infection), pouting his lips like his father and uncle.

Tummy time is becoming much less dramatic, although, we still end in a screaming, spitting fit within 3 minutes.

November will be a busy month and I just want it all to slow down a bit so I can take in each discovery with him.

The Monger

My husband is perhaps the luckiest man alive. Not only did he find ME all the way in Texas, but his life (so far) has been a series of good luck, better luck and amazing luck along the way.

A few weeks ago, a co-worker (who runs a daily show on national radio) sent out an email... put a $$ bid for the chance to play golf with the Prime Minister, all in the name of charity.  That night, Aaron, asked me if he should put in a bid.... bids started at $1,000. I told him he should go for it. He probably wouldn't win the bid, but might as well throw in $1000.

Well, turns out, HE WON THE BID.

Then Jamie (the co-worker who set this up) asks if Aaron might like to cook some lamb rack, crayfish and oysters for the Prime Minister. Okay we say...

So, for $1000, Aaron got to serve the Prime Minister his Harbour Fish Product, he got a shameless plug for Harbour Fish on a national radio show (which would have cost around $1000 - just for the mention), and then he got to spend the rest of the day playing golf and drinking beer with our lovely Prime Minister.

Jamie, who affectionately refers to Aaron as "The Monger" short for "The Dirty Fish Monger" said that by the end of the day, John Key was referring to Aaron as "The Monger..."

Priceless.

Oh, I almost forgot to mention, Mr Lucky Pants then went on to WIN the whole golf tournament and then got his name and his company name in the local paper....

Halloween

The cutest Skeleton on this side of the hemisphere!

 Dropping James off at Daycare!  He loves it there.

Getting James home is a whole different story!!!!

Done-Burger Skeleton!

Tekapo for the weekend

Some of you may remember Corey & Lizzie from our wedding. Corey was a groomsman and Lizzie was voted best dressed!  Anyway, she is now 29 weeks pregnant with TWIN GIRLS. Yes, TWIN GIRLS.  (God help Corey)

They live in Christchurch which is about a 4 hour drive from Dunedin, so we decided to meet them in Tekapo (which only cut off about half an hour, but a bit prettier than CHCH.)

James in his new Bumbo seat with the beautiful lake behind him...

I wish I had a better photo of her belly!!!

Trick or Treat

James was getting ready for Halloween and decided to leave me a "treat"!

What a funny face.

 

 

 

Four Months... Really?

How is it possible that this little guy has been in my life for 4 months already?  But, sigh, he is already 4 months old. Every time I "retire" an outfit because he has outgrown it, I get a little bit sad... but I know, the older he gets, the more fun he gets... so I must look on the bright side.

James has officially been at daycare for a month and a half and loves it. Loves the teachers and they are great with him. He is the  youngest kid in the whole daycare, so all the other kids LOVE him.  I 100%  our choice of daycare for James was the right one.

He is starting to get a sweet/funny personalilty and I really think he will be just like his father... always smiling.

Just check this guy out... he posed himself.

 



We love every day that we get with him and if 4 moths is this fun, I can't wait to see him at 5 months!

1 month and growing

Can you believe James Murray Cooper has been in this world for a WHOLE MONTH???

We have done so much in the last month. We were born (which was exhausting)

We hung out with Dad....

We hung out with Russell

We watched our first All Blacks Game with dad...

We took our passport Photo  - Getting ready for the BIG TRIP!

We met beautiful Aunt Rachel

We hung out with Rico

We became a professional "oh so cute" model

We slept a lot

AND we cried even more...

Looking forward to what next month will bring!!!

JAMES MURRAY COOPER!

James Murray Cooper was born on Tuesday morning at 3:46, weighing 8 pounds 1 ounce and measuring 18.5 inches.  After a bit of work, James made a welcome into this world with a loud cry and a strong kick! We spent a couple of days in the hospital - mainly for my sake - and finally came home on Friday afternoon. The last couple of days have been a groundhog day haze of waking up and feeding him and changing his diaper, etc, etc, etc... and I have a feeling that will continue on for quite a while.

We got to skype with the Texas grandparents today and James enjoyed it so much that he didn't cry!

Everyday, we get to know James better and everyday we love him more.  I can't wait to see who this little man becomes.

Here are a couple of photos from the first few days!  Don't worry, there will be plenty more to come!

Epidural just in and Brooke is A LOT happier...

 Ready for Baby James to be put into!

His heart rate and my contractions....

 Very nervous Brooke just told that it is time to "push"...

Fast forward 5 hours and here is James!

Aaron holding James right after he is born.

Beautiful Aunt Chanel visiting the day after James was born.

One of the few moments in the hospital that he slept!!!

On the way home in his car seat... in the bear outfit his Texas Grandmother gave him.

Getting ready for first bath

Updated Belly Photos

I added just a couple more photos. I think what this shows is that the changes REALLY start happening after the 30 week mark. 

With 6 days until my due date I am looking forward to a few things:

• Tying my shoes without grunting
• Getting out of bed in less than 3 minutes
• Getting out of bed without grunting
• Getting out of bed less than 4 times a night (wait this won't change). Edit: Getting out of bed just to pee less than 4 times a night
• Turning over in bed without a struggle
• Eating close to the table
• Eating without heartburn
• Wine
• Getting in and out of the car without grunting
• Not wearing ugly maternity clothing
• Walking faster than a duck waddle
• Wine. (Worth mentioning again.) 

15.5 Weeks

17.5 Weeks

20 Weeks

23.5 Weeks

27.5 weeks

31 Weeks - Australia

34 Weeks  - Baby Shower Brunch

38 weeks. Tired brooke at work.