Feelin the Love

Last weekend the unheard of happened.
Shawn cut out early from work.

We took a little roadtrip up to Idaho. Remember those roadtrips I always proclaimed my love for on this blog? This was just like those good ol roadtrip days, only instead of having my head on my best friend's shoulder I was banging my head against the window from Coop screaming. just kidding. Coop was actually an angel-but I was in the back on book duty, giving treats, and giving him his frog foot to chew on.

Our destination-grandma's house to unload little Coop. We were heading out for date night in Idaho falls, complete with a swimming sleepover. Seriously!

Who knew little old Edwards theatre and little old Idaho Falls could put such butterflies of excitement in my stomach!! It felt like I was going to the ocean or something. Dinner and a movie haven't been a part of our social life since about seven months ago..not even once people! I pretended I was working a night shift, and I kissed my little Coop goodbye knowing he was in good hands at grandmas. We drove to Idaho Falls and it started raining on our way. The air smelled of delicious Idaho country-ness. We had a grand old time. I kept looking at Shawn thinking, it has been wayy too long my friend, since me and you hit the town. Although we see each other everyday there really is nothing like getting fancied up for a little one on one time. It's quite the thing, this thing called marriage that gives you a permanent BFF.

We ate some Mexican food, we went to the Vow, we got some milk shakes, and we did the last thing we felt like doing after all that food and we suited up for the pool. We laughed at things that weren't even funny, and we pretended we were back in Provo, just two little Allen kiddos going on a care free date with someone they love. It was one of my favorite nights we have probably ever had, mostly because I realized how much I had taken for granted the fun times we have together.

Until we got in the pool. I was in the hot tub trying to stay warm, and Shawn was having a few second of five year old time in the other pool before joining me. We were the only two in the whole place. We started discussing from one pool to the other about how much Coop would love to stick his fat little feet in this water. And that was it. The kiss of death, our bubble was popped. We tried to push that thought immediately away but it was too late. Our plan of sleeping in and enjoying every last moment of late checkout, ended up becoming a six am pillow chat about how fast we could get dressed, eat the free breakfast (couldn't miss that) and head home without feeling like crazy people walking through my mom's door. We were on the freeway headed home before 8.

Needless to say, we missed Coop more then he missed us. Lesson number one for the weekend-date nights with my boy are still the best, and somehow we need to make them happen more often. Lesson number two, bringing Coop in our bed at 6:30 and begging for just another five minutes of family cuddle time is tied or maybe one step ahead as the other best. Crazy how incomplete we feel without that little loud breather wiggling around in between us wherever we go. We all agreed when we got home, an early morning bed for three never felt so good. We speak for Coop here.

Our actual vday was low key. Shawn got home from his lab at eight. I spent the majority of my day reminding my other boy that despite what he thinks someday, I was his very first Valentine. HE thinks he is soo cool trying to walk himself along the couch.

I drilled it into his brain and gave him a valentine to show him when he is twenty. It was a simple day filled with the things I love. Good treats, Good people, Good tv and a warm blanket to cuddle with on the couch. Not quite up to par with my mom's valentines, but it's my first year as a valentine's mom, I have lots of years to learn!

Happy day of love from our little cozy home to your much more modern, built this century, bathroom counter big enough for your straightener home :)

p.s. we aren't the biggest vday gift people, but I did finish my wedding book online after only about three years of working on it..and Shawn gave me a pretty little necklace with a C engraved in it. Bet you can't guess what the C is for!

six months and suspenders

Cooper's outfit was almost the highlight of my day yesterday. Every once in a while a great classic outfit comes along. You put it on some chubby arms and legs, add a smile- let's be honest, whether it's admited or not-how can it not just make any day a whole lot better! Cooper just looked so completely proper. He has just enough really light hair to start awkwardly spiking with some baby lotion..I couln't help but take a million pictures, I just wanted to keep him in his outfit all day. Don't worry I didn't, I know that would be cruel to keep a baby in a tie and suspenders all day-but it was tempting!
We went to a lot of church yesterday and Cooper lost it just a little bit at the end. My friend Sonja blessed her baby Xander. I lived with her and her family in Alaska a few summers ago so I have this extra special love and appreciation for them. I saw some old friends there from nursing school and good old Burton, that was actually the real highlight of my day. I love seeing old friends. It's rare to find friends that you love just as much no matter how many years it has been. I thought about how lucky I felt as I made the hour long drive home, that I ran into such great people on a Sunday afternoon.

