The First Steps...

Happy Valentine's Day 2012

2012-02-14T10:55:00.000-08:00

Happy Valentine's Day from the cutest little cupids around!
My attempt at making a heart in Bella's hair...would have been cuter if I used clear elastics, but it was fun trying!

What's up, Chicken Butt?

2012-02-12T14:13:00.000-08:00

CJ recently expanded the chicken coop so that the chickens have a run for during the day. The additional space made us want to acquire a few more chickens. I have always wanted silkie chickens, so we purchased two silkies, and another specialty breed called a chantecler. The Chantecler is supposed to be a great egg producer, and the silkies are just fun to look at. If you have never seen a full grown silkie, I recommend googling a picture of one. They are so funny looking, they have extra toes and fuzzy feet, and a real bonus is that they lay colorful eggs...usually turquoise.

Peek-A-Boo

2012-02-08T16:30:00.001-08:00

What the heck is that staring back at me?

The Little Things

2012-02-07T11:55:00.000-08:00

Bella cannot wait for summer! It has been beautiful these past couple of days in Tacoma, so she has been asking for us to bring out the pool. She doesn't quite understand that sun doesn't always mean warmth. I thought I would let her go outside in her suit and tell me if she STILL wanted the pool out, but I think that would just be mean. She settled for me letting her wear her swimsuit around the house all day.

Jameson is now fully moved into his room. I put it off for a while because it gets VERY cold in his room at night, but he is so mobile now, that it isn't safe for him to be in a bed... and he is just too big now for his bassinet. He doesn't seem to mind where he sleeps as long as he is wrapped in a blanket and the room is warm enough. I can't believe he will be 6 months old next month, I forgot just how quickly the first year passes by.

Snuggles

2012-02-01T16:05:00.001-08:00

The bigger Jameson gets, the more these two seem to enjoy each other. I can't help but love my life when I have these two to wake up to every morning.

Handsome Man

2012-01-30T16:29:00.000-08:00

Had to post this one. Too stinkin' cute.

Vanilla

2012-01-20T10:57:00.000-08:00

ICE

BABY

Pajama Day

2012-01-18T16:10:00.001-08:00

It is still a blizzard here in Tacoma, but today it was much colder than the past few days. This meant it was just too cold for the kids to be out there for more than a few minutes at a time...especially baby. I don't know what it is about the snow, but it makes mommy very slow-moving. I decided today would be a lazy day and left the kids in their PJs. Jameson is down for his second nap and Bella is making me some pretend baked goodies in her play kitchen, so I thought I'd get a pic up of my cuties lounging around.

More Snow Pics

2012-01-17T11:31:00.001-08:00

Marking her territory in the snow

Bella and Sally the Snow Princess

We are just having a blast being lazy and playing in the snow. The forecast says snow until Thursday, so we will be enjoying every bit until then. Hugs and kisses to you all!

The Downside of Too Many Rolls

2012-01-16T12:34:00.000-08:00

Jameson woke up today with a HORRIBLE rash/burn type of thing in his neck rolls from rubbing on his onsies. I felt so bad, the poor boy was bleeding and wasn't happy. I am sure the cold, dry air isn't helping. Dr. Mommy says lots of neosporin and no shirts for baby today.

First Snow of 2012

2012-01-15T18:31:00.001-08:00

The day we have all been waiting for has arrived! We got snow in Tacoma! Snow is always a blast with kids around. Bella spent the night at CJ's parents house, so I was a little bummed that I couldn't see her face when she woke up to the winter wonderland. As soon as she got home it was snow angel time! And best of all, daddy just got a call from his foreman saying no work tomorrow. As much as we appreciate CJ working, we don't want him driving on ice to get there.

Daddy and his girl enjoying a night time snow play session

Snow angels!

Our other kids playing in the snow

Jameson's first snow day

Nap Time = Blog Update

2012-01-11T12:30:00.000-08:00

Jameson just had his 4 month checkup with his doctor. He now weighs 18.5 lbs and is 26 inches long. He is in the 95th percentile for weight, and 90th for height. He is very "healthy" as the doctor put it...BIG BOY. He takes 3 naps a day, and is still up every hour on the hour at night to eat. We call him our baby pterodactyl because he makes noises that sound like a pterodactyl.
Bella is getting smarter every day. She has memorized a few of her favorite books and can now "read" them to us. She is constantly changing and growing. She will now eat her veggies just to see how strong her muscles will get. We have to feel her muscles pre and post veggie consumption. Her new favorite thing is going down tube slides at the park, which she used to be terrified of. She is excited to start dance again this Friday, and can't wait to be in another dance show. She likes to do practice shows at home all of the time. We are her biggest fans.

Brotherly Love

2012-01-05T15:10:00.001-08:00

Jameson is starting early with his brotherly duties. He loves take over Bella's room, in fact, Bella's room is his favorite place in our house. He also loves to pull on Bella's hair, reach for Bella's toys, and whine for attention when Bella is getting attention. No matter what the little booger is doing, Bella is always kind and caring towards him. She is always trying to do whatever it takes to keep him happy. She makes me so proud each and every day.

Hat Man

2011-12-31T22:47:00.000-08:00

Jameson has 10 hats already, and I think this is just the start of his collection. CJ has always been a hat man, so it only makes sense that his son would be.

