The Coopers

Oliver's First Birthday

2011-03-07T20:18:00.000-08:00

My baby turned one on Saturday. It's all going by way too fast.....

We had a little family party (just us + my mom).

Opened presents:

Ate cake and ice cream:

I think he had a great first birthday!!

Photos

2010-07-13T07:19:00.001-07:00

Whilst in Utah, we had a professional photographer take pictures of all of my mom's grandkids as a belated Mother's Day gift. They turned out amazing. For anyone who lives in Utah, I would HIGHLY recommend Jenny. Check her out here: http://www.bluebirdfilmandphoto.com/

A few new pictures...

2010-06-03T13:01:00.000-07:00

The girls are in the basement playing nicely together and Ollie is hanging out here with me, okay not being held. A rare spare moment for me....

Aren't they gorgeous?

Isn't he sweet?

Finley's 3rd birthday....

2010-06-03T07:29:00.001-07:00

His biggest fan....

2010-06-03T07:22:00.001-07:00

Meatball

2010-04-13T20:06:00.000-07:00

I *heart* him.
A lot.

I love them as well. I love, love, l-o-v-e how much they love one another.

Baby "Bob" has arrived!

2010-03-11T17:48:00.000-08:00

We welcomed the newest member of our family, Oliver Nicholas Cooper, into the world on Friday, March 5th at 8:08am. Weighing in at 9 pounds and 13 ounces and 21 inches long, he's quite a big guy. So far....he's a really, really good baby. The girls are incredibly excited and sweet with him.

A POST!

2010-01-14T14:17:00.000-08:00

So, it's been awhile....so much has happened since my last post--I'm not really sure where to begin.

We had a wonderful summer. Hands down, the best in years. In early June, we rented a minivan (I know, right!) and drove to Yellowstone. It was a fantastic road trip. We stayed in Jackson Hole for a few nights before heading to West Yellowstone where we stayed in a little log cabin for a several nights. Words cannot describe how beautiful it is there. Andy said that Lower Falls is the most beautiful place he has ever been. For once, I just might agree with him.

Later in the summer, Andy and I were able to get away for five days to San Francisco. It was bliss. It was great fun to hang out with old friends and have some time without the kids (and, of course, staying at the Ritz is fun too!) I can't imagine trying to raise a family there, but I do love it and I do miss it.

Shortly after we returned from San Francisco, we found out that our family is going to get just a little bit bigger....the yet-to-be-named baby boy is set to arrive on Friday, March 5, at 7:30am and not a minute later. The girls are very interested in 'Bob' as they've nicknamed him; talking to him, feeling him move and wondering all about what's happening inside my expanding belly. Each one of my pregnancies has been such a different experience--it's been so fun this time around to have the two of them to share it with.

Riley started kindergarten this fall and it suites her. She was nominated by her teacher in November to receive a school 'PRIDE' award during a school assembly for being a good listener, a hard worker and a friend to all. Yes, I cried.

Finley started preschool this fall as well. I'm pretty sure it was harder on me than it was on her. Yes, I cried.

Now that we're both more comfortable with the situation, it is awesome. She has changed so much in the past few months. She has really come out of her shell and is turning into quite a chatterbox. I still get emotional when I think how far she has come and what an amazing little gift I have been given. I can not wait to see what the future holds for her.

I love love love fall and it never seems to last as long as I wish it would. Winter always comes too early and too fast in my opinion, but this year was a bit extreme. We've had (no longer just an opinion) more than our share of very, very cold days and plenty of snow. We've been keeping busy with school, therapy and playdates, plus Riley's dance and both girls in swim lessons twice a week whilst we wait for spring and baby.

I'm hopeful that this update will propel me back into blogland and I can again make it a part of my routine. Fingers crossed.

T.W.O.

2009-05-23T14:51:00.000-07:00

Today is Finley's second birthday. I honestly can't believe how fast it has gone.

I've learned more in the past two years about life and love than in the previous 30 years put together. Finley has been my teacher. I may worry endlessly about how she will handle teasing or if she'll be able to do normal everyday things like button up a shirt or tie her shoes. However, she shows me every day that she will be fine. She IS fine. She is better than fine, she is perfect.

