So I Don't Forget...

Trevor has this thing for my laser level... He fell on it last night and we had our first injury with blood. He hit his mouth on the level and it must of just hit him right on a tooth because there was blood everywhere! Rob was of course at the grocery store and I had Braylen in my arms... After checking it out, the cut was actually small but the blood and the swelling was crazy! After Rob got home, he took Trevor upstairs to show him his mouth and he said to me... "Mama, get all this ketchup out of my mouth!" He's never seen blood before, so makes perfect sense to me that he thought his mouth was full of ketchup!

I'm sure he's gonna have one fat lip this morning when he wakes up!

More in May and Just Because...

Baby B rockin' his new shades

May has been a much better month for all of us in the Coppock clan. Primarily because my sanity has kicked back in and I think we are finally in a groove now with our new lives and our new addition. Braylen is growing like a weed, and has turned into a little tank at his whopping 3 months. He is almost 14 lbs now and I swear is 2 ft long. I have his actual stats somewhere, but the point is he is a big boy already! He is such a happy baby and I am thoroughly enjoying my boys now! He eats really well, is picking up Trevor's sleeping habits of almost every two hours and I just can't explain how much I love having him next to me when he wakes up in the morning... he is happy and laughing and squirming around. Its just precious. Too precious.


Braylen sleeping in his glider


Braylen holding his bottle - Too funny!



He is rolling over, can hold his bottle and can sit by himself in his Bumbo. He has tried some cereal and some applesauce and seems to like it, so a little at a time seeing that it's still kind of early for all that. I wouldn't have even thought about feeding him those things just yet, but he kept grabbing for everything I gave Trevor so I thought maybe that was supposed to be telling me something...

Trev has been a crack up this month... He has turned into my little parrot. Repeat - Repeat - Repeat... And past that - oohh, the scoldings I get from him are too much - He's so serious when he is trying to let me have it that I can't keep a straight face.

Some that I love... I wish I could remember them all...
"Mama - Look what you did!" (not a good thing BTW)
"Mama - It's your bedtime, go to your room!"
"Mama - I wanna ride in the hoopdy hoop." That's what Rob calls our 2006 Camry, a Hoopdy...
"Can I play the remota-computer?" Which is what he calls my laptop. Remote/Computer I guess.


He is playing on my laptop like it's his job. I just can't believe how this kid can whip around on these websites. Games, coloring, you name it, he can do it - touch pad and all! It just kills me. Not to mention that he now takes my iphone to bed to play at night. One night, a week or so ago, he went and laid down in our bed to wait for me to come to bed. Braylen had fallen asleep and so I hung out downstairs with Rob for an hour or so catching up on some TiVo'd shows. Trevor came down with a completely put our air about him and said to me "Maamaa... where's my phooonnne?" I had obviously taken too long coming to bed and he wanted to play his games. I have laughed for days over that one.

I feel like he has really turned 3 now. He is such a little boy now and not a baby. He is lazy as all get out or spoiled rotten, but we are working on that. It's amazing how if I ask him to put his shoes on he can't but if he wants to go outside they are already on when he comes to ask to play... Hmmmm :)

He still isn't too sure about this whole brother thing. He will give him a kiss goodnight and goodbye but that is about it. Braylen is not allowed to be anywhere near Trevor's blankets and he really doesn't like him on his couch either. If people are too loud he will tell people... "Stop making that noise, you're gonna wake brother up!" But if he does it, not an issue. Tell him that he has to be quiet or go in another room and he storms off and says "Trevy is so mad!" and throws his arms down in a miff. It's so funny how he is in his own little world 100% of the time.

He has done some things this month that I really want to remember... he sang his first song and read me his first story. When I say read, I don't mean read. He looks at the pictures and tells me the story of what is going on, but HE thinks he's reading and that is really all that matters. It's so cute. He sings the Taxi Taxi song off Noggin and the Clean Up song too. We're just not big singers so it was so cute to hear him for the first time.

SO what did we do this month? Well, Jill and I went to Endulge for drinks and then Jing for dinner. We had a great time. I got to drink martini's with edible flowers in them that make your mouth numb for the first time. We had fun. She's a blast. I have spent a lot of time with the girls which has been a blessing. I love the fact that after all this time, we're talking 14 years, it just seems like we picked up where we left off and never gave it a second thought.

