Happy Birthday Cooper and Nana!!!

Happy Birthday to you!!! Happy Birthday to you!!!! It's Cooper AND Nana's birthday today! Cooper is the big ONE and I won't mention how "young" Nana is. :) I don't think she would like for me telling the whole world her age. he he

It's amazing how much difference a year makes! The first picture is of Cooper when he was just a few weeks old and the other one was taken at his party on Saturday. He's gotten SO BIG! He is such a wonderful baby and I thank God every day for giving me two happy, healthy babies. We did save him a present to open tonight so that he kind of "knows" today is his actual birthday. Of course technically he won't be one until 11:55 pm - Ha! But we'll go ahead and celebrate. :)

Birthday pictures

So here are a few pictures from the party. I made the cake myself - a tradition I've started with the kids and I was very proud of how well it came out! Cooper had a great turnout and the party was a hit. He got lots of toys and some much needed pjs. His birthday is tomorrow and I still can't believe it's been a year already! He's taking a step here and there but not really showing any interest in walking just yet.

Isn't he just the prettiest little blue eyed boy in the whole wide world????

Happy Birthday to Al

Today is Al's birthday! He is 32 years old - wow! He doesn't know it yet, but the kids got him a grill set for his grill. He's been wanting one for awhile and they finally took the hint! :)

Cooper's party was this past Saturday and it went great! The cake came out wonderfully and he had a really good turnout. I should have pictures up tomorrow of that. Cooper turns one officially on the 30th and then goes for his one year check up on the 31st. Poor thing! :(

Anyways, come back tomorrow to see if I've posted pics!

Bed time routine

If Olivia is anything, it's consistent. Every night we have the same bed time routine. I read her at least 3 books, usually 4 every night. The order is this....
1. Pookey Little Puppy
2. Love You Forever
3. Olivia the Pig
4. Goodnight Moon

Sometimes we don't read Olivia the Pig, but her routine usually doesn't vary! I think it's so neat that she loves the Pookey little puppy book - that was my favorite as a kid too! I try to skip pages but Olivia knows the story so well she'll say "No Mama, you have to read about him digging the hole. I can't read so you have too!" - which makes me feel like a total turd for trying to deceive her in the first place! Ha! Love You Forever is the "Boy growing up book" and when she tells me she wants to read Olivia the Pig she'll say "because I'm Olivia the little girl, not Olivia the pig, that book is about Olivia the pig, not me" - Like I didn't know! Ha Ha! And she can quote Goodnight Moon almost word for word. She's way too smart! You would think this routine would take forever, but it usually only lasts about 15 minutes. Not too bad I guess.

And in Cooper news - his party is only two days away!!! I have got to get to the store and buy all the supplies I need or I'm going to be doing everything last minute. Oh, and last night he took one more step on his own. So maybe my little man will be walking by Saturday after all! I wonder what books I'll have to read to him every night?

Jail Time

So yesterday afternoon Olivia comes running in the kitchen to tell me she's thirsty. "We've got Kool Aide or water, take your pick." This started the biggest argument in Olivia's short little life! She didn't want Kool Aide because "it's nasty" (hello...I grew up on Kool Aide and I thought it was pretty darn good!) and she didn't want a drop of water. "Why not O? Water is good for you." Her response? "I don't want water because when you're in jail, all they give you is bread and water!" And the crying began. WHAT??? Now, don't get me wrong, I can totally see Olivia spending time in jail in the future (ha ha) but what does a three year old know of jail? I can only speculate that her Poppy has something to do with it. So, after some major convincing on my part that the grape Kool Aide was actually grape juice - oh, you didn't know there was a big difference? - Olivia went off and continued on her merry way. I tell you what, this little girl totally stresses me out on a daily basis! I sure hope Cooper is much calmer or at least not so dramatic as she is.

Speaking of Cooper - his birthday party is Saturday and we're so excited! I can't wait for my little man's big day! My friend Jenny's little boy Ryan is celebrating his 1st birthday today! HAPPY BIRTHDAY RYAN!!! It's very cool to have a friend with a baby the same age as yours! And my niece Loren turned three yesterday. She and Olivia are getting so big and grown. Al celebrates his birthday on the 28th and Nana celebrates her birthday with Coopey on the 30th. So August is a busy month in the Griggs household!

NO WAY!!!!

Cooper actually took two steps unassisted on Monday night! Wow, I can't believe my little man is trying to be a walker. *sniffle* He's standing on his own really well and can really "cruise" around the furniture. I had him walking around the living room taunting him with the cordless phone last night for a while. What is it with babies and cordless phones? He all but threw a tantrum to have the stupid thing. It's a shame that he takes after Al with that horrible temper! :)

Al and I have his party all planned out now - I can hardly wait! Olivia thinks however, that she will be getting a birthday cake too and I have to keep reminding her that "no, it's Cooper's special day" and that she can have a piece of his cake. We'll see how that goes. Olivia doesn't really know how to act at other kids birthday parties (well, she doesn't know how to act period! Ha). It never fails that she gets her hands on the cake before it's cut. No kidding, she has a perfect record so far!

