30 Days Hath September....

Today marks the end of another month. At church I was thinking about how it was at the beginning of this month that Kyle was blessed!! It doesn't seem that long ago! Here I am with only a 2 month old baby, already reminiscing about the past and about how little he once was and about how quickly the time passes! (you know, I think I use exclamation points almost as haphazardly as Elaine. It's a Seinfeld thing...I'm sure SOME of you were wondering...)

We are very blessed to have Kyle in our lives. He truly is a sweet and loving child, an answer to prayers. I have been so blessed to be a mother and to have a healthy and happy child. Here's some more cute pictures:

Don't you think he'd make a good "Gap Kid?"
Maybe I should sign him up.

That face could sell you anything. I mean, look how happy he is..it must be the clothes. (Thanks, Amber!)

Game Day: A&M vs. Baylor

It's Game Day!!! These are our favorite Saturdays, when we can get up, stay in our pajamas until 3:00, do stuff around the house, and watch college football. Here's some video of Kyle before the Aggie game:






We also have the game day prediction from our Little Man, the "Prognosticator of Prognosticators." See what he had to say about the outcome of the game:


He was right!!! Okay, so maybe A&M CAN win a game that's not so much of a nail-biter. We are all MUCH happier around here today than we were after last week's embarrassing loss. Here's more on the game:

Texas A&M 34, Baylor 10

COLLEGE STATION, Texas (AP)- Stephen McGee and Jorvorskie Lane each ran for over 100 yards and a touchdown as Texas A&M beat Baylor 34-10 on Saturday.
Mike Goodson had an electrifying TD catch and the Aggies' defense did the rest, holding the Bears to only seven first downs and 60 yards rushing.
The Aggies (4-1, 1-0) rushed for 352 yards and won time of possession by more than 26 minutes to beat Baylor for the 11th time in the last 12 meetings. The Bears (3-2, 0-1) had a three-game winning streak snapped and haven't won at Kyle Field since 1984.

Gig 'em, Aggies!!

Still Happy

Mom and Dad got to go out on a nice date, thanks to Auntie Deb coming over to babysit. These pictures were taken right before we left. We had a nice time eating at one of our favorite Mexican food places, Abuelo's. Then we drove around our old stomping grounds: Midland College. Go Chaps! It was nice to just get to go out and talk and be just the two of us for an evening.

Kyle is still really happy. Stephen can always get him to smile! Here is a group of pictures taken after church this Sunday. It's really cool that he's starting to show some personality and respond to our voices.

While taking all those pictures of Kyle's happy faces, Atlas decided she needed to get in on the action. She's still not sure about his smell...

2 months old

On his two month birthday, Kyle got to spend the day with Dad and Grandma Lou. They took some great video of him smiling and watching his mobile, but we haven't quite figured out if we can get video from the camcorder to the computer and onto the blog. There's much less time now to actually sit and play with things like that now that Mom is working. So, we took some more video of Kyle and his Aggie Mobile with the digital camera.






Kyle is adjusting very well to day care at Animal Krackers. They say he's a very calm, happy boy. He also REALLY likes to swing! I'm glad to know that things are going well there. It helps me make it through the day.

Kyle also had his 2-month check-up with the doctor. Here are his latest stats:
11 pounds
22 inches long
15 1/4 inch head circumference

Dr. MacFerran checked him out, and said he's doing really well. When Kyle was put on his stomach, he just held his head up and looked around. The doctor said that since he already has strong head control at 2 months, he's probably going to be an early roller.

Kyle also had to have 5 shots today and some oral something. If it wasn't bad enough to have to take 3 shots in one leg and 2 in the other, they also had to put PINK band-aids on the boo-boos! No wonder he's not happy!!!

Even though it was no fun getting the shots, Kyle only cried right when the needles went in. When Mom picked him up, he immediately stopped crying. The nurse even commented that he had a really quick recovery and that he took the shots like a champ. He also was a "good medicine taker" because he didn't stick out his tongue and spit out half of the oral stuff. He's just amazing!!!


Here he is, chillin' out and trying to relax and put his feet up after a long day!