Mom watched the babies Friday night so Rob and I could have a date night. It was the first time we had been out alone since our anniversary in October. We hit the outlet mall and did some serious Memorial Day Sale shopping and then to Pasta Jay's for dinner. I love that place. We of course had to hit Wal Mart on the way home to pick up something for Trev. He was in bed, but we got him up and let him play with his toys for a while after we got home. I thought he was excited to have us home, but really, first thing out of his mouth was - "Mama - did you get me a present?"

We celebrated Mother's Day at my Moms for the afternoon with her, my Aunt, my Grandma and cousin Linda. It was fun catching up on all the family gossip.

Dad and Chris making pizzas.



My Dad had us up for a pizza night at their new house in Evergreen. It was a beautiful day up there and we had a great time. Trevor ran around like he owned the place and played with Zeus until they were both pooped. Braylen slept almost the whole time we were there, bless his heart. Dad makes the best pizzas ever and he loves doing it, so it made for a great afternoon. We also did a little birthday catch up with them so Trevor got another birthday cake and another present... Lucky kid!

Chris and Trevor eating pizza and tomatoes!

Trevor with the belated birthday cake!

New Rooms for My Boys

We moved Trev into a bigger bedroom to make room for Braylen!

Braylen's Room
Which he will never sleep in until he is 6 months older or more I'm sure!

Trevor Turns 3!!

As Close to a Family Picture That We Were Gonna Get!!

Trevor After Blowing Out the Candles

Happy Birthday My Monster Baby!

Happy Birthday My Angel Baby!

I just can't believe it has come so quickly. My baby isn't a baby anymore, he's 3!! The more and more I look at him the more he looks like a little boy now. I look back at the pictures from his second birthday and am in awe of the changes he has made in just one short year. He is 37 inches tall and weighs 34 lbs. He isn't little anywhere anymore. His feet are getting bigger, his head is getting bigger, his legs are getting longer and he is getting to be so strong it's crazy!!

We had family over for his birthday. Nothing too exciting other than cake and gifts. Presents for this kid are a daily event. You cannot get in our front door without him asking if "you brought a present fora me?" It's yet another horrible habit that we have, but it keeps him happy for now. With that said, choosing gifts especially for his birthday wasn't easy for us or any of the family. He has everything!

I did find an interactive Wall-E and Eve at Toy's R Us that I thought would be perfect. I sent Rob to the store to pick up Eve and some other Cars and let his Uncle Chris know that if they didn't know what to get him, Wall-E was his... and boy was it!! Only 3 in the state and Blair told him not to come to the party without it! OMG! Poor Guy!! He hauled butt to the store in Aurora after calling them to hold it, ran in, paid for it and booked it to the party, Wall-E in hand!! Man, that's love!

He loved all his presents and had a great time. He blew his candles out like a champ and was all about getting into his cake! It was a great day for him. His poor Daddy... their birthdays are four days apart and Trevor gets all the attention!

Trevor Playing with His Uncles

I'm 3!!

Playing with Wall-E

Trev and Uncle Joe

He LUVS These Things!

Playing with the Cars Firehouse from Uncle Joe

HUNGRY HIPPOS! He asked for this stupid game for weeks!! "Amma bringing my Hungry Hippos today?" What?? Where did he even see this?

February and onto March...

Trevor Brushing His Teeth in His Lightening McQueen Robe!

Baskin Robin's - Our First Family Outing

Not A Happy Baby, But I Have Cute Shoes On!!!

At this point it is hard to remember all of the things that have happened in the last 60 days. I can't believe it, but Braylen is two months old already. It seems like it has gone so fast, as it does I guess!

We are all getting used to our new lives. Trevor did well adjusting as far as not being mean to the baby but he did turn into a little devil in the flesh! He really started to act out in other ways and I pretty much thought I was going to have to make my reservations at the hotel with the pretty white jackets and padded walls!!