Christmas 2011

2011-12-27T18:19:00.000-08:00

Handsome boy...check those thighs!

Grumpy face

Bella was soooo excited on Christmas morning. She woke us up (for the first time ever) and said Santa had come. She really loved her doll that my grandma left for her. Her name is Julie and she is going to be Bella's new best friend.

Bella's elf (Obie) left her a letter on Christmas morning.

Sorry, once again, that it has been far too long since I have posted. Finding time to sit at the computer is most difficult with two kiddos. I also recently lost my grandmother to her battle with cancer, so I have been pretty wrapped up in family and grieving her loss. Christmas was a little tough this year without my grandma to share it with, but I sure tried to make it as normal as possible for the kids. We hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas and we miss you all.

The Cooper Home

2011-12-07T09:54:00.001-08:00

Our house is beautiful chaos. We have two kids, one dog, 3 chickens (soon to be more), and now two tiny swimming frogs. There is always something needing to be cleaned up after, fed, or played with, but I wouldn't have it any other way.

Recently, while trying to get our Christmas card photo taken in front of the tree with animals and children, I found myself laughing because the chickens and dog were trying to play and Bella refused to look at the camera. I thought to myself, "There's no way this picture will turn out perfect, but I am okay with that. I love my little family just the way it is, chaos and all."

Every day is a new day and there is never a dull moment.

Santa Photo 2011

2011-12-01T16:44:00.001-08:00

The kids did great with Santa this year. Bella told Santa that she had been a very good girl and smiled the whole time, and Jameson was bright eyed and bushy tailed and didn't shed one tear. I am a proud mama!

Sorry Georgia!

2011-11-29T14:20:00.000-08:00

I never seem to have a spare moment to post on here. If I am not taking care of the kids, dog, or house, I am usually showering or eating. So here is a quick update...

Jameson will be 3 months old in 2 days! He is starting to coo, smile more, and look at toys. I swear he is growing daily and my aching back is constant proof.

Bella has her first dance recital on the 8th and she is so excited for her cousin Owen to watch her.

Christmas is approaching fast! We are taking the kids to see Santa tomorrow and I am really hoping Bella looks at the camera and Jameson doesn't scream. We will go cut our tree down this weekend and Bella is sooo excited to decorate it.

Thanksgiving was a blast. We went to my aunts house and enjoyed a lovely meal. Jameson tried his first actual food (mashed potatos with gravy, and a small bite of pumpkin pie) and he realllllllly enjoyed it.

I will post the santa picture as soon as possible. Love to you all--especially Georgia, Bella misses her friend so much!

Sibling Love

2011-11-10T13:00:00.000-08:00

Bella is always right by her little brother's side :) she is the best.

Happy Halloween Eve

2011-10-30T18:35:00.000-07:00

Today we went to a Day of the Dead festival at the Tacoma art museum. There were arts and crafts and a lot of cool things to look at, plus it was a free entrance to the entire art museum. Luckily, CJ's dad was with us and stood in a VERY long line so that Bella could get her face painted. Just in case I don't get around to posting tomorrow, Happy Halloween!!

More Rolls Than A Bakery!

2011-10-28T10:42:00.001-07:00

Jameson is growing...FAST. He is starting to resemble the Michelin Man. Don't you just want to squeeze those little cheeks?

Time is Flying

2011-10-20T13:47:00.000-07:00

Updating the blog isn't easy to do when you have two kids. Usually Jameson's nap time is spent feeding or playing with Bella while cleaning the house. The kids are doing great. Bella has been very interested in writing words lately. She started with mom and dad, and can now write a new word every day. Now when she signs things, she does it all by herself. I couldn't be more proud of her. She is obsessed with all things Halloween, especially her skeleton pajamas and the neighbor's giant spider decoration.

Jameson is a tank. He continues to outgrow everything. He fits 3-6 month clothes and isn't even 2 months old. He has an appointment on November 1st and I am curious to see what percentile he ranges in. I am guessing 99th haha. He doesn't like to sleep, and he is a definite mommy's boy. His favorite thing to do right now is bounce, and he is just starting to let out very random smiles.

We miss you all and we are very looking forward to future visits. Our next will be CJ's aunt Georgia, who is coming into town a few days before Halloween. Bella is soooo excited!!

Hello Kitty

2011-10-03T17:27:00.001-07:00

We waited in line for about an hour at the harvest festival so that Bella could get her face painted and then ruin it about 5 seconds after this photo was taken. She loved having her face painted, until she realized that she couldn't scratch her face. Next time I am telling her to stick to something smaller so that she won't wipe it off as quickly. Oh well, the 5 minutes of Bella's happiness was worth the hour long wait.

Pumpkin Patch 2011

2011-10-01T19:43:00.001-07:00

It's that time of year again, PUMPKIN PATCH time. We tried a new pumpkin patch this year and we were so pleasantly surprised. We found one very close to our house and it was lovely. There were no crowds, nice pumpkins, kind owners, and a pumpkin SLING SHOT. The trip wouldn't have been complete without our family photo...enjoy!

Fall is HERE!