Two years: too many doctors appointments, too many hospital stays and too much for one little body to go through.
Two years: too many people touch by her spirit, too many to count. Too many times I have been brought to tears with an overwhelming sense of pride that I am her mom.

The past two years have made me strong. I'm a better mom, a more loving wife and a much more decent and accepting person.

Happy Birthday my sweet baby!

Oh The Things You Can Find.....in your dryer vent

2009-05-23T14:48:00.001-07:00

Southern Utah

2009-05-23T14:17:00.000-07:00

These photos are from a recent trip to southern Utah with the Shrader girls. I had such a wonderful time, I hope we can make it an annual event. . The weather was perfect, the hiking amazing and the company a blast.
Thanks ladies!!

Latest Recital

2009-03-29T17:28:00.000-07:00

Awwww

2009-03-25T13:17:00.000-07:00

We've been busy....doing nothing and lovin' it.

2009-02-04T13:10:00.000-08:00

January has come and gone and I think it's safe to say that 2009 is wonderful. So calm. So easy. Don't get me wrong, between dance, gymnastics, therapy, speech, school and social commitments, we still run around crazy most days.
However, most days start out and end just like this:

And that's enough for me....

One notable thing DID happen in January. Finley got her first tooth. And, in perfect Finley fashion - it was a bicuspid.

Water Baby

2009-01-13T22:04:00.000-08:00

Finley's favorite pastime:

Start out as you mean to go on....

2009-01-13T21:36:00.000-08:00

My motto for 2009. No resolutions, just these simple words - based on what I was doing when 2008 turned into a memory....

(Larsen, 13 days later, the mere sight of your gloves makes me feel GREEN )

Christmas Morning

2009-01-13T21:29:00.000-08:00

Wild One

2008-12-02T22:10:00.000-08:00

What y'all have been waiting for:

S-N-O-W!!! (finally)

2008-12-02T22:04:00.000-08:00

THIS is a good day....

Mountain Zoo

2008-12-02T21:54:00.000-08:00

We took the girls to the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo in Colorado Springs last week. We had a great time. We couldn't decide if Finley was actually afraid of the giraffes or if she was simply bothered that we were feeding the giraffes crackers that looked very much like her beloved Grahams.

Happy Thanksgiving

2008-11-24T12:54:00.000-08:00

First and foremost, I am thankful for my family. I am thankful (and amazed) at the love I share with my girls. I am thankful for the love they have for one another. It is uncomplicated and unconditional and I hope this will always be true. I am thankful for my husband - how hard he works for his family and all that he juggles so that I can spend my days playing Pretty Pretty Princess and singing silly songs about make believe things. Our daughters will one day be thankful for this as well.
I'm thankful for my mom, who dropped everything to be here to help us so much this year. For my sister, who did the same. I'm thankful for the rest of my family and Andy's - all who have been so supportive, encouraging and helpful with the challenges we've faced.
In addition to a great family, I'm so very thankful for all my friends. I have SO many dear, dear friends - more than my share, really. I'm thankful for each one of them and the respective role they play in my life.
I am thankful 2008 is almost at an end....what an 'eventful' year it's been.
I'm thankful that I have so much to be thankful for -my 'food and shelter' is a beautiful home and a fridge that is (nearly always) full.
I'm thankful for the seasons and crisp autumn days. I'm thankful to live in such a wonderful place. There's a saying that goes something like..."if you're lucky enough to live in the mountains, then you're lucky enough". We don't live 'in the mountains', but I think the saying holds true for all of Colorado.
I'm thankful for my health, my happiness and my attitude. I'm thankful for the challenges I have been given because without them, I don't think I would be the person I am today.
I'm thankful for my ipod, rap music and my equal parts hate/fear of Jillian Michaels - collectively, they kept me motivated during some really long runs this year......
Happy Thanksgiving everyone!!!

Count 'em!!

2008-11-19T17:52:00.000-08:00

TEN!!!

Cast away???

2008-11-10T18:55:00.000-08:00

Finley's casts have been on for 11 days....they are meant to be on for another 10. That is, of course, unless the wearer of said casts barfs all over them in the middle of the night. I will spare you all the details and summarize by saying 'they stink....they stink bad'. I'm pretty sure she caught a little bug or maybe the flu - she's doing better tonight and hopefully tomorrow will be easier for her. I phoned the surgeon's office today (to see what might be done about the smell). His advice - REMOVE THE CASTS. I'm going to wait until she feels slightly better and until I can pre-dose her with some pain meds as the removal is not a pleasant experience for her. SO....stay tuned for pictures of ten tiny fingers ten days early!!

