As Cooper grows....

It is amazing how much you forget as they get older. Cooper has been chattering away for some time now, and has his own little ways of communicating with us. When he wants to go upstairs, he goes to the door and pats it, turning his head as if to say, "are you coming?" If he doesn't get the response he wants, like the door opening, he'll start to pound on the door and his cries get louder. If we don't respond, the door starts to shake, and we must respond for fear the door will come off it's hinges. Not really, but loud none the less. As he heads up the door, he'll say, "Bah?" and then calls louder, "Bahhhhhh???" until he hears either grandpa or grandma respond back down to him. He'll continue with this "bah" calling, and we figure it means multiple things for him at different times, maybe calling to grandpa, getting his attention, or just jabbering. Maybe it's his word for grandpa right now. He's also into saying "dthish" and pointing to things. When he wants a bottle he goes to the dishwasher or the fridge when he wants a snack. It's so much easier to start to communicate better with him. He doesn't have real words yet, but he can understand questions and has his own way of getting what he wants now. Now he likes to climb up onto the computer chairs, climb up onto the table and sit his bum somewhere and play with the computers. Grandpa and Tommy affectionally refer to him as the "computer nerd" as he loves to hang out at the computer, messing with the buttons, the mouse, the keys and anything else he can possible get to.

Of course, we try to block his way up by tipping the chairs over so he can't climb, as the danger factor is quite high, but when we forget, we'll hear him happily chattering away, and with that sound you know he has gotten himself into "position" up on the table pounding away.
He also loves to traipse around outside and now demands his turn on the tractor rides. The other day I found him slumped over in grandpa's arms, fast asleep as grandpa circled the lawns mowing. While landscaping, he has taken to climbing his way up into the seat, turning circles around into various positions and playing with the mower functions. He could sit up there for hours if we let him, but as of yet I can't let him up there without a hand clutched to a body part or piece of clothing, as he is still top-heavy and tends to lose control and fall out and off of everything.

He has a black eye on one side right now due to a headlong tumble into the window casing. He still has the road rash on the other eyebrow from his header into the gravel from flying down the hill without his brakes on. Oh wait...he is still trying to figure out his braking system. He is getting better at using his muscles to slow himself as he ventures down to the lower lawn and down to the beach. He loves to play on the beach, and for a few short days I thought he'd figured out how cold the water was and I wasn't continually chasing after him as he headed for deep water. But I praised him too soon. Apparently the water has warmed up just enough that he now has taken to trying to get into deeper water again, forcing me to repeatedly go in after him or stand in the frigid waters as a barrier for him. Ahhhhhhh!!!
Where Thomas was easily distracted and moved on to other things, Cooper has complete determination when he sets his mind to something, and he does not forget. He may be removed but he will return, and he will return with speed. And when he does not get his way, he is quick to arch his back, twist this way and that, shriek and throw his head back with gusto. And just the other day I witnessed him turning circles with his fists clenched when his brother took something away from him. Today he started stomping his feet at the door when I told him he couldn't go outside. Oh, my is all I can think. And yet, he is still my cuddle bug, loving, sweet, and smiling most of the day. Such a beautiful, glorious smile he has. A smile that lights up his entire face. He loves the friends that visits, and so enjoyed his time at preschool. I suspect he may be a pickier eater than Thomas, though. So far he appears to enjoy meats and cheeses, mac and cheese and spagetti. Try to get him to eat a piece of fruit and he's gagging with just a taste. My friend Rhonda tried to have him try watermelon and she had him gagging. But he loves chocolate and sour candy, and both are bad habits of his mom and dad. We'll see.