2011-09-28T11:27:00.001-07:00

My favorite season is finally here, and I am so excited. Fall is full of all the things that bring me comfort. The smells, colors, and tastes of this season are by far the best. This year is extra exciting because we get to experience all the holidays with our, now complete, family of 4.

A Quick Pic

2011-09-26T13:06:00.000-07:00

Just wanted to post a pic of Jameson...he is growing so fast.

Update

2011-09-19T11:18:00.000-07:00

There isn't much to update everyone on as of lately. Bella is so happy to be back in dance class and she cannot wait for Halloween. We took her to the Disney store to pick out her costume and she was in absolute heaven. She decided she is going to be Ariel, which happens to be perfect for her beautiful red hair. She continues to be the best big sister around and is always a wonderful helper.

Jameson is a GROWING boy. He wants to eat all day every day and has gained about a pound since his birth weight. His favorite thing to do is leave the house. Some days he will cry and cry until we take him outside, then he is perfectly happy until we bring him back home. He loves the car and the stroller, which is great because mommy LOVES to get out of the house too. He continues to get cuter and cuter and is still a spitting image of his daddy.

Kisses For Brother

2011-09-13T16:25:00.000-07:00

These moments make parenthood so rewarding.

Knock On Wood

2011-09-07T08:37:00.000-07:00

I know we have only been the parents of 2 kids for a few days now, but we must have hit the amazing children jackpot. We keep waiting for that one very stressful day/night to come, and luckily it has been so much easier than anticipated. Bella has been SUCH an angel with her brother, and Jameson has been an extremely well behaved little baby. I don't know if it is because we are veteran parents now, but this whole experience has been fantastic. I'm sure a lot of it has to do with CJ being at home to help right now. We took the kids to the park for the first time as a family yesterday and they both seemed to really enjoy it, Bella got her energy out on the playground, and Jameson slept the whole time. Life is great, kids are awesome, knock on wood that things stay this wonderful haha.

Big Sister Bella

2011-09-05T12:34:00.000-07:00

Bella has been doing pretty good with the whole big sister thing. She is very sweet and gentle with her little brother and hasn't shown any jealousy yet. Although, I do think she wishes he was a little more interesting haha. She is going to be the best big sister ever.

Jameson Paul Cooper

2011-09-03T22:00:00.000-07:00

We welcomed baby Jameson to the family on Thursday, September 1, at 10:45 am after 17 hours and 45 min of labor. He weighed 7 lbs 2.9 ounces, and was 19 inches long. He was 17 days early, which is a huge blessing for mama because the doctor said he could have been a 9-10 lb baby had he chose to stay put. We couldn't be more thrilled and we cannot wait for all of you to meet him. I will try my best to stay on top of the blog and keep the pictures coming. Love to all of you!

Tap, Tumble, Twirl

2011-08-27T10:20:00.000-07:00

Bella has been doing dance for the past few weeks and she really enjoys it. She has a lot to learn, but it has been a great experience for her. Her teacher is great with the kids, and she doesn't put up with any nonsense. Bella looks forward to going every week, and I love that she has something special that is just for her, especially since we are getting closer to the arrival of her brother. It is things like this that make parenting so much fun.

4 Generations

2011-08-09T09:39:00.000-07:00

We took this picture yesterday while enjoying a day with my grandma. I love to have all 4 generations in one photo, it is a precious memory that I can show Bella when she is all grown up.

Cooper's Coop

2011-08-07T11:52:00.000-07:00

We got chickens! Call us crazy, but Bella eats a lot of eggs. :) CJ made the coop with his own two hands (with the help of his friend and his dad) and now our ugly storage area has become a nice little home for our 3 chickens (which we have yet to choose names for).

Ocean Shores 2011

2011-07-24T20:15:00.001-07:00

Today was the perfect day for a trip to the ocean. The forecast for Tacoma was around 85, and that is just waaaay to hot for me right now. I decided to see what the weather looked like over on the coast, and it was a pleasant 70-71. Plus, we hadn't taken Bella to the ocean since right after she turned 1! It was a lovely day in ocean shores. Bella and Mommy enjoyed digging in the sand (until the wind started picking up) and CJ tore it up on his skim board. Best of all, it only took a little over 1/4 tank of gas to get there and back. :)

Filler Photo- My Summer Babe

2011-07-23T18:55:00.001-07:00

Until we get all of the photos to post from Bella's 3rd birthday party, here is a cute filler photo from today.

Cooper Birthdays 2011 Part 1- CJ

2011-07-14T20:09:00.000-07:00

Happy 25th birthday to the very best husband and father there is!

We Are In For Some Big Changes

2011-07-09T20:55:00.000-07:00

It will be interesting having a little boy in our house very soon because everything is catered to a little princess. Bella is sooooo very girly, so it will be fun to have some balance in the Cooper house. I think this picture captures her personality perfectly...TOTAL girl.

Happy Fourth Of July!

2011-07-04T14:10:00.000-07:00

Every holiday needs coordinating nail polish when you are a princess!

Evening At The Lake

2011-07-03T10:02:00.000-07:00

We had a fabulous start to the holiday weekend last night over at our friend's parent's lake house. Bella had her first excursion on a paddle boat, which she loved, and even mommy got out and paddled around (great exercise for a preggo). The weather was beautiful and we had a blast.