Anyways, back to Cooper-Six months old!! Where in the world does time go. We just got home from his six month appointment. He's like the big man on campus in the waiting room now. He looked so huge next to the newborns. He was 98% in height and 50% in weight. He is getting too heavy for his mama.

Shots still don't bother him nearly as much as putting him in his crib when he doesn't wanna be there..how dare us! I am working tonight, so we came home from his appointment, soaked his nice fat thighs, took some tylenol, put on our pj's and we are both settling in for a nice winter's nap.

For memories sake, Cooper can sit up when he wants to but he still makes me nervous. He will be having a great time and then as soon as he wants to be done sitting up he will just tip himself right over like he doesn't know it's going to hurt. Luckily so far I have been around to catch him, or I have pillows around him. I'm sure all it will take is one time giving up on that with nothing around him and he will have his lesson learned, but it sure will be sad!

HE loves to be sung too which is one of my favorite things right now since cuddle time is already starting to decrease during the day. His toy bucket has officially became more fun then my lap. Unfortunately I realize when I sing to him how horrible my voice is now compared to when I was younger! I swear I can't even carry a tune anymore..good thing Cooper still loves it! He likes this teddy bear lullaby that my grandma always sings and we insert his name, usually it puts him right to sleep, especially in the car.

HE also likes to hold hands, even his own. He has started following people hands, he always grabs my hands and holds on so tight to my fingers. Yesterday morning I saw him staring at his own hand and then grabbing it and holding on with the other. HE also even held hands with the doctor and nurse today and we have to pry his grip off peoples fingers. Who knew fingers could be so cool?
Cooper is a loud breather, he is energetic and curious. I love listening to his breathing so deeply in concentration playing with his toys. He is just so sweet right now I can't imagine him ever being any other way. Possibly I think a few nights ago at about 1:30 when he woke up for no reason I ALMOST imagined it, but not quite :)

Shawn is just working away getting soo close to being done! WE are still trying to decide where we will be once he finishes. It's true, we talk sometimes about how we wish we were possibly moving somewhere to start med school now instead of waiting a year. But, Shawn is loving the extra time he has with Cooper, and the extra time at work that he wouldn't have had otherwise. Maybe someone else knows us and our life plan better then we know for ourselves?? That's not surprising at all. For now we are happy just doing our thing..and I am still just proud to have both of these two in my family.

What an entertaining six months it has been with little Coop.

Early riser

This little boy is up before the sun almost everyday. Seven am is late for us. I thought I was an early riser once upon a time, until I met this boy. He is ready to attack the day at 6 am. It's something I love about him (if only I didn't have to get up to!) He will jump and jump and jump in his little bouncer like it's two in the afternoon. Nothing cracks me up more then walking in his pitch dark room and seeing the whites of his big huge eyes staring up at me, like "c'mon Mom let's go!"
As you can see this is not a new thing. The more I see other babies the more I realize Cooper never just slept for hours on end while he was passed from person to person. Point proven..

Last week I rolled over when I heard the energetic wake up call from his bedroom. I tried to pretend for a second that it wasn't happening. Shawn had the grand idea to go out to breakfast at the little pancake house down the street that I have definitely fallen for lately. We wiped the sleep from our eyes in a little almost empty diner at a booth for three.

A sleepy eyed booth for three, beats a bright eyed booth for two I suppose.

But please bless our next little babe to be a wonderful natural born sleeper.

Best of 2011

I made Shawn cough up his favorite moments of 2010 last year with every intent to write them in my journal. It didn't happen and I already forgot them all. Last year the new year didn't mean much to me. 2011 seemed like just another day. I can't quite put my finger on why everything seems new and improved in 2012, maybe it's because my very few resolutions are still alive-I know it's still January but seriously I usually don't even make it two weeks! I am feeling a good vibe from 2012, please don't disappoint! Here are a few of our best moments in 2011 for future record...better late then never right?

This is why I'm glad we snap pictures as much as my family fights it. I would have forgotten all about one of my very favorite weekends of the year. This is Conference sleepover weekend. Three months before we had Coop we took everyone's advice and just let ourselves relax. We pulled the air mattress into the living room and seriously took naps and slept in our front room all weekend in between conference. Maybe we accidentally started a new tradition. Finally Sunday afternoon we got up well rested and attended an amazing session of conference. I remember most specifically Elder Scott's talk dedicated to his sweet wife. Still one of my favorites because I remember being close enough to see the sincere expressions on his face.