Happy Boy

Kyle is 8 weeks old! He already has such a great personality. We just love when he smiles!!! Now with Kyle old enough to go to daycare, Mom had to go back to work this week. BOOOOO!!!!!! At least on Monday and Tuesday, Kyle got to spend the day with Dad. These pictures were taken while the 2 boys were hanging out. Knowing he is happy will hopefully help me deal with the sadness of having to leave him and go back to work. I made it through the day without crying about leaving him at the daycare, but lost it when I finally got to see him and pick him up at the end of the day. I missed my little man! At least I'm so busy with the school day that I hardly have time to breath, let alone get sad. That's a blessing.

I do have a good group of 5th graders this year. We've had a good week at school. Kyle is just at the top of my priority list, so it's hard to think about all the "stuff" that piles up at school. If it were all just about the kids and helping them and teaching them I wouldn't mind so much. Unfortunately, in addition to actually being a TEACHER, I have to endure crap like ridiculously long, after-school meetings where we're required to sign off that we watched some stupid presentation on more things teachers aren't ALLOWED to DO to infringe upon the "rights" of students. I swear to you that teachers are really one step above slaves. We get paid. That's about it.

I could go on, but I won't. Let's get back to that cute boy in the pictures. He's happy. He's smiling. He's healthy. Hopefully he'll stay that way even though he's now a latch-key kid. Sort of.

Game Day: A&M vs. Fresno State

Can the Aggies ever just win a football game without all the drama? What a nail biter!!! First, we were up 19 to nothing at half-time. We were feeling pretty good about the team, but you never know with the Aggies. In the second half, Fresno State tied it up!!!! After a thriller of a call that could have ended the game and triple overtime, our Noble Men of Kyle Field came out on top 47-45. As you can see from the above picture, Kyle doesn't take the stress of it all very well!

Maybe someday Kyle will have an Aggie ring just like Dad's! Gig 'em, Aggies!!!




Fathers and Sons Bonding:

We were able to watch the game with Bob, Katie, and Rex Heller. It was fun to get the kids together and get them in on the action. Here are some good pictures of the two Dads with their boys, hanging out for a College Football Saturday.

Stephen and Kyle

Bob and Rex

Here Baby Kyle and Baby Rex are hanging out in their game day attire. Maroon-out, all the way!!! They really didn't know what was going on half the time, but it's fun to think they enjoyed themselves as much as all of the adults.

A REAL Smile!

We were all sitting on the couch before Dad had to go to work. Mom and Dad were talking, Dad starting laughing, and Baby Kyle smiled the first REAL smile we had seen. It was so cute! Of course, Mom and Dad both started laughing, which caused him to smile more and more. We were able to catch only one good photo of it because Kyle stopped right as the camera came out..stubborn kid. But, how could we NOT love a face like that?

Labor Day Weekend

Gig 'em, Aggies!

What a great weekend! Many family and friends were able to be in town for Kyle's blessing and for the holiday. Kyle got to meet Aunt Gummies, Uncle Brandon, and Great-Uncle Tony for the first time. He also bonded again with Grandpa and Grandma Cooper, Uncles Bando and Hubba, Aunt Liz, Grandpa and Granna Boulter, Great Grama Sue, Great-Auntie Deb, Great-Uncle Mark, and Great-Aunt Terri.
All the Coopers flew into town on Thursday night. On Friday, we went to Furr's, played games, and Stephen made some of his signature pizza. Kyle had a bad night, so Mom and Dad and Aunt Liz were up about 4 1/2 hours. However, the next morning we all still piled over to Grandma Anne's for a breakfast of omelets, biscuits, sausage, cantaloupe, and juice. Thanks, Stephen and Bando! The boys watched College Football (the AGGIES WON,) and the girls went to the mall. Later, Grandpa and Granna Boulter flew into Lubbock, picked up the Fiat, and made the drive to Midland safely. Uncle Brandon's flight got to Midland an hour later. So, all the players were in town, and we were able to meet for a great dinner on Saturday night at Grama Sue's house.
Sunday was a fabulous day! Kyle's blessing was really special. (More to come on a later post.) Although Grandpa and Granna Boulter had to leave right after, it was amazing that they got to attend. They had to hit the road, with everyone praying they would not break down in the middle of New Mexico. (Our prayers were answered, as they made it home with only a minor break-down.) After church and throughout the day, we played more games, had some great family time with lots of laughs, and enjoyed everyone being here to celebrate Kyle's arrival.
All the Coopers had to leave on Monday morning, so we spent Labor Day with Uncle Brandon at the Solari's. Uncle Mark and Aunt Terri had us all over to their house for a BBQ-ping-pong challenge-pool party. Later, we made a Taco Villa run and hung out at our house so Kyle could have more bonding time with Uncle Brandon. Atlas also enjoyed having a new human to play with and tackle! What a great blessing that so many people were able to come to town and be involved in our joy. How grateful we are for family and friends and their love and support!

