Nicknames!

I thought I would record a few of the nicknames Whitten gets called on a daily basis! I'm pretty sure I add a new one to the collection every day! So, I'll start off with the ones that actually revolve around his name and make a little bit of sense....

Whitt, Whitters, Whitt Bit, Whitty Bitty, Whitter Bitters, Whitty Woo, Whitt Whitt. Catch my drift!

And the not so typical nicknames...that make absolutely no sense, but for some reason are the names he gets called the most!

Bubba Lubba, Bubby Wubby, Bubber Wubbers, Booba Looba, Stinky Minky, Chunky Monkey, Chunka Monka, Lover Wuver, Lovey Buvy, Lovin Buvin, Doo-ker Boo-kers (i don't know how to phonetically spell that...and yes, we call him that for a reason), Dunker Bunkers (for some reason this comes out of my mouth the most...don't ask....I don't have any explanation)

By the way, I am completely enamored by this boy! If I could eat him, I would!

Yum-o-la!!!!

Cooper's 1st day of Pre-school

My sweet boy started pre-school this year at Hillander.

He was so excited to go to a new school and to meet new friends. However, he was a little disappointed that his buddy Brody wasn't going to be in his class like he has been the past 2 years.

Grumps told Cooper that I was going to cry when I dropped him off, so all morning he was asking me if I was crying yet!?! "You need to cry mommy because because because I'm soooooo big" was repeated over and over. He would get on the couch and stretch his hands way up in the air to show me just how big he was!

No, I didn't cry. And it's not like it's any different than MDO. Coop loves kids his age and I knew he was more than ready to get back into the swing of things!

I was excited for him....and excited for me to be able to spend some one-on-one time with my other little booger!

11 months!

I know every mom says it...and it always sounds so cliche, but.......I can't believe my sweet baby boy will be 1 in just one month! It truly just blows my mind! I am about to have a 1 year old and a 3 year old! Is that seriously possible?!?!

So, what is my little Whitt up to these days (besides being totally adorable)?

- So I have just reread every post about your sleeping habits! And it seems to me, that every month is different!!! You have long stretches of when you will sleep 11-12 hours, and then the very next week you will be up in the middle of the night for a feeding. I thought I had "ferberized" you! However, you seem to always outsmart the system!!! Example: You will have a little bit of a runny nose or you act like you aren't feeling well. So, when you wake up in the middle of the night, I have to check on you...inevitably giving you a bottle....just in case! Then, the whole "I have no teeth and I don't really like baby food....and I'm not eating a whole-lotta solid food" would make me think that maybe you might still be hungry in the middle of the night. So, yes, I would give in! But the past several nights, you have been waking up at 11:30 p.m. (feeding) and then again at 3:30 a.m. (feeding). Now, come on, I know you can't be that hungry....especially when you don't finish the bottle! So last night I tried to make you cry-it-out at 11:30. You went on and on for about 25 minutes before I tried to just rock you...but you were still highly ticked off. A little sucking on a bottle (only took 3 oz) you were right back to sleep. Only to be up at 3:30. This time I was not giving in, and it took you about 15 min to cry yourself back to sleep! So, the night sleeping issue continues!

-Your naps are still very consistent. Down after 2 1/2 hours in the morning for 1st nap. And down after 3 1/2 hours for second nap. Each nap consists of 1 hour to 1 1/2 hours.

-Still 4 bottles a day (unless you wake up for a feeding or 2 in the middle of the night).

-We are struggling with baby food and finger food! I think you really want to eat big people food....I think! Sometimes you're all about it and practically sing to it, other times you act like I'm poisoning you. Dinner time is the hardest because if falls during your "witching hour". So you're cranky on top of being hungry...but not wanting what is being offered! Go figure! But, I know it will get better!!!

-You are EVERYWHERE!!!!! You are a super fast crawler! I think you could win a crawling sprint against any baby! You are pulling up on everything and cruising around like a champ. You have finally figured out how to sit down from a standing position and you think you're pretty hot stuff when you do so! You still love your walker and will run in it when you are chasing Cooper down the hallway! Walking is in the near future, but you are still very timid and will not take steps unless you are holding on to both of my fingers.

-I love your voice because you're so serious when you talk! I wish I could transcribe into words what comes out of your mouth....it's hilarious! You "talk" quite a bit, but your brother has you beat hands down! I can foresee you telling him to "be quiet" and "stop talking" when you get older!!!

-You are still pretty shy.... and for the most part independent! You don't mind playing by yourself for short increments, but you have started wanting someone in the room with you at all times.

-You're still not much of a lover, but you definitely tolerate it! However, you love love love to be sung to! I'm sorry that I am so tone deaf, but I sing away...and you just shine your dimples at me every time!

-12-18 month clothes

-Size 4 diaper

-In your 10 month post I said your hair was too long to mohawk...well, I missed it and I've decided to do it anyway! You sometimes look like a little rooster....but it totally fits your personality! I know I will have to do away with it soon, but I'm hanging on to it as long as I can!

-I find myself smiling in my sleep because I'm dreaming of your precious face! I love you sweet baby! I wish you could stay this age forever!

Cooper at 11 months!

Whitten's First Rain!!!!

Our little love bug is almost 11 months old and has never witnessed rain. We are in the worst drought since the 50's and it has just been hot, hot, hot! So hot, that we don't do much outside these days! But two nights ago, our prayers were finally answered! We had an awesome rain shower that lasted quite a while....for West Texas, anyway! I wanted to remember this special day for two reasons. The first is obviously because it was Whitten's first rain! I put him to bed at 7:00 after Josh said that the storm was just going to pass us by! But about 30 minutes later the sky opened up and it began to pour! I had to get Whitt up so he could at least see it! Poor baby was so sleepy, and wasn't all that impressed.

I took him back to bed after about 10 minutes, and he just rolled over and passed back out!

The other reason that this was such a special moment was because Cooper's prayers were answered. He's been praying for rain for quite a while (his reasons for rain are obviously different than ours....he just wants to play in it). However, to know that God answers prayers (and not always right away) was such a sweet teachable moment! He is starting to get a little bit of an awareness of God and his awesome power. Yes, he's only 3, but it has to start somewhere! When it would thunder, Cooper would tell us that God was talking to him that He was saying "Let there be light" after he saw the lightning! He would clap after a really loud thunder and lightning episode because he swore God was having a good ole conversation with him! When it was all over, Cooper went outside and said, "Thank you, God." I mean, how sweet is that!

Sometimes I forget that 3 year olds are literal little beings! A few hours before it began to rain, Cooper kept asking if it was raining yet. The conversation went like this:

Cooper: Is it raining yet?

Josh: Cooper, do you see rain?

C: No

J: Well, then it's not raining yet. It will rain when God is ready for it to rain.

C: Well, I don't see God.

Me: Remember, he's in your heart and he can make it rain from your heart. (I know....that didn't make much sense, but it's what came out of my mouth)

C: But I don't want it to rain in my tummy!

Another funny:

The other day Cooper reached down in his shirt and told me he took God out of his heart because God wanted to fly....but "he crash like Buzz."

Swimming Lessons