Taking a trip to Idaho, and coming home with all Cooper's bedding to put on his crib. I have never been so excited, we almost didn't get it done and I couldn't stand to leave it, I was so excited to drag it back to Utah to show Shawn. We (meaning my mom) sewed for hours on Saturday. After I fell asleep Abby stayed up and finished tying the entire quilt so I wouldn't have to leave without it. She is such a good little Auntie!

Speaking of Aunties. This pretty girl got married, it has been so fun having a new member of the fam with Bronson around. He is quite the outdoorsman and Shawn and Tyler really hope to learn a thing or two from him..For the record. This was about three weeks before Cooper was due. I feel like I deserve a medal for walking down the aisle in that bridesmaid dress and high heels. I kept telling myself to suck it up because this day was not about me, but still! Not one picture from the entire day is the least bit flattering. I kept telling myself it MUST have just been the angle of the camera :) I know, I know. Swallow your pride already. Emily really looked beautiful and I was so happy to be there. She changed her wedding date even to make it better for me and I will always remember that when I see those fun pictures.

Shawn and I have a very hard time adjusting post-Coop to the fact that we can't just sneak off to the sugar house dollar movie right down the street whenever we just so happen to feel like it. It is one of my favorite places because it really is still just 1 DOLLAR! On a weekday afternoon we snuck off to see Tangled. During the movie I felt my first official kick from my boy with the forever long legs. I was pretty far along and I had been waiting and waiting for that moment, I had imagined it up before, but this was the first time I knew for sure it was real. Goo Coop! I have an extra special love for that movie now.

Of course, the gender ultrasound. It was supposed to be on Valentines day but it got rescheduled and I stepped out of my comfort zone by making a scene over the telephone letting the nurse now how upset I was, followed up with an embarrassing apologetic phone call. The cheering from Shawn when we heard it's a boy was the best. The temporary embarrassment as he tried to teach the ultrasound tech how he knew it was a boy before she did was hilarious. And then the quick friendly chit chat afterwards on manners was a given. The ultrasound was followed by a Saturday night trip to the park city outlets to pick out our first boy outfit, officially kicking my dreams of bows and tutus to the curb. We came home with a park city ski vest that won my heart over any tutu, just because I knew it belonged to my own. Coop wore it home from the hospital and looked darling. Sadly, no pictures of this weekend, but luckily it is one event I have plenty of pictures of in my brain.

Uncle Josh came home to visit. This is at the top of my list for sure! Cooper was three weeks old and we traveled to Idaho to be with the fam. I was so exhausted because I wanted to spend every second that i could with my family since we are not all together often. When we stayed up playing games, Cooper would be awake an hour later, and then three hours later. I was slightly a grumpy girl at times but I appreciated the help from my family and all the time we got to spend! We never feel quite complete without Josh around making us laugh. What a good brother he is. It was so cute seeing all the grandkids together.

I spent the month before Cooper was born calling in sick to work and driving to Jaimee's to do productive things like paint toenails, go to seven peaks, or layout by the pool. These two were so helpful when Cooper finally came. Jaimee has had a busy week this week and I realize how lucky I am to be able to meet up with her and Sophie whenever we want, I'm REALLY going to miss that if we are ever separated. I realize that more and more as time go on, I'm so grateful to have them.

By the fourth of July my doctor was tricking us and telling us he thought Mr. Coop would be coming very very soon! SO my family went to Idaho and he made me and Shawn stay home! We were disappointed but we had this feeling of excitement that weekend I will never forget. We didn't even mind being lame and watching the fireworks in the backyard in pj's. The weather was beautiful and we let the patriotic music play after the fireworks were over. Bill and Tracii always make for good company, and we relaxed in the hammock. It was a special night for me knowing all the sudden that something really was going to come from being pregnant! please don't judge me since I'm sitting on a roof in this picture. In hind site, after meeting the real life baby that was in there at that time, I may not have made that same decision..But I really was VERY careful I promise!

I talk a lot about my family because they live semi close, but I can't forget Shawn's family trip this year. We always have fun when we go with the Allen's. We went to Disneyland and these kids looked so adorable and they were so excited the whole time! Before this trip Shawn's sisters threw me such a cute shower and I appreciated it so much. Shawn's family has done so much for us and we REALLY wish they lived closer so we could see them more frequently! We always have lots of games and lots of laughs.

