Dear Cooper

Dear Cooper,

We have been celebrating your second birthday for the last several days and I wish it wouldn't end. You weren't so sure about the big day when I went to wake you up. I greeted you with a big good morning Happy Birthday and all you did was roll over and say, "No two's, no two's". Haha. I cannot believe it has been two years since we saw you for the first time. You changed our world that day and continue to change it each and every day. As you begin another year we want to reflect on the last year and I will start the motherly advice you will get for years to come! 

You have changed so much over the last year. You were barely walking and only mumbling words that we swore were Mom or Dad. Now you are making sentences, even if they are not so nice. :) prime example- you were mad at mom and dad and screamed, "Get out of here!" And slammed your door. I'm sure that won't be the last time we hear that over the years. You also came out a few minutes later laughing while saying, "Sorry Momma." A year ago you were barely walking and now daycare reports you are the fastest in your class and want to run everywhere. Over the last year you have traveled more in one year than we had in 25! We visited many parts of Korea, along with going to Hong Kong, Ohio, Kansas, and Hawaii! You are getting use to flying and have become quite the airport expert! I'm sure you'll be disappointed when we leave the Asian airports and all their glory with the play places! This year you have also proven to be such a BOY! You have discovered you can fart and burp just like dad and you find it beyond hysterical. You also love all sports! (Also straight from dad) You can sit and watch a whole half of basketball or whole quarter of football and be completely happy. You also love to throw or kick anything and claim its soccer/basketball/football. This past year you have challenged us with your sleeping habits (or lack thereof) as well as your stubbornness, but you have also amazed us with your sweet, sweet personality! You have such a big heart and are always looking out for others, giving kisses and I'm sorries, and truly loving life! You also have the best belly laugh that brings big smiles to mom an dad! 

From your momma - a few words of advice. 

1. Keep that beautiful spirit you have! You smile big and laugh all the time- don't stop! 

2. Keep being curious and problem solving! You are constantly getting into things and getting "stucky" as you call it. But, you are always finding a way to get out of it or make it work. Keep that drive. 

3.Keep being our baby. You have already grown up too fast and sometimes you like to think you're going on 5, but know you will always be our baby. We love you very much and are looking forward to another great year full of new things to learn about you and for you to teach us. 

Love, 

Mom & Dad

A few pictures from the birthday weekend. More to come :)

              Cookie decorating :)

His beautiful cake!! He loved it!!

He was so excited they were all here. He said, "Mom, look at this!!"

The gangs all here :)

Cooper decorating Mickey! 

Ninja Turtle Tent :) he received so many wonderful gifts from our Korea "family". 

Goodie buckets for the kiddos. 

Sum It Up Saturday!

To say it's been an interesting week is an understatement! We began the week by bringing Andy north of Seoul for a 2 week class. The GPS said 1 hour 45 minutes. It must have been in the holiday spirit and was feeling very generous on its time estimates! That turned into 3 hours later and we finally made it! After getting Andy  settled in, Cooper and I had to turn around for a return trip. One that every ounce of me was dreading! The class was held at a sorry excuse for a "base", and had no options for food besides the Shoppette- nothing more than a glorified high school concession stand. Cooper and I grabbed what we could and hit the road. Cooper was especially excited as he finally got to turn his seat around. This big boy hit the 32 pound mark this week!! 

For those of you who have never driven in Seoul, you are missing out on white-knuckle, heart pounding, cursing driving with an added touch of GPS frustration. As we got on our way, I felt pretty good following the directions while Cooper hung out in the back watching the new obsessed Mickey episode- Minnie-rella.  About thirty minutes into the drive and no, "recalculating" from the lady up front, I heard a tiny voice say, "belly hurt Momma, belly hurt." I brushed it off and told him he would be okay and just to close his eyes. No sooner had I said that than had I heard the worst sounds a mom driving in Seoul traffic can hear- the sound of your child throwing up! Not just a little, but projectile vomit all over the backseat.  My poor baby was crying, scared and sitting in his own puke. 

As I quickly ran through the scenario in my head, cars whizzed by, the dumb lady up front told me she was recalculating and tears fell from my eyes. In Korea, it is never as simple as missing an exit and going up to the next exit to turn around. Every exit leads to another highway and that to another highway. After 45 minutes of the white-knuckle driving, I could finally pull over to get Cooper out and cleaned up. Little did I know, the car was in much worse shape than Cooper! 3 hours later we finally made it home, only to spend the next two hours trying to clean the car up. We stripped the car seat, scrubbed the seats with cleaner/pet deodorizer and used a can of Febreeze to get the smell out. Nothing has worked :(  calling any moms who have experienced this- what works???? I'm almost to the point of paying the old Korean man the $300 he quoted me to steam clean everything.  

Besides that unfortunate start to our single Mommy time and battling the winter cold, we have had a great week! Cooper is getting so big! He turns TWO this week!!! (Insert tears!) He is so full  of life. He is as ornery as his dad and two uncles all rolled into one! Before I get too sappy, my favorite moment from this week involved story time before bed. We were reading the Christmas ABC's with Mickey and the "K" is for Kisses for every good Toon. Cooper got up to give me a kiss and as I went to turn the page he says, "No Momma, some more." And kissed me again. I laughed and kissed him again. He continued this the next three times I tried to turn the page. It is times like this that are in the forefront of my memory when he's throwing his blocks at me and screaming "I want my Daddy" because I didn't understand he wanted his jacket and not his coat. :) 

Look out world- I'm growing up!

Picnic with Mommy! 

Can't wait for our Mickey Mouse party!!

St. Nick brought crayons, coloring books and cars!!