A WHOLE WEEK HAS GONE BY..........

Sometimes I actually avoid updating the blog because I think people have to get sick hearing about our crazy life but then there are days like today and I just want to tell the whole world how fun and great my kids are. Last week was a little crazy but nothing we aren't use too. Terry's niece has moved back from California with her husband and their son who is 3 months younger than Cooper. We got to see them last Monday and it will be so fun watching Cooper with someone his own age. It is great that they are back and hopefully we will get some fun park time with them when they get settled in. Steph was crazy busy with her two jobs and the first couple weeks here have been a little overwhelming to her. She is in a new place, new routine, new jobs....it is bound to stress anyone out. She is doing great though and we are enjoying her here. Today was the first day we actually got to spend some time together outside of work and we enjoyed a morning of shopping and then home for a nap. I think we all fell asleep except Raelynn of course. It was great!

Raelynn is her normal fun and crazy self. Right now we are working hard to decide what her birthday theme is going to be this year. Her birthday is July 1st and this year we will have her party on July 4th which complicates things a little. She had been very assertive that she wanted a Ballerina Birthday but then when we realized we would be celebrating on the 4th it lead to the idea of just having a 4th of July theme. I told her she could think on it but needed to decide so we could get invitations and once we did that she could not change her mind. This morning she wakes up and has decided that she will have neither a 4th of July or Ballerina Birthday but instead will have a Batman Birthday! What?! Batman?????? So now it is down to these three and hopefully she will decide soon. She informed me today that it didn't really matter what kind of birthday she has as long as everyone brings a present. Although this made me laugh inside we had to talk about the whole present thing. She said she understood that she had to be grateful for everything she had and that she shouldn't expect presents and that some kids don't get presents. She seemed very sad after our little talk and finally she said, "but you and Dad are getting my Nitendo DS right?" So I think we will need to have this discussion again but I just didn't have the heart to push her to tears so I simply said our present would be a surprise.

Cooper is growing by the day. He is getting bigger but by growing I am referring more to his development. The boy is crazy. He is so good but ornery and his smile is a killer. Coop's nickname from Terry, Raelynn and I is "Boo". Honestly I don't remember exactly how it came about, maybe Terry will remember, but we call him Boo all the time. Thursday or Friday we load up in the car to head to work and Terry tells Coop, "Bye Boo". Coop looks right back at him and says, "Bye Boo". It took us by surprise and then we all just started laughing. Dora was on TV the other morning singing the Backpack song and there Cooper is standing in the middle of the living room singing along. He now says yellow and Poho (our Dog) clear as day. Yet with all these new words and new sounds every day, he still doesn't say the basics; drink, milk, up, down, etc. I know he can say it and we try to make him but he just says what he wants when he wants to, much like the way he eats. Sometimes I wonder if this is how Cooper will approach everything. Everything that he does he will do the way and when he likes with little consideration to anyone else and it will be just fine because if anyone does to start feeling annoyed or bothered by him, he will flash them his smile and wrinkle his nose and they will melt just like we do.

Coop did pass his hearing screening finally! So for 6 more months we will not have to worry about his ears, yea! On Friday his cardiologist called and the team met and reviewed his case and they are for sure going to perform the hybrid procedure where they will simultaneously preform open heart surgery and a cardiac catheter to repair his VSD, place stints in his arteries and possibly insert a valve. Cooper will be one of the first patients if not the first to have these procedures done in their new hybrid rooms specifically designed for this approach. We will go in for a clinical visit on August 12th and they will then schedule his surgery for September or October. Therefore, we will not have any further procedures this summer and we can enjoy the sun. Last year we did not get to enjoy our summer at all and we dearly love summer. We are all looking forward to making up lost time. Raelynn and I have decided that we will visit each and every park in Lawrence this year. So far, since stating our goal last weekend, we have been to 3 and have 69 left! It will be a great summer!

We also had fun this past week making chocolate cake in the microwave in a coffee cup! No kidding........you put these ingredients in a coffee cup, throw it in the microwave for 3 minutes and you have delicous chocolate cake. Raelynn, Cooper, Steph and I had fun making it and Terry helped us eat it. It was a lot of fun and Raelynn has wanted to make it every night since.






Today we had a birthday party at the LGA and as always it was great fun. Cooper is now a dare devil and is afraid of nothing. Raelynn is wonderful because she takes her little brother with her everywhere and helps him when he needs it and leaves him alone when he doesn't. I hope they continue to be such great friends.