10 little fingers

2008-10-30T19:14:00.000-07:00

ALL DONE! Can't wait to count all 10 little fingers in about 3 weeks time. Surgery went well today. She's currently in ICU with some breathing difficulties (which will explain the short and directness of this post) so not sure if we'll be able to leave tomorrow or not.
Keep her in your prayers - I'll post more when I feel more comfortable leaving her.

Pumpkin Fun

2008-10-23T13:42:00.001-07:00

1980?

2008-10-13T13:02:00.001-07:00

I found this picture as I was looking for pictures of Toby last week.
I couldn't pass it up.

Google Tag Tag

2008-10-09T21:04:00.000-07:00

I was tagged by my most internet-savvy, bloggin'est dear friend Sherrelyn. Here's how it works. Google (image) each of the following items, pick your favorite photo from the first three pages of results:

1. First Name

2. Last Name

(Please note this image could have also been chosen for#10)

3. Bad Habit

4. What are you doing right now

5. Grandma's Name

6. Past pet

7. First Job

8. Age

9. Where I grew up

10. Past love

11. Best friends nickname

12. Favorite place to be

13. If I went back to school, I'd become....

14. I'd love to visit...

15. Favorite color

16. Favorite food

Jelina - Consider yourself tagged - you're 'it'

Toby.....

2008-10-02T19:49:00.000-07:00

Today, I said goodbye to an old friend. Most of the people who visit this blog knew Toby and just how much I loved my dog. 14 years and 8 months - that's how long we spent together. 8 homes, 3 states, 2 continents, a few relationships and 1 stint in quarantine. I'm sure most of you have a funny (or maybe disgusting) tale to tell about my little buddy. I have SO many memories that have surfaced today and want to share just a few:

Oh, how he loved Baba. He was FURIOUS that I brought Toby home, but the two of them turned out to be dear friends. I'll never forget how he would spend hours rubbing Toby's neck after Toby's car accident. Toby brought out the most special kind of tenderness in this man. There has never been a better fed dog. His favorite nickname for Toby - 'Chepechous'. I wouldn't be surprised if right now, in some better place, Toby's getting a great neck rub.

I used to come home from work to find Toby, asleep on the dining table (after eating anything left from breakfast or last night's dinner). This happened quite often for the better part of a year.

Toby loved corn on the cob....he nearly took my mom's arm off one summer afternoon when she tried to take one away from him.

Toby never really hung out with other dogs, until I moved in with Amber and Lin. I was so afraid that Zeke was going to eat Toby. One morning, just days after I moved in, I was in my bathroom getting ready for the day when I heard yelping and growling coming from the living room. Thinking my dog had been eaten, I panicky raced in to find Toby attacking Zeke, hanging from Zeke's neck, by his teeth. Once Toby proved his status in the house - they were great friends. Zeke usually spent the day in his crate and it wasn't uncommon to come home to Toby asleep in front of it.

He was so afraid of water. The first time I took him to the park, he chased a duck straight into the pond and had to swim out. It was enough to freak him out for life. He wouldn't even walk across a wet sidewalk. However, he loved to ride on our jetskis, loved to go fishing at Rockport and East Canyon and loved long rides in the car. The exception was when we moved to California with Andy. He barfed from Las Vegas to Menlo Park. Andy and I (not to mention the cab of the uHaul) were COVERED in dog barf.

When we moved to London, we found a dogsitter named Barry. Barry looked to be a stereotypical east Londoner. However, he had a heart of gold and adored Toby. His special name for Toby was "chupy" because he felt Toby resembled Chupacabra from the X-Files. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chupacabra

Come to find out, Barry couldn't stand for Toby to be home alone when we were out of town. Whenever we would hire him to come twice a day to let him out, he would pick him up and take him home for the duration of our trip. He teased that Toby needed to learn some manners when it came to food, but was otherwise a very lovable dog.