I was only going to do a few and then the memories just kept coming!! I'm stopping right here--Last but not least, Mr.Coop's big debut. We had no idea what it would be like to see him for the first time but for the first few minutes we both couldn't stop laughing like-no way did this just happen to us! And no way is this cute little face ours. Cooper was the highlight of our year..I'm just noticing all of these events happened before he arrived, since he has been here the end of the year just FLEW by! This was the best moment of the year. A few people have mentioned that Cooper seems to be a daddy's boy. Cooper and I have our own very special relationship, but i agree that there are definitely times that no one else can get him to smile and laugh like Shawn can.

Enough already! It's official, that was the last hoorah for 2011. Hello brand new world of 2012. I have been very interested in this world and all the protests going on with SOPA and the whole 99% thing earlier this year. I always loved history and I keep telling Shawn it's crazy we are like living in the future history books! I sort of secretly wish we could have been in that park in New York when the whole crazy protest went down. Shawn laughs, but we really have been into documentaries lately.
We are so thankful for everyone who has played a part in our 2011, we seriously learn so much from the family and friends around us who seem to do so many cool things, and still be so put together, and of course are always fun to be around..especially those who have babies and still seem to do it all! HOW do you do it, we are watching you and want in on your secrets!

Time to start fresh:
We are excited for you in a whole new way, 2012. Not exactly sure why, maybe it's because we truly don't know where you are taking us.

On that note-
As one of my favorite people named Anne Shirley once said,
"It's not what the world holds for you, but what you bring to it."
Well said Anne. I'm remembering this in 2012.

Last of the Firsts

Lately we have seriously been living for Cooper's first anything and everything. We are always yelling for the other one to grab the camera for Cooper's first time sucking his thumb, trying a new food, sitting up for maybe 5 seconds on his own..the list could go on and on of things only a parent would be excited about. This is My personal favorite. His first night meeting the man in the mirror..he really sat and stared at himself for a good ten solid minutes, and continues to do so every night.

This week we just so happen to have a new LAST to rejoice over. Shawn finally started his LAST first day of a full semester at the U. He is dragging it out and finishing one or two classes in the summer, but who counts that right? Not I. I find it comical because I have been counting down to this day for pretty much ever. Let's be honest, since we got married I have been thinking about how wonderful it will be to not be married to a student anymore. We had a pizookie party on Sunday night because I insisted we celebrate the fact that he is so close to being done.

But then, Monday morning rolled around, and the mental memory reel started rolling. All of his days back to school for a new semester came flashing back and my heart was a little bit sad. I remembered I actually loved meeting between classes at the University or Primary Children's cafeteria for pizza hut personal pans or egg salad sandwiches. I loved going with him up to the library before Cooper was born just to hang out and think up random things to do online so I could be there while he studied. I liked that he could come home for lunch, and tell me what he learned at school, and that I would fall asleep on the couch while he studied at night because I couldn't go to bed alone. I really liked being proud of lots of hours spent with textbooks.
I always annoyed Shawn by joking about how cute he looked with his little backpack on. Don't worry he doesn't wear it anymore. A few days before Cooper was born we woke up to a call asking us if we had spent hundreds of dollars at WalMart at 3 am, of course we are not nearly cool or crazy enough to anywhere but our bed at 3 am. Ironically the boy who can pass all kinds of physics and chemistry classes forgot to use his brain cells to lock the jeep. Backpack stolen and credit card maxed out. We laugh about it only because we got the money back. I was just happy for once a mistake like that wasn't my fault.

So you see, Shawn being in school really hasn't been so bad. We have had some pretty good times around here.

Leave it to me once it's almost graduation time, to realize how much fun the journey to get to this point actually was. Life lesson learned. I almost felt a little tear as the door shut Monday morning and my backpack-less boy headed back out the door to venture off to a new semester on campus. One Last time. But then I started cuddling with my Coop and got a little bit excited.

hello to a wide open future- whatever the word future even means for this family. We have been waiting for this..please be exciting. Wherever we go, I'm taking that life lesson in my back pocket this time.

So fresh, SO clean

There is something in my weirdly overly sentimental brain that seems pretty darn exciting about three hundred and sixty five days of untouched time. 365 mornings to wake up and (in a perfect world) work out and therefore feel pretty productive for the rest of the day. 365 nights to kiss two boys goodnight, turn off the lights and walk through a dimly lit house being grateful for its simple homey peacefulness. Hundreds of nights to excitedly welcome the hubby home from work and settle down with American Idol, Hundreds of days to re-commit to self improvement, working out, being a better mom, friend, sibling, wife,blah blah blah. Gives me a headache sometimes.