I could not understand why my angelic little boy had turned into such a brat. We were almost out of the terrible two's or so I thought! He was biting me, kicking me, throwing things at me, flailing around about everything and anything, crying over everything and anything, all this while I'm trying to manage life with a new baby that doesn't sleep unless he's held on hardly any sleep myself!!!

But the long and the short of it all is that I think I have it under control... it was a little painful at times, scabs on my nose from being bitten and a fat lip here and there, and I think we're good!

Life is different, and one of the things that I forgot about is that I used to go to work 4 days a week and now it's only one. As much as it may have nothing to do with it, in my mind I really think the fact that I am home with him 6 days a week now and the rules are pretty much mine to make is a big change. Giving him EVERYTHING and I mean everything, and doing everything that we could think of wasn't working so the hammer finally dropped... It's serious discipline time.

I have never really played Billy Bad Ass with him, but this crap was out of control and it had to stop! There were nights he went to bed without a bottle, without his TV, without a light on in his room, nothing. This may sound trivial, but these are all his comfort things that he has had since he was one!! Rob packed up all of his toys with the exception of a few and took them away... it changed.

He now, for the most part has been a very good little man!! He plays with one toy at a time, and then puts it away, the flailing and screaming is way less frequent than before, he eats at the table like he should... it's better... therefore I am better, and need less wine!!

Braylen is sleeping a couple hours in the daytime at a stretch and then he takes a couple 45 minute naps and does about 8 hours at night! Heaven! He will sleep in his glider now which is a wonderful thing. He was only sleeping on his stomach which was nerve wrecking for me and never let me sleep when he slept. Once he got tired of that program, he wouldn't sleep unless he was being held... That changed once, thanks to the wisdomes / googling / advice of my mom, we figured out that we had been starving this poor baby. Turned 2 ounces into 4 ounces and he was down for the count! Ahhhh...

The jacket and padded walls will have to wait!

Braylen and Daddy

One of Our Attempts to Get Him to Sleep - This Worked for a Day...

Braylen

So I SUCK at this!! Cut Me Some Slack, I Just Had a BABY!!!

So, since the last post, which was years ago, lots has changed in this little world of ours. I have always said that things are nuts, and that has turned to normalcy, but after the newest little addition, it has been nuts and I am doing my best not to turn into a suburban housewife on prescription meds to get by!! (I'm joking, thanks to my girlfriend Jill, we are trying the natural vitamin way first...)

So, here is our newest little love bug... Braylen Davis Coppock. He was born on February 11th at 7:22 am - 7 lbs. 7 oz. He made it easy to remember these things because all the important things are doubles.. 11th, 22, 7.7... fun!!

Braylen 3 Days Old

Things went well considering that I had another C-Section with him. I was less scared this time as I knew what to expect. When they hooked up the fetal monitor during all the prepping the nurses informed me that I was having some pretty major contractions... FUNNY - I didn't feel anything, and that was before the meds! The nurse that put my IV in was horrible and thanks to her I couldn't bend my wrist, which worked out in her favor because I wanted to strangle her but couldn't!! Off to the OR which took forever because it took the Anesthesiologist 6, yes 6 times to get my spinal block in. Let's talk about a little pain shall we??? I think I was crying at that point, no I know I was crying at that point. But all in all, after a little joking with Dr. Cohen and Dr. Johnson, and the Anesthesiologist, who's name I can't remember, little baby Braylen was here with ten fingers and ten toes, jet black curly hair, dark blue eyes and lungs that most definitely work!!

After spending three days as a guest at Saint Anthony's Central, and seeing that it was my birthday, I decided to pack up and head home. As much as I missed being at home, it was so nice to have a break from the day to day responsibilities that we all have. I loved the staff in Labor and Delivery once again and highly recommend that anyone have their babies there because they are WONDERFUL! It's a hike, and Colfax isn't the most scenic part of town, but it's worth it.

And I have to make mention of a few things about my stay this time (Trev was born there also...) my brothers spent so much time with me in the hospital. Chris and Blair were there almost every day to visit me and the baby. Joey was there, Harlan spent 4 hours with me all by ourselves one afternoon, Catherine came to visit until we scared her off trying to figure out how to get Braylen to nurse, my mom was there, Alicia and Derek came the day he was born, everyone. It was wonderful, thanks.