He was just that. A very lovable dog. Every milestone in my adult life- the good and the bad - he's been there for me, my ever constant companion. I have to laugh when I think about how much that little guy has been through, how many times he cheated death. He was a magnet for disaster. I'm saddened that he's no longer with us, yet blessed that he was such a great friend that hung on for so long.

I miss him so much already.

Riley's 4th birthday party

2008-09-30T21:00:00.001-07:00

A few photos from Riley's birthday party on Saturday....

SOOOO much fun!

well, HELLO WORLD

2008-09-11T11:49:00.001-07:00

A Day at the Park

2008-08-21T13:39:00.000-07:00

Friends

2008-08-18T22:45:00.000-07:00

Home!

2008-06-16T20:35:00.000-07:00

We are home. Whew! Everything went so, so perfectly. We were released from the hospital on Sunday afternoon and were able to get a flight this morning. Finley is doing great - her eyes are still swollen shut, although her left eye has opened ever so slightly a few times today. Riley was pretty confused, but excited to have us home. Almost as excited as we are to be home. Home, and counting my blessing.

Finley's new noggin

2008-06-14T10:10:00.000-07:00

This photo was taken yesterday, before she started to swell. It will be a few weeks until we see her new shape in it's entirety, but she already looks different. Today she resembles John C. Reilly - a very, very swollen John C. Reilly. Her eyes are swollen completely shut, which doesn't make for a very happy baby. No transfusion overnight - she's been cleared to move out of the ICU, we are waiting for a bed on the main peds floor.

Update

2008-06-13T16:03:00.000-07:00

Finley is out of surgery - she did great. She lost about 1/3 of her blood, but they were able to give her about 1/2 of that back using a blood recycler. She looks SO different (we'll post photos soon - we need to go to the car to get the USB cable first). She's started to swell quite a bit, her left eyelid is swollen over her eye already.....the swelling should peak at about 48 hrs. and lessen for the weeks to come. She looks SO different. She looks AWESOME.
The surgeon was pleased with what he was able to accomplish (in terms of how much he was able to advance the forehead) and said that everything went as expected. We hope to move out of ICU tomorrow and with any luck, we'll be out on Sunday.

Everything going well in Texas

2008-06-12T14:34:00.000-07:00

Everything is going perfectly....we just finished our last pre-op appointment and everything went well. She did great with the sedation for the MRI and was quite patient with the dr.s. We have to be at the hospital tomorrow at 6 and will keep everyone posted.

Tiny Dancer

2008-06-05T14:17:00.000-07:00

My Baby

2008-06-05T14:08:00.000-07:00

I love this picture of Finley. Hard to believe that in eight days she won't look like this anymore.....keep her in your thoughts and prayers!!

So much for keeping a blog....

2008-06-05T13:32:00.000-07:00

I'll blame it on DIRT. We're on our way to having a LOVELY yard, but right now it's a muddy mess. The landscaping has kept us very busy this month. That's my excuse and I'm sticking to it. I don't feel too bad - it's the pictures, not my commentary, that you all are after anyhow.

During the month of May:

We planted some trees and bushes; moved A LOT of rock, put in a fence and even had a swing set installed for the kids:

Finley had her first birthday:

Riley had her last day of preschool:
(singing "baby jaws" below)

Both sets of grandparents came to visit:

We ran the Bolder Boulder and celebrated Finley's birthday on Memorial Day:

At some point, I found the time to make a turtle cake:

And Toby slept through it all.......

Validation!!!!

2008-05-04T10:53:00.000-07:00

http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2008-03-03-momnesia_N.htm

A must read, for all mothers.

What a difference a day makes...

2008-05-04T10:47:00.000-07:00

April 30, 2008 - 82 degrees

May 1, 2008 - 41 degrees

I love Boulder in the springtime

2008-04-30T10:00:00.000-07:00

A house...lived in

2008-04-23T09:38:00.000-07:00

so, finally I got around to taking updated pictures of our home. We've been settled for a few weeks, but it's so rare that more than one room is clean at a time, it took a while to compile the photos. Enjoy and come see it all in person soon!!!

The Playroom. Always a mess and I. DON'T. EVEN. CARE! It's seriously saved me hours of picking up toys and the girls love it.

The Girls' Rooms

The Living Room

The Kitchen

The Family Room

The Dining Room - minus a table still waiting for us at Crate and Barrel.

