First Halloween & Christmas 2011

"There was never a child so lovely but his mother was glad to get him to sleep" 

- Ralph Waldo Emerson

My sweet little Coop had a rough time with sleep until about 2 years old. Looking back I'm pretty sure that it was my own fault, having read every sleep and feeding book that there is and trying to do it "right". But I don't think it was an accident because it gave me sympathy for any parent that has to deal with sleep issues and had he slept i would have thought that it was my own amazing self. Sometimes Heavenly Father saves us from our pride. ;  

was when Cooper was around 4 months old. I brought to the attention of the Dr. That Cooper didn’t have a soft spot on his head and that he hadn’t had one that I could feel for months. The Dr. was concerned and wanted to have a scan done to see if he would require surgery to break up the plates in the skull so they wouldn’t impede brain growth because the plates don’t normally fuse together until a child is around two years old. I had a feeling that his little head was just fine and that everything was going to be alright but thought that it was a good idea to check it out. The only problem was that our insurance was changing the next day and we would have to pay out of pocket for the scans and specialists visits and cash for us was tight. I asked if there was any way we could get into get the scan that day. The Dr. gave me a look that said “Ya right” but he made a call to the children’s hospital right there anyway. The specialist happened to have an opening that afternoon. I hurried over. When I entered the specialists office there were two kind of grouchy looking receptionist who were doing the checking in. They checked us in without a smile and then I did something that I don’t normally do, I did an Andrew. Andrew usually talks to everyone. He quickly becomes buddies with whoever is working the drive through or grocery store checkout. I’m not usually as outgoing as he is. I do my business politely and leave. So my normal would have been to just check in with these ladies and then go and sit down but something made me stay right up near the desk and chat with these ladies who didn’t look very chatty. By the time the nurse came to take us back they were both smiling and in love with Cooper. (Black people for some reason all LOVE Cooper’s name?)  The specialist wanted to do a topical ultra sound first to see if they could find a fontanel. They tried and couldn’t and so they wanted to schedule a CAT scan. I asked if there was any way we could get in to do it that day, she said no, that that area of the hospital was usually pretty booked out and that it would be at least a week. The tail end of this conversation was taking place as I was leaving the office and in ear shot of my new receptionist friends. Then as my hand was literally on the door handle one of the ladies said “wait, I have a friend down in CT. let me call down and see if by chance they can squeeze you in” She made the call and they agreed to let me hang around just in case they had a small opening. The receptionist then said that she could walk me over to that side of the hospital because the place was one huge maze. When I checked into the CAT scan area the lady informed me that I could be waiting there for hours and that they might not even be able to get me in that day because the anesthesiologist was backed up. I said that that was fine  and thanked her. Then something told me to pull another Andrew even though this office was busier. So I just stood off to the side of the desk and rocked Coop in my arms while she coo’d over him and talked in between check ins. Then after about fifteen minutes Cooper was out cold asleep in my arms. The receptionist saw this and quickly phoned back to the people doing the scans and told them that they had a baby waiting that happened to be asleep. She asked me if I thought that he would hold still enough for the scan without having to be put under. I knew that this was no normal nap of his and that this was Heavenly Father's doing so I answered yes even though he is usually pretty wiggly while sleeping. So they whisked us back. All the while I could feel angels around me and knew that even though his little head was going to be fine that Heavenly Father is always there to comfort and be with us if we let him. I laid little Cooper down on the huge scary CAT scan table and left the room as they scanned. Waiting in that hallway I could feel that that hospital was full of angels. After they were done the operator gave me a wink to let me know that he looked fine without actually saying anything. Our Dr then called later that day to let us know that he did indeed have two teeny tiny fontanels and that his head although in the Charley Brown category of largeness was just fine. What a day….  This was also  Halloween. so after I returned home from the hospital we dressed little Coop up in a tiny spider man outfit a friend had given me and headed to the Berlin’s for some chili and trick or treating. 

Here is Coop man on his first Halloween... he took it very seriously.



 Fam Photo!

 This tri-photo was taken by Bonnie's husband Jonathan and was made into huge prints and hung in a pediatricians office in Boone NC. So ya... Cooper and I or... excuse me... I mean my legs are pretty much famous. 










January 23, 2012 (written by Andrew)

It was Cooper’s first Christmas and New Year’s, and we got to spend both in Utah with family.  Tiffany flew out a couple of days before me with Cooper.  This was Cooper’s second time flying, but his first time flying alone with his mom.  We were a little worried about Tiffany having to handle everything on her own, but her and Cooper both did a great job.  Cooper slept through most of the flying, and Tiff did a great job of handling the luggage, getting to her connecting flight, and getting the rental car once she got to Salt Lake.  Just in case he decided to be grumpy on the plane, we dressed him up in a cute little Santa outfit that Steve and Kim Berlin gave us so that it would be a lot harder for people to be angry with him.  Tiffany said he was a celebrity everywhere they went.

Sorry I can't flip these photos for some reason.

Coop and his Grandpa Mike.

Uncle Milan, Blake and Aunt Briana.           

As has now become the tradition, Tiffany’s family had their Christmas eve celebration on the 23rd.  This year everyone spent the night at Brianna and Dave’s.  We had a great dinner with the entire family then sat around and talked and played games.  Of course, the main attraction was Cooper who was constantly passed around and played with.  He seemed a little overwhelmed at first, but he got used to the attention quickly and enjoyed spending time with grandma and grandpa and all his aunts and uncles.  We spent Christmas eve and Christmas morning with my family at Ruth and Mike’s house.  It was more food, talking, and games.  And of course, Cooper was again passed around and played with constantly. 

The rest of the trip was spent going back and forth between our families and making sure everyone got plenty of Coop time.  Cooper didn’t really enjoy all the time in his car seat, but he had a great time playing with everyone.  Unfortunately, with all the excitement going on, he didn’t sleep the greatest during the trip.  By the end, we were all pretty wiped out, especially Cooper and poor Tiff.  It was so nice to get back to our quiet home and sleep in our own beds.

            Next year we may have to make it a shorter trip.  As fun as it was to see family, we’re still trying to get Cooper to readjust back to life at home.  Even though he stayed healthy during the trip, he finally managed to get a cold when we got home.  The cold, combined with the bad sleep habits he picked up on the trip, have left us with a sleep schedule that is still making for some long nights for Coop and Tiff.

            But all in all it was a great holiday season and it was so fun to see Cooper with all his extended family.  Next year he will be at a really fun age and we can’t wait to see how much fun he has then.