Fun & Frugal

2011-07-02T09:16:00.000-07:00

It is amazing how many ways you learn to save money while unemployed. CJ has been laid off since March, which means I have learned to search for deals, coupons, and freebies like crazy. Yesterday, we discovered our local park does a free lunch and free snack for kids monday-friday during the summer. Not only is that awesome, but they just installed a new "spray-ground" at this park, which means hours of free fun.

New Chalk Wall

2011-06-25T10:53:00.000-07:00

Just when you thought Bella's play room couldn't get any more awesome, daddy makes a whole wall into a chalk board. :) This was a really awesome $10 investment into Bella's play time.

Belly Painting

2011-06-15T17:23:00.001-07:00

A pregnant belly makes a great canvas for finger painting!

Bella's masterpiece (probably the only time it will be "okay" to paint her brother)

Bella decided her belly needed some art too

Gone Fishin'

2011-06-12T10:34:00.001-07:00

We took Bella fishing for the very first time yesterday. When she finally made her first catch (with dad's help), and saw that fish flopping around, she thought it was pretty cool. She loved "petting" the fish, and poking at the worms. I think this will be the beginning of many fond fishing memories with her dad.

Little Miss Sunshine

2011-06-05T20:42:00.000-07:00

Just an absolutely adorable picture of miss Bella enjoying the sunshine.

First 2011 Beach Trip

2011-06-03T18:20:00.000-07:00

Today is a beautiful day in Tacoma, so we decided to venture out to a beach that we hadn't been to yet. Bella really loves playing in the sand, and she even braved the cold ocean water. We couldn't have asked for a better day at the beach. Every time we go somewhere new in Tacoma, we fall more in love. This city has so many beautiful places and fun things to do.

Enjoying a spongebob popsicle by the beach

Watching the train go by

Narrows bridge in the background

Rocking the bump at the beach

My cutie pie

Soaking In The Sun

2011-05-20T16:41:00.001-07:00

This past week has been warm and sunny in Tacoma. Bella is loving being able to play outside all day, mommy on the other hand is pregnant and HOT. This week is definitely the first sign of summer we have seen this year, and we are really taking advantage of it. All of us have a sunburn, but we are happy to finally get some good ol' vitamin D.

Chugga Chugga-Choo Choo

2011-05-14T17:17:00.000-07:00

Today was the Tacoma train festival. We are big fans of anything that gets us out of the house and doesn't cost any money. We went to check it out, and little did we know Bella would be going on her very first train ride on a classic steamer train. The information booth said "tour a train" so we hopped aboard thinking we were just going to look around, next thing we know we are on a 45 minute train ride through our surrounding neighborhood. It really pays to be clueless because we got on the train thinking it was just for show, when really you were technically supposed to buy tickets to ride the train. Whoops- I guess we had the wrong train.

Bella Goes Bowling

2011-05-10T17:22:00.001-07:00

Our local bowling alley offers a great Sunday special for 1.25 a game/per person. We decided this would be a great opportunity to take miss Bella bowling for the first time. Along with our neighbors (who have a 4 year old daughter, and an 18 month old son) we trekked over to the bowling alley and had a fun night. Bella barely fit into the smallest size of bowling shoes that they had to offer, and couldn't really lift the lightest ball, but luckily they have this wonderful contraption to assist the under aged bowlers (pictured below). All Bella had to do was line up where she wanted to aim the ball and give the ball a big push. Thanks to the wonderful device (not sure what it was called), and the bumpers on the lanes, Bella did fantastic! Mommy on the other hand was the worst player of the night.

Leavenworth

2011-05-01T18:36:00.000-07:00

While CJ was on a man-trip fishing this weekend, Bella and I tagged along with my family to Leavenworth for a mini-vacation. The weather was absolutely beautiful and we had loads of fun exploring, playing, and shopping. Thank you to my awesome mom for the nice weekend.

Petting the giant tortoise at the Reptile Zoo in Monroe

Bella did GREAT at putt putt golf. She made a lot of great putts and even scored a hold in one with a little directional guidance from Jay.

We were surrounded by stunning views

Two cute kids!

Perfect Day For An Egg Hunt

2011-04-23T13:58:00.000-07:00

It is absolutely beautiful today in Tacoma and we are having a blast! We took Bella to two different egg hunts, the first one was pretty lame, but the second was really fun. She was a lot more aggresive during the egg hunt than I thought she would be, she was serious about getting those eggs. After the egg hunt she played at the beautiful new playground at our favorite park and then came home to do an egg hunt in our backyard. We are loving this sunshine, and wish it would stick around.

It's A Boy!

2011-04-21T09:13:00.001-07:00

We are BEYOND excited to announce that our new addition is a boy!! We both realllllly wanted a boy so that we could have the awesome experience of raising one of each sex. I think you could probably here us all (CJ, my mom, and I) yell "Oh my god!" throughout the entire doctor's office. As the sonographer was showing us baby's legs she said, "There is one leg, there is the other leg, and that in the middle is the third leg." We were ecstatic. The baby's name is going to be Jameson Paul Cooper (Paul is also CJ's dad's middle name). We are thrilled and Bella is very excited as well. Now she calls the baby her baby brother and it melts my heart.