The first day home was easy. Misleadingly easy, but easy. He slept, ate and slept some more. I remember thinking to myself, "I've got this in the bag! What was I worried about??" HA - and then I found out that I worried for a reason and two is definitely harder than one. Some days are easy, some days are just days and others have been sheer hell. They are getting so much better, and those stories are to come. We are all doing well now, but all the things people tell you about having a second child, (or more) are true, true, true, at least in my/our case.

Harlan and Braylen

Bray - This Picture Cracks Me Up!

My Birthday / Valentine's Day Cookie from the Nurses / Staff on the L&D Floor.
They delivered fresh cookies everyday at 3:00 - Yummy!!

The Only One Comfortable in that Hospital Bed!

Braylen and Harlan

11 Days and Counting...

Well January has come and gone in a flash. Today was my last day at work until after the baby is here and I can get back to the salon. Its amazing how much has changed in the last three months not to mention the last 30 days. Our house is different now that Rob is done with his projects for the time being and we are finally to a point where there isnt something major to be done every day or every night for him after he gets home from work.

Rob decided to lay hardwood floors on the main level of the house after Thanksgiving. What was supposed to be a "couple weekends" very quickly turned into a couple months. Complicated by the fact that there were oh, I dont know, holidays and company here in the midst of everything going on. None the less, they are done for now. Done enough to live on, live with and not live around for a while. They turned out beautiful and I dont think he or Christopher want to see another piece of flooring, a nail gun, a sander or any of it for a while to come!!

We survived the holidays and the New Year. 2008 was a busy year for us. We lost a few loved ones, Rob changed jobs, Trevor started and stopped school, we found out another baby was coming, Chris and Joey both moved home and lived here for a while, Chris got engaged, oh, those are just a few... but all in all it kept us busy.

If baby Braylen cooperates we have 11 days left of life as we know it. Trevor is in his new big boy room and out of his crib. He has actually done really well and I am so proud of him. We still have the nights, like tonight, where he has every excuse on the planet to get out of bed, but for the most part he has handled the change like a champ! I know that he is enjoying his new room because he shows it off to everyone that comes over. I was worried that he wouldnt like it because for some reason that little boy doesnt do well with change!

We bought a new car last week and Trevor was with us when we picked it up. He had a holy fit because it was not "Mama's car" and we were putting his car seat in a different car that was NOT my Jeep. It was short lived and he likes the new car but it was almost comical seeing how attached he was to my Jeep for whatever reason!

He is growing so quickly! He is speaking in 7 and more word sentences... He counts, knows all of his colors, knows how to play video games on my computer, iphone and his vsmile system... its all little things but I am just amazed at what he does. He eats like a champion and I am still in awe that he will eat all the vegetables on his plate before anything else. We watched him eat an entire container of strawberries tonight. Its hard to take them away because they are so good for him and he loves them, so we dont. If he wants to eat himself into a strawberry then I will let him!

I took him to O'Brien park in Parker a few weeks ago on our way home from a quick trip to the salon. I was shocked at how much he does on his own now. Up the ladders, down the slides, up this, over that, down here, up there... it was crazy. But he's good at it and has the time of his life.
It has been so nice to have the week to spend with him just the two of us since after the holidays. As hard as it is to be home and as much as I didnt think I would ever say that, it will be time that I cherish in years to come. I have not had this much time with him since right after he was born and its so different when they are older. We play and go get a "hamburger, french fries, ice cream cone and a toy". We play games and paint and do all sorts of things that he likes to do and most of all we have "nap time" together before he takes his nap where we both lay down on the couch and watch a little Tom and Jerry. He covers me up with his blankets and tells me to close my eyes... its quite cute. He is old enough now that when he is tired and ready for his nap he will walk himself upstairs to his room and very quietly get into bed and take his nap.

Its just cute. Hes getting to be such a big boy. I will miss having him all to myself, but am so looking forward to his future with a little brother. None of us are sure how he will do, I guess that you never can be sure. The bets are on either being the over protective helpful brother or the one who wants to take everything away from him and send him back. It wont be long and I will know the answer to that question!