The Office

Remember this guy?

2008-04-22T11:06:00.000-07:00

I'm beginning to think my daughter met him at Heaven's Gate (get it? ha) Riley seems to be preparing for the return of the Hail Bop Comet. Every night, after she has gone to bed...I walk around the house, picking up dolls, on their pillows, covered with blankets, who have all been "laid to sleep" in perfect rows in every room in our home.

Last night, she spread a blanket on my bedroom floor, between Pippy, Bunny and Snoopy. She positioned two pillows at the top and informed me, "this is for you and daddy". Pleased that she's concerned about us making it to the hereafter....all she needs now are the barbituates.

Hello again

2008-04-10T12:21:00.000-07:00

It's been awhile and I'm sorry about that. I'm sure everyone will understand when I say I just needed to take a break from it all for a few weeks.

So, to get everyone caught up on what's happened in the past four or five weeks, here's a quick update:

For the three weeks that Finley had her casts on, she was such a trooper. I think she was actually happier with the casts on. Maybe this was due to the fact that Grandma was here answering to every need (something I've never been able to do as well, or as much, as my mom can).

Finley's casts came off on March 25. It was exciting, very exciting. Everything looked scabbed and bloodied, but it was a very cool experience. Her fingers look awesome and look better and function better each and every day. Yesterday, at my friend Liane's, Finley picked up a marker with each hand and was hitting them together. Seems simplistic, but it was awesome to see.

Two of her toes on her left foot have us a bit worried. The best way to explain them is to say that they look like they are frostbitten. They are very black and leathery. We are still talking to the surgeon in Dallas in an attempt to figure out what happened to them. He hasn't seen this before and is baffled as these are toes that he left untouched during this surgery. He thought that it may be a possibility that she has a hole in her heart, which allowed for a bloodclot to pass and settle in the toes. We saw a cardiologist at Children's last week and ruled this out. Her heart is perfect (thank God).

We now have a bit of a break (a needed one at that) for about four weeks, at which time she will begin weekly Procrit (a blood booster) injections and we will start preparing for her anterior cranial vault remodeling surgery. Big name. Big surgery. June 13.

Then there's Riley....three, going on 16. She runs the place. She is getting so big, so fast. She remembers EVERYTHING. Clever as the day is long. She's asking questions that I can't answer. I thought I had at least a few more years before my kid is smarter than I am....guess not. School is still working out great - it gives us a break from one another that we BOTH need and she loves it. I can't say enough about the school or her teachers. It's a special place and my kids will be better for having been a part of it. She'll start three days a week in the fall and we were lucky in that she'll have the same teacher. She's also taking dance on Mondays, which is great fun.

As for me....same. same. I'm desperate for spring (as I watch it snow today, April 10). Anxious to get out this spring with the girls and go and do and be all the things that we missed out on last spring/summer. Life is so much more fun when its above 65 degrees. It can't come soon enough.

March Madness

2008-03-19T10:41:00.000-07:00

Without Florida, Finley's cheering for Duke....(it helps that this is one of three shirts she can wear with her casts on!)

Riley and Toby are undecided......

Glad to be home

2008-03-09T16:35:00.000-07:00

We are home - yay! Finley was released from the hospital yesterday and was able to get a flight back last night. Today we've been laying around mostly, emotionally letting down, I guess.
She's doing great, all things considered- grandma even had her laughing this afternoon. Now, the countdown begins - 5 days down, 16 to go until these lovely purple beauties come off!

Update

2008-03-06T09:35:00.000-08:00

The chest x-rays came back last night....Pneumonia. They can not treat her with steroids, as it interferes with tissue repair (ie skin grafts). So, for now, it's breathing treatments and antibiotics. We have to stay until at least Saturday. The weather meant to be nasty today and tomorrow, so it may not have been possible for us to get home anyhow. She sleeping less and we're starting to see her personality reappear today, which are good signs...

2008-03-05T19:27:00.001-08:00

The respiratory dr. came by this afternoon - seems that Finley's lungs are full of "junk". She has been on a continuous breathing treatment for the past 4 hrs; has just had a chest xray; will receive additional breathing treatments every 2 hours throughout the night and he will look at her first thing in the morning. He thinks that she may have to stay until Saturday. Dr. Fearon thinks this might be a bit excessive so will discuss with him in the morning after they have both seen her. SO....hoping to leave early, turns out we have to stay at least one more night.