A Year Later

2011-04-17T17:31:00.001-07:00

I forgot to post on March 9th that it had been one year since we moved into our house. We feel that we have done a lot in one year, and the more work we put into our home, the more we fall in love with it (even if some days it feels like everything is breaking).

March 2010

April 2011

CJ's next big project is re-doing the stairs. As you can see they are a bit caved in and cracked. We have some really nice looking granite to use for the stairs and I can't wait until they are done!

Quick Update

2011-04-17T10:12:00.000-07:00

Bella received an Easter surprise in the mail from her auntie Georgia and she was SOOOO excited to open it. Bella sends a big huge thank you to her auntie, she is very much in love with the singing Easter sheep.

Also, today marks 18 weeks into the pregnancy. The bump is finally looking more like a baby and less like a beer belly. We are SOOO excited to find out the sex in 3 days!

Miss and love you all!

The Spring Fair

2011-04-15T15:06:00.000-07:00

We took Bella to the Puyallup spring fair today and it was a blast! She is now at such a fun age for the fair because she is tall enough to go on all of the smaller rides. We were unsure about going this morning because she has a little cold and it was raining off and on, but the second she heard that there could be pony rides, she was "not sick anymore". Bella's favorite part of the fair was the pony ride, with the car ride in a close second. Mommy and Daddy's favorite part of the fair was seeing the big smiles on Bella's face....oh and the AWESOME fair scones. And since we haven't uploaded many pictures lately, I took a ton of pictures at the fair for the blog.

Project 1- Island Counter

2011-04-10T10:16:00.000-07:00

So I decided I would start posting pictures of all the small projects we are tackling while CJ is laid off. Our first item up was our island counter. From the moment we bought the house it has been falling apart and a PAIN to clean the grout lines. We were originally going to wait and do a granite slab, but we decided it would be a lot less expensive to do an oak butcher block (which is also very conducive to all the baking we will be doing with the kids over the years). So here are the before and after shots, enjoy....we sure do!

Before- ugly and annoying tile.

After-beautiful butcher block

Trying To Stay Busy

2011-04-07T16:55:00.000-07:00

Sorry I haven't posted anything interesting recently. We are currently trying to stay as busy as we can while CJ is laid off. It really sucks having all this time that we could do projects, but not so much money to do them. Fortunately, CJ has found small things to work on so far. Tomorrow my family from up north are coming down for a visit and we are so excited. I will try and get some pictures up of the projects we have been working on around the house. Until then, here is another beautiful photo of our awesome kid.

Update

2011-03-30T19:13:00.001-07:00

Sorry I haven't been posting, I really need to buy a new memory card for the camera and I keep forgetting. Things have been pretty hectic in our house lately. Cj's car is broken down, our dishwasher is broken, our lawnmower just broke, and then our electrical got completely fried. Luckily, we have an awesome friend that has been helping us put all new wiring in our house. He told us that if we had left it how it was, there was a huge chance of a house fire down the road...yikes! So we have been taking this burden as a blessing as much as we possibly can. We are just taking things one day at a time and will slowly tackle all the issues that have been coming about lately. As of today I am 15 weeks and 3 days pregnant. I had a doctor appointment yesterday and all is well. I take Bella with me to all of my appointments and she loves it because there is a Mr. Potato head doctor toy that she gets to play with every time, and they always give her fruit snacks. I scheduled my ultrasound that will determine the baby's measurements and the sex! It is set for April 20th, 3 weeks from today! We are so excited to find out what the baby is so that we can start figuring out all that we need. If it is a girl, we pretty much are set minus a few odds and ends, but if it is a boy....we will definitely have a lot more to get! We have a name picked out for a boy, but are going back and forth on girl names. I like one slightly more and CJ likes one slightly more, but we both like both options. For a boy it will definitely be Jameson Paul Cooper. So it would be nice if it was a boy because there wouldn't have to be any debate on the name. Bella is so excited about the baby, and is constantly talking to my Belly. She sings the baby songs, rubs lotion on my belly, and always gives the baby kisses. I can't wait to see her as a big sister. As for other updates, we chose Bella's preschool. It is a beautiful old church in the North end of Tacoma. There classrooms are awesome and the teachers couldn't be any nicer. We wanted to put her in this coming fall, but with the new baby (and added expenses), we will probably have to wait until the next fall. At least she will still have one full year of preschool before starting kindergarten. I was going to put Bella in swimming lessons this month, but they have a fairly long waiting list, so that will be put off as well. I am going to try and find her a different class (music, or dancing) here soon because she really misses her gym class. Bella made a new friend these past couple of weeks, which was exciting. Turns out that we live right next to a younger couple with a 4 year old daughter and an 18 month old son. Although Bella is still warming up to the little girl, it is really great for her to have a friend in the neighborhood. Lastly, we decided on an elementary school for Bella. We never realized that we lived so close to SO many schools. There are about 5 elementary schools all very close to us. We drove around and did some research and found a very awesome school. It is absolutely beautiful and is right next to a huge park and water park (which we had no clue we lived near and plan to visit frequently this summer). Life is pretty great! I promise to buy a memory card this weekend and post some new pictures of my ever growing kid. She has gotten SO tall! Love you all!