There is also something in the overly sentimental brain that hates to say goodbye to the 365 days that have flown past in a blur. We loved 2011. We spent a lot of days living up our last moments pre-Coop. We met a new little person who we can't now imagine being without. We spent a lot of nights awake with a precious sleepless babe, and a lot of mornings at work with dazed groggy eyes. Welcome to parenthood people.

We tried to achieve a few new goals, and let me tell ya somewhere in the chaos we don't even recall what our resolutions for 2011 were in the first place. Did we even make any? who knows. But that's why today we woke up to a shiny brand new clean year and laced up our shoes ready to start so fresh and so clean. We even wrote down our goals this time, let's see if the helps!

I worked on New Year's Eve this year. I almost got to come home early, and then it fell through. Like a dagger to the heart. I made sure everyone I saw that night knew that I was SO close to leaving early and I was now SO disappointed. Unfortunately this year for us the first day of the New Year rang in with a nice long nap. I woke up with first and foremost some Diet Coke, followed with a sip of Martinellis. It ended with cuddle time for three on the couch, and two New Year's kisses.

Cheers to 365 new untouched days of adventure yet to be had.

For the record-first pic of 2012, post three hour family naptime.

Flashbacks and Giving Thanks

Woohoo-yay for Thanksgiving weekend!! Our bags are packed, chores are done and we are ready to go. My hair is wet as I'm typing this, and I had a million other things I wanted to do during my limited hours of coveted "naptime." But I am scheduled to work tomorrow, we will probably not make it to Idaho until the turkey is gone, and the thankful celebrations are over. My mind couldn't stop begging me to come to my little blog world, and write a cliche post about some of the things I am so very grateful for.

I am grateful for a job that I love. I am thankful for the patients and families who I meet everyday. I am thankful for Thanksgiving in that place where miracles really do happen.
I am thankful for the families who step away from a bedside for just a few short hours and eat their turkey at a table with a sad heart and an empty chair, but yet they are counting their blessings, and they come back happy.
I am thankful for the families who eat Thanksgiving dinner in a quiet PCMC cafeteria with a wheel chair pulled up to the table, and IV pole beeping halfway through dinner. I am thankful for the families who cram as many siblings as they can into a room to eat their turkey around a hospital bed.
I am even thankful for the patients who have no visitors on Thanksgiving. They are obviously special little people in their own right, who have more strength in life then I could ever have.
I am thankful for my newest cousin Dylan, who lost his twin brother and who is spending his first Thanksgiving in the NICU. I am thankful that he is a 4 pound huge giant miracle to his mom, because she just so happens to be one of my very favorite people in this world. I am grateful that he and I will be together under the same roof tomorrow, so that we both know we are close to family for the day. I am grateful that I can go peek at him after I eat my turkey before I rush back to work.
I am thankful for Primary Children's Hospital. I don't always love working, but it's a good place to work. When I started I was barely 20 and terrified of even walking the halls. I have learned to be a nurse inside those halls, and I have learned from the best. I will always consider it my nursing home.

I am thankful that last Thanksgiving Eve I learned that little Cooper was going to be part of my life. I had such a great year anticipating him, and finally meeting him. He is the best little buddy and I could spend every day all day just home alone with him and never get sick of him. He is very good to us. Although it was an adjustment time and time again, he turned two little newlyweds into a real life family-and he did a very good job.

Last night Shawn and I sat by our half lit Christmas tree and stumbled upon some old videos on my computer that I didn't even know existed. We took them when we were dating and had never even watched them. I was reminded of all the feelings of excitement I had when I was dating him and wondered what life would be like if we never had to part ways. I am grateful everyday that he happily pulled me along and he is here every morning when I start my day.

This year I am leaving my list at that, although there are many other blessings rumbling around in my head I will spare you. I am thankful for good friends, the best families, and another year of health. I am grateful my brother serves our country and that he came home to visit. I am grateful for healthy grandparents who I adore. I am grateful for the examples all around me in the blogging world. I am grateful for all of my blog friends whose lives I love to learn from and keep updated on, and for everyone who shows interest in ours. I have loved reading everyone's grateful posts..there is lots to be thankful for!! Here's to another successful year, whatever success just so happens to mean to you this year.

Happy Happy Thanksgving!!