Polo t-shirts, anyone?

The Boulters didn't get to stay long, but it was worth all eleven hours and then some!

She must love him immensely to be THAT close to an Aggie pacifier. We know it's true because Aunt Gu NEVER passed up a chance to hold him. She also calmed him down with song.

A tiny high-five!

Uncle Brandon soon got over his fear of puncturing Kyle's soft spots and even learned how to swaddle him! (No attempt at changing a diaper, however.) Brandon said Kyle was "as cute as a button" even though he has some "sweet male-pattern baldness" and "a bit of a Mr. Burns look."

A Blessed Day

NOTES ON THE BLESSING OF
KYLE STEPHEN COOPER

Given by Stephen Scott Cooper II
Sunday, September 2, 2007
In Midland, Texas

(Stephen gave him the name: Kyle Stephen Cooper & then proceeded to give him a blessing)

Kyle, I will give you counsel to be a leader. Help those in need who come to you, seek out and help those searching for the Gospel truth.You will have many obstacles in life that Satan and his angels will try to put in your path. Remember to do what is right and you will overcome. Listen to the counsel of your father. Listen to your mother. Follow our good prophet’s words to serve a mission, honor your priesthood, get an education….be chaste, honor & love women. You are blessed to come to your father & mother who love you dearly and have waited for you and are grateful that you are finally here. You are blessed with a love that surrounds you from family members & friends, ward members, and from church leaders. Call upon family members. Listen to their counsel and they will help you. You have been blessed to be a healthy child. Trust in the Lord. Open your heart to Him. You have been born into a beautiful place to grow. You will grow to be a good, healthy young man. Counsel with the Lord, read your scriptures daily, pray, go to the temple often.

Key: Underlined words are Stephen's exact phrases
Other words are interpretation of Stephen's meaning to fill in the sentences.

Brother Sharp was conducting and mentioned that Kyle kept trying to grab the microphone, and that it was alright with him if he came right up and joined the bishopric. He also said that Kyle sure was a good baby, and even slept for 6 hours for his parents the night before. Melodee's mom sang "I Stand All Amazed," as her testimony. Kyle's dad spoke about how grateful he is for Kyle and for the love of his family and how he would not be where he is today without them. Kyle’s mom spoke about her testimony of the Savior and how she marvels that he would “rescue a soul so rebellious and proud” as hers, how she knows that it was by blessing her with goodly parents who knew how to teach her the truth when she was young so that she would not depart from it when she was older, that she knows our Heavenly Father knows us and answers our prayers, even though sometimes the answer is "not now" or "no." She is grateful that at the last minute He answered her prayers by prompting her to NOT go to Texas Tech, but to go to Texas A&M so she could meet Stephen and be where she is today. Grandpa Cooper spoke about the story of playing the game of who can find Sister Boulter in the Choir first and how she makes brownies and cookies to bribe the cameramen so she can be on camera more often, how he loves the Midland 3^rd ward and the good people of it, how special is was for him to be there and see his son give a blessing to his grandson and that he knows he is worthy to do so, how special it is to be a grandpa, how much he loves his children and their spouses and how grateful he is for his wife, who taught through example of the kind of manner of men he ought to be, and said that none of this would be possible without her. Grandma Cooper said how grateful she is for Kyle, how she remembers when Steve blessed Stephen. It’s been 30 years ago, but has flown by. She talked about how grateful she is for Mel’s family, for Grama Sue and Auntie Deb and what good people they are, that they’ve always been so nice and taken them into their home. She feel like she comes to church more in Midland than in Houston because they don’t like Houston. She spoke about her love of family