Happy St. Patty's Day

2011-03-17T10:41:00.000-07:00

Bella was suprised to find out that a silly little leprechaun had turned all of her food green while she slept. She was really excited to try her green eggs and milk that he left for her. She says, "Green milk is delicious!" I think the leprechaun even made green mac-n-cheese (Bella's fav) for lunch! So far she doesn't really get what today is all about but she thinks the colorful food is yummy and fun.

Pretty Hair Day

2011-03-15T16:49:00.000-07:00

Daddy has been home with a horrible stomach flu the past couple of days so we have just been taking it easy and relaxing. I decided to braid Bella's hair to have some fun mommy-daughter time. This picture was from the aftermath of taking all the braids out and leaving her hair pretty and wavy. I never get bored with having my little girl, there is always something fun to do. Between the dress up, the nails, the makeup, and the hair, we never run out of makeover ideas.

Dear Sun, We Missed You!

2011-02-22T11:30:00.001-08:00

We have had some wonderful sunny days here in Tacoma, albeit chilly, and we have been taking full advantage of them. Nothing helps me with my nausea better than some fresh air. This past weekend we went to the zoo, and strolled around downtown Tacoma. I am a true lover of Washington rain, but this break has been wonderful. Being a stay at home mom really makes you appreciate days when you can get out of the house!

If you look at Bella's forehead you will notice a large scrape, she took a huge tumble while walking around downtown and scraped up her forehead and nose pretty good. Luckily, we were right in front of a toy store, so the melt down was short lived.

For Georgia

2011-02-10T12:52:00.000-08:00

Under The Weather

2011-02-02T14:15:00.000-08:00

Sorry we haven't been posting much. As almost all of you know, I am expecting our 2nd child. This pregnancy has been extremely rough so far, and I am rarely feeling well enough to stand up, let alone post a blog. Luckily, I have just a few more weeks until (HOPEFULLY) I am feeling better. Along with me being sick, Bella has had a terrible virus for the past week now, and it came at a horrible time because we are actually getting some sunshine. Life has been pretty chaotic, taking care of a sick two year old while puking all day, along with a TON of problems with the house. However, there is a silver lining, and we feel so blessed to have the life we have. We are so excited to be expecting another baby, and I think Bella is the most excited. She tells everyone that she is going to have a brother or sister, and if anyone comes to our house she points out the ultrasound pictures of the baby (pictured above). Love to all of you! Hopefully we will be posting more frequently!

Twinkle, Twinkle

2011-01-13T16:43:00.000-08:00

Hopefully you can hear this, I can hear it when I play it on my phone, but not on the computer. Enjoy!

My Big Kid

2011-01-10T11:33:00.000-08:00

I took a look at Bella this morning and realized that there are no more traces of baby left in her. She is a big kid now, and it has gone by so fast. This past few days when we had her friend Samara here, she didn't even ask for my help with the potty...she did it all by herself. She is very independent, and I think that is going to be one of her many strengths as a human being. She gets very frustrated when she cannot do something herself. She amazes me every day, because she is constantly learning. She can now sing the alphabet, and spell her name! She is so smart.

Wow!

2010-12-27T17:09:00.000-08:00

We look like twins! I just had to share.

You are so beautiful to me

2010-12-17T13:52:00.001-08:00

Our princess at the park on a beautiful Washington winter afternoon

Cooper Traditions

2010-12-12T17:24:00.000-08:00

I think the best part of the holidays are the family traditions that carry on year after year. I think it is important to teach Bella these traditions so that she may have fond memories of the holidays to hold on to for many years, and maybe pass on to her own children one day.

One tradition that I have always enjoyed is baking cookies. Bella likes helping in the kitchen as much as any other 2 year old (fun, yet very short attention span). However, once she found out that she could DECORATE the cookies that we were baking with gads of icing AND sprinkles, she was all about it.

The pictures below are a little out of order, but another tradition that we have started is to go see the real reindeer at Swanson's nursery in Seattle and eat Dicks afterwards. This is the second year we have done this, and Bella really enjoys seeing real reindeer. Now that Bella grasps the concept of Santa Claus and has read the Rudolph book and watched the Rudolph cartoons, seeing the real reindeer was pretty special. And nothing makes this kid happier than a chocolate milkshake from Dicks.

It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas!

2010-12-06T14:42:00.000-08:00

Our home is starting to look very festive. It has been fun decorating for the holidays, and although we don't have much, I know we will accumulate a ton of Christmas stuff over the many years we are going to live in our wonderful home!

Daddy & Bella in front of our tree. Daddy worked REALLY hard to cut the tree down.

Daddy up on the roof hanging lights

Zoolights

2010-11-29T11:33:00.000-08:00

Zoolights was a great way to kick off this holiday season. For $3 dollars (thanks to our zoo membership from Ed and Carrie) we got to spend all night in a winter wonderland. It is so relaxing to walk through an endless trail of Christmas lights (hot cocoa in hand) while Christmas music plays throughout the zoo. They even had the aquarium open, which excited Bella to no end!

Thanksgiving 2010

2010-11-27T17:01:00.000-08:00

Happy belated Thanksgiving! We had a great Thanksgiving this year in our new house. Bella didn't really want to eat any of the real turkey, so good thing we had made cookie/candy turkeys...little stinker.

Bella and Papa made her very first snowman, and I have to say it is the coolest snowman that I have ever seen. I especially love the floppy leaf ears.

