The Cooper Side

We had a wonderful time with my family this past weekend. Everyone was able to make it to my parents' house. That means we had my parents (Nana and Papa to Adam), my eldest sister Katie and her boyfriend James E. (who lives in Little Rock), my other sister Emma and her husband John, my little brother James - and of course my family (every Kirby was there). So of course with us all being there, my mom begged for a nice photo (which will be the first with my whole family including Adam). Here's the first take:

But that's not the best take in my opinion. This is the photo that actually describes my family the most. I love being so incredibly close to my family and that they are so near. I love them all!

Crib Naps!

I've mentioned that we've had some issues getting Adam to nap without being held, so after searching through other mommy blogs, Pinterest and Google (whilst doing some soul-searching ^_^), I decided to try getting Adam to nap in the crib. I'm not saying I'll never do it - but at this moment, I'm not ready to try out the "Cry It Out" method. I found a multi-step plan to slowly get him into the crib while keeping him relaxed and sleepy. After a couple of unsuccessful tries, I can proudly say that Adam fell asleep, without being held, in his crib. He slept about 45 minutes - less than a regular nap, but longer than I expected. I didn't realize how much I could actually get done in 45 minutes!

I have no pictures of this miraculous event because I was NOT going to jeopardize this opportunity.

Photoshoot Time!

Two events happened this week - so I'll talk about Kirby first. Our poor puppy has been a trooper through this whole "new baby" process. You can tell he loves Adam, maybe they speak each other's language through licking, but he is also getting a lot less attention then he used to. Well, we spent yesterday for just him - getting a haircut! Kirby is a miniature schnauzer, which means he is hypoallergenic (good since Rusty is allergic to dogs) but which also means that he has hair - not fur. It will continue to grow without shedding. Luckily, my mother-in-law, Adams's Memaw, does this for a living. She grooms, trains and shows this breed, so I get free grooming! You'll agree that this pup looks tons better!

 We also did Adam's three month photoshoot (I will update this post with his pictures when they are edited)! We had a great time with Katie Cooper Photography (which as I've mentioned is my talented sister). We again did it in our apartment so Adam was more relaxed. We used Mrs. Gale's blanket again and because our back door is a giant window, we were able to use natural light.

Update: We got Adam's picture's back and they are so amazing! She captures his personality every time! It is hard to choose which images to show, but I will try. I can't wait for the prints and maybe I'll get a canvas too. It is so amazing to see how much he's changed and how much he's stayed the same all at once.

Licking

...and the licking begins. You heard that right. Adam has entered into a phase where he is licking EVERYTHING! Rusty and I have had to adjust the way we hold him just so we don't get licked. I look over and Adam is licking Kirby's nose from the Bumbo - and that dog didn't move one inch. It is the funniest thing I've ever experienced with him. It keeps us laughing.

My parents will be visiting my grandparents in Florida next week, so they asked if I could send an updated picture. That means an impromptu photoshoot for Adam. I put him in one of his cutest outfits - I absolutely love overalls on babies and kids - and started shooting with a cute blanket Mrs. Gale gave me at a baby shower. I think they turned out way cute!

Everything isn't always smooth sailing. We've had some issues with naptime. Adam refuses to nap without being held - but at night, he sleeps in his bassinet with no issues. Everyone keeps telling me to cherish the moments and I love to watch him sleep, but having to stay sitting for hours a day is getting old. We're working on that issue, but for now, I'm getting some cute sleeping shots.

Another Quiet Week

We experienced another quiet week this week. I love seeing family and friends and love having adventures, but definitely appreciate the quiet times. Quick word - Happy Birthday To Rusty's Mom, or Memaw as she is only called now!

Adam did get some snuggle time with Rusty - which I think they both loved.

(Can you see the resemblance?)

Adam's personality is continuing to break through too - here he showing his smiley and serious side in just a few seconds.