If you're happy.....

And you know it clap your hands! Cooper has learned how to clap. It's so funny. He'll clap when you clap, and he'll clap when he starts laughing. He's getting so big! Olivia thinks it's the neatest thing that he can clap now. She sang "If your happy and you know it, clap your hands" ALL the way to daycare this morning - which was really cute for the first few minutes but after about 15 minutes of it, I was about to lose it. Ha!



Just 15 more days and my little man will be the big one year old. *sigh*

You're beautiful....

Ha, I bet you were singing the title like James Blunt weren't you? :)

Anyways, Olivia told me this morning that she wanted to wear her skirt and shirt to daycare this morning. I tried to talk her out of it, but she wouldn't hear of it. Do you think she cares that she's going to be hot all day in that thing? No....Olivia goes for fashion over function these days. After I got her dressed she asked me how she looked. "Pretty, just pretty" I said. "I don't want to be pretty" Olivia SCREAMED. "Why not?" "I want to be beautiful!" she said. Oh my gosh - is she at this age already???? "Well, excuse me, your highness, you are beautiful." "Thanks Mommy!" and off we went to finish getting ready. Wow, O becomes more like a little girl every day and I just don't know what to do with myself. But, I don't mind because I am her best girlfriend EVER. How *cool* is that?

In other Griggs family news....Cooper has a bug and spent the day home with Daddy. I hate when my little man is sick! Only two more weeks until my little fella turns ONE!!!!

Sorry this blog is short, but I'm swamped with work and can't really think of any of the things Olivia has said this week. I promise to do better!

I'm going crazy

If Olivia doesn't stop with this WHY, WHY, WHY phase - I'm going to go CRAZY!!!!!

Here was our conversation this morning:

OGG: Mama, who drives a firetruck?
Me: Fire Fighters
OGG: Why? What the fire do?
Me: It burns things.
OGG: What do fire fighters do?
Me: Put out fires with water. *sigh*
OGG: Why does water put out fire?
Me: It just does Olivia!
OGG: Does water put out firetrucks?
Me: *eye roll* can we all play the quiet game?
OGG: Ok Mommy! How do we play the quiet game?
Me: UGH - everybody be quiet!
*SILENCE, SWEET SILENCE* (this lasts for about 10 long seconds)
Cooper: BLAH! *giggle*
OGG: Mommy!!!! Cooper talked, he lost the quiet game!!!
*mean look to Cooper in the rear view mirror*
Me: Thanks a lot Cooper!
*Cooper smiles*

So I guess they are ganging up on me after all! The rest of the way to daycare O asked me 500 trillion questions about the quiet game, about why Cooper lost the quiet game, about driving the van down the road, and about two dogs sitting on the side walk. I think I know why some animals eat their young - They ask too many questions!

2 Little Trouble Makers.....

So Olivia isn't my only trouble maker! Cooper now has eight - yes I said EIGHT - teeth and has become quite the little biter. At first I thought he was just trying to kiss, but after being bit on the cheek, I now know better. I'm sure he's being taught this bad habit from the little thieves at daycare because my little Cooper man is the sweetest baby EVER. I just wish he outgrows it soon! Olivia was never much of a biter, but I have a really bad gut feeling about *the boy*.

Of course, although O doesn't bite, she still causes me much stress. She tells me everyday about her and Gracie fighting at school. No one ever says a word to me, so I guess it's all lies. Olivia does have a tendacy to tell fibs. If you ask her her age, she will tell you that she is five. She's only three. She'll also lie on her daddy in a heart beat. I am forever reminding Nana of this when Nana calls wanting to know why Al spanked O so hard last night she couldn't catch her breath, etc and Al hadn't even laid a hand on the mean thing! She probably deserved a spanking, but probably sweet talked her way out of it. Or gave me that pouty "I'll be better from now on" look. I'm such a sucker.

Oh, and Cooper has his get-out-of-trouble look too - all he has to do is smile and giggle and I can't bring myself to popping his leg for biting. *sigh* Oh well! They are only babies for a little while.....

Cooper in pudding

How stinking cute is he???

Various pics

Here are a few pictures of Olivia at the beach. I know they are ssssooo late, but I forgot I had these on my disposable camera. Oops! The other pics are of Cooper after he ate (or should I say PLAYED) in some chocolate pudding. Too cute!