Winter Wonderland

2010-11-22T14:57:00.000-08:00

The snow is still dumping down on us here in Tacoma and we couldn't be happier! Bella LOVES the snow. She especially likes eating it. We had to teach her the golden rule of not eating yellow snow. Nothing puts you in the Christmas spirit like playing in the snow.

SNOW!

2010-11-21T14:35:00.000-08:00

Our first snow of the season is here and we are so excited! CJ and I are children at heart and love to play in the snow. We are hoping it snows long enough for Bella to make her first snowman.

Darling Dimple

2010-11-16T20:30:00.000-08:00

I just had to share this adorable picture. I love pictures that show off Bella's dimple.

Silly Strawberry Shortcake

2010-11-15T12:14:00.001-08:00

( Bella has an abundance of tattoos here because she gets to pick a tattoo every time she uses the potty.)

Here are 10 new updates on Bella;

1) Bella is full on potty training, she has been great about pooping in the potty, now we just have to get her to pee in the potty. She has been doing very well and I am so proud of her.

2)Bella has started to learn how to sing songs. Her favorite song to sing is "Twinkle, twinkle, little star".

3)Bella knows all of her shapes and is starting to learn how to draw them.

4)Bella just recently learned her own name. Now when she is asked, "What is your name?" she can reply "Bella!" It is sooooo cute.

5)Bella can now count to 20, but she doesn't like to do it on command haha. I catch her counting when she is quietly playing alone.

6)Bella's new favorite thing to say is, "You're my best friend" as she gives you a hug.

7)Bella can now jump with both feet off of the ground.

8)Bella has been sleeping in her big girl bed every night for almost 8 months now.

9)Bella's favorite food is still mac-n-cheese. She likes the annie's brand and she calls it "bunny cheese". She asks for "bunny cheese" at every meal, EVERY day.

10)Bella is a HUGE egg nog fan. Ever since the first time she tried it, it is pretty much all that she wants to drink.

My Daughter, The Gymnast

2010-11-11T12:31:00.000-08:00

It is amazing what one gym class a week can do for a 2 year old. It is now the second half of the semester and we have watched Bella learn so many things. She has learned a lot of social skills, which is great because she stays home with Mom. She has learned to take chances and try new things, even if they might seem scary at first. But my favorite of all is how she applies what she has learned to her every day life. She is amazing, and I cannot wait to see all of the things she explores and concurs in her life.

Last Bit of Sun

2010-11-07T11:54:00.000-08:00

We had to get Bella outside today because somehow it is still beautiful here in Washington, but we know the rain is coming. So after a big pancake breakfast, Bella and Lucy are running around the backyard. I don't believe Sundays get better than this.

Halloween

2010-11-01T16:10:00.000-07:00

We had a FABULOUS Halloween. It was our first Halloween in our house and we couldn't have been happier. I don't know what Bella liked more, trick-or-treating, or handing out candy. With her beautiful costume, her pink skull bucket, and Nana and Papa by her side, I don't think she could have asked for a better Halloween. We had a TON of trick-or-treaters and even had to go on a candy run. This holiday gets better every year!

Little Gymnast

2010-10-21T13:05:00.001-07:00

Bella likes gymnastics so much that she likes to climb on/hang on everything now. Her new favorite is hanging on the corner of our kitchen island. Silly little monkey.

Pumpkin Patch OH TEN!

2010-10-17T09:48:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was a BEAUTIFUL fall day in the northwest and a perfect day for the pumpkin patch. Unfortunately, everyone else in the free world thought the same...it was CROWDED. We made the mistake of waiting closer to Halloween this year than we have the past couple of years. Despite the sea of people, we thoroughly enjoyed out visit to the pumpkin patch. I am most excited about the fact that we can display our pumpkins on our porch for the very first time this year!

Our New Addition

2010-10-14T11:48:00.000-07:00

We finally did it, we got a puppy. I wasn't sure I was ready for this big step, but as soon as I saw Lucy(a sweet 7 month old pomeranian), I fell in love. It has been surprisingly a lot easier than I thought. Lucy is a very good puppy! I must say I don't think there is anything cuter than Bella playing with littly Lucy.

New Swingset!

2010-10-10T17:56:00.000-07:00

I love craigslist!!!! The only place you can find a GREAT BARGAIN on a swingset. Bella is so excited to have a "park" in her very own backyard!

Harvest Festival

2010-10-03T11:39:00.000-07:00

Once again, so sorry about not posting. It is so hard without a working camera. The camera phone only gets a good shot once in a blue moon. I promise we will invest in a camera soon...I just want to make sure we get one that wont break right away without spending a fortune. Here is a photo from the harvest festival that we took Bella to yesterday. It was so much fun, and the best part...everything was FREE!

We're in Trouble!

2010-09-08T11:19:00.000-07:00

It is going to take all of my power as a parent to not let this kid get away with everything. Look at that face, I know that I am biased, but is that not the cutest face you have ever seen?! She just makes my heart melt. She says that she wants to be a princess this year for Halloween, I think it suits her well.