Everyone here has been extremely kind and helpful. We are on the non-infectious side of the peds. unit of the hospital, so basically it's us and the oncology patients.....it has been so humbling. Our worry, stress and heartache for our own baby seems so small compared to what these families are dealing with....I can't even imagine. We are so blessed.

Check me O-U-T!

2008-03-05T09:26:00.000-08:00

Finley's doing great. She's had a bit of trouble keeping her SATs up as high as they needed to be overnight (the oxygenation levels in her blood) and ran a fever as well. They just gave her a breathing treatment, hoping that this will loosen up some of the stuff in her chest so that she will breath a bit easier and get outta here! Everyone has been very kind and helpful - they brought a wagon this morning for us to take her for a little ride around the floor. Dr. Fearon came by first thing this morning, was a bit concerned about her breathing, so will come back around lunchtime to reassess and either discharge her or call in a pulmonary specialist to see her.

Andy took these photos with his Blackberry, so that we could get them online, so they are not the best quality, but it gives you a good idea of what she's going through.

Before they casted her in surgery yesterday, he took photos of her hands. I cannot wait for three weeks to go by so that I can see them again nor can I wait for her to see them and start to use them. Nothing short of amazing. Her right (the one with one more release this time around) looks like a normal little hand. Very, very exciting.......

Update

2008-03-04T09:23:00.000-08:00

It's nearly 11:30 - everything is going well in surgery. We've been able to call into the operating room about every half-hour for updates. The ENT started by putting tubes in this morning, which only took about 15 minutes. By 10:30, Dr. Fearon had seperated both feet and he was working on the right hand. He had said this morning that the x-rays were just what he had expected with her hands.....the right foot had less fusion than he usually sees. We just checked in again, they are putting the casts on now (purple, per Riley's request) and expect to be completed in 10-15 minutes......nearly two hours sooner than we expected and the news from the OR is that everything went very well!!! We'll post more when we can - stay tuned!

Mouskatools

2008-02-28T16:24:00.000-08:00

I love my hat!

2008-01-21T10:27:00.000-08:00

OUR NEW HOUSE

2008-01-21T08:26:00.000-08:00

Side/backyard

entryway/office

front

family room

living room

kitchen!

the painters are finished (sorry, these photos are all pre-paint) and we close a week from Wednesday. We spent some time there on Saturday - it already feels like home!!!!

On a serious note.....

2008-01-17T16:20:00.000-08:00

One of my New Year's resolutions this year is to become more organized. Most of this is wrapped up in time management (or my lack thereof). I thought establishing a blog would be a good time saver and great way to stay better connected with family and friends.

Also, as most of you know, 2008 is going to be quite a year for Finley. I wanted to find a way to keep everyone who loves her informed of what is happening with her. Blogging her progress seems to be the most effective communication tool for doing so.

Her first surgery is scheduled for March 4th (assuming she is healthy for the period between now and then). We will travel to Dallas over the weekend, pre-op on Monday, surgery on Tuesday. She's likely be in the ICU Tuesday night. If there are no complications, this will be the only night she'll have to stay in the hospital. They ask that we stay in Dallas one more day, before returning home with all four limbs in casts!!! We'll go back in June for the second phase of her syndactyly release. In August, she'll have her skull fusion release and hopefully that will be it for 2008! (I think that's enough for one year).

Hard to believe that this happy little squirt spent the first four months of her life crying!

This one is for you, Mom

2008-01-17T15:50:00.000-08:00

and, yes, it was as good as it looks.

Let's hope the writers strike is over soon

2008-01-17T15:45:00.000-08:00

Easily, the most entertaining thirty minutes on television.....YEE HAW. Believe it or not, Coors Light is not the official sponsor of this program.

http://www.cmt.com/shows/dyn/my-big-redneck-wedding/series.jhtml

Orange and Blue

2008-01-02T07:56:00.001-08:00

January 1, 2008 - Capital One Bowl

GO GATORS!

The perfect Christmas photo

2008-01-01T18:50:00.000-08:00

Before we even began, the tights were off......

25 photos later....Riley gives me my que to stop.