Camping

2010-09-05T16:18:00.000-07:00

Sorry about not posting ever =[ !! CJ and I are going to make a point this month to either fix our camera or buy a new one. We just got back from a camping trip with friends and we had a blast. Bella did great! She made a new friend with a 4 year old named Miabella and a dog named Bailey. I have a feeling we will do a lot more camping in the years to come.

Congrats To My Journeyman!

2010-08-12T18:34:00.000-07:00

Here is the cake I made today for my wonderful husband. It took forever and turned out pretty crappy, but it is the thought that counts!

Belated Birthday Photos

2010-08-08T18:01:00.001-07:00

I am finally getting up some photos from Bella's party. Wow, almost a month has passed by already. Time flies way too quickly!

Blowing out birthday candles with Daddy's help

Sexy CJ

Birthday Princess

Our adorable home

Girls hanging with cool aunt Jayne

Time to party fiesta style!

Our fiesta spread

So cute

Laurie's talented artwork

Sorry!

2010-07-31T14:32:00.001-07:00

Sorry we haven't been posting. It is really hard to do with no camera =[ We have the money to buy one right now but we want to save every extra penny right now for when CJ gets laid off this coming fall. I have photos from Bella's party but they are on CJ's parent's computer and I have yet to upload them. I will try and do that soon. For now, here is a pic a took with my phone from today. Enjoy!

Happy 2nd Birthday Beautiful Girl

2010-07-15T12:00:00.000-07:00

7/15/2008

7/15/2010

What a smart, fun, beautiful little girl you have grown to be. You make your mommy and daddy so proud, we love you so much.

Enjoying The Sun

2010-07-09T23:58:00.001-07:00

Bella has been loving this hot hot weather we have been having. Mommy loves it too because Bella can be entertained for hours playing outside in her pool and running around the yard. Today, Bella's best friend Samara came over to play. They had SO much fun together playing in the pool, eating popsicles, and playing in Bella's princess tent. They are so adorable together. Thank goodness for my new phone being able to take decent photos while the camera is out of commission.

Random Phone Pictures

2010-07-06T13:00:00.001-07:00

It has been really hard not having a camera, but unfortunately our camera broke at a time when our focus is Bella's birthday, so buying a camera will be put off a little longer. For now, here are some photos that I have taken this week on my phone. Enjoy!

Bella likes dressing herself (tutu dress, rainboots, and a beanie)

Bella really wanted this dora mask but it creeped mama out haha

Fourth of July

Birthday glasses from a friend

My cute almost 2 year old!

Father's Day 2010

2010-06-20T19:30:00.000-07:00

This year for father's day we went to a Mariner's game with Ron and Debby. It was a ton of fun and the Mariner's actually won! Bella was great! She snacked on popcorn and waved her foam finger. She is definitely going to be a baseball fan. Happy Father's day everyone!

1st 2010 Beach Outing

2010-06-14T11:22:00.000-07:00

I don't usually post two things in one day, but my friend Merissa just sent over the photos from our beach outing from last weekend and I wanted to share with our blog friends! Our friends showed us a really cool beach that we had never been to before (and will remain our little secret =]). We searched for treasures, had a wonderful picnic, and enjoyed basking in the sunshine after many weeks of rain.

Bad News For Our Blog Readers

2010-06-14T10:32:00.000-07:00

Once again, we have a broken camera. I am so upset, this is our second broken camera in a year! We have no clue how it happened and we are trying our best to fix it. Apparently cameras hate us! It is realllllly hard to have such a cute kid with no camera! We hope it will be an easy fix, until then we will try and borrow cameras every now and then to update the blog. For now, since Bella's birthday is coming up soon, here is a picture from Bella's party last year...just because it is cute.

Squeaky Clean

2010-06-08T14:43:00.000-07:00

Bella takes her hygiene very seriously. She always has to be clean, smelling good, and looking pretty. She is such a girly girl! Cleaning her ears is no exception, she absolutely loves cleaning her ears... partly because of the cleaning part, partly because she looks silly.

Rain or Sun, Bella Has Fun!

2010-06-06T13:35:00.001-07:00

Summer may be starting a little later here in Washington, but Bella sure knows how to make a rainy day lots of fun. She loves to splash in the puddles and run around in her rain boots as she shouts, "Water, water, water!" She is such a fun and silly little girl.

It May Be Raining, But Bella Wants OUTSIDE!

2010-06-01T16:46:00.000-07:00

This kid is ready for the summertime. She loves playing outside, even if it is raining. It sucks that the rain is still here in the beginning of June, but it is Washington and we love it here rain or shine.

Where's Bella?

2010-05-28T20:47:00.000-07:00

Usually when Bella is being quiet upstairs it either means she is watching cartoons or she is washing her hands. She loves washing her hands in her very own bathroom.

A Backyard Oasis

2010-05-15T19:13:00.000-07:00

Our little monkey is so spoiled. Before we even think of buying outdoor furniture for us, she has everything she could want in her backyard (minus a swing set). She has it made! We are well on our way to a brand new backyard! CJ finished moving the dirt today and tomorrow we will be planting the seed for our lawn. Our goal is to have a lawn by Bella's birthday, but if it isn't finished, at least we are trying our best! We have taken pictures of each step to our brand new yard and will post them all when we have our finished product.

Life's Rough

2010-05-13T19:17:00.000-07:00

My sweet baby fast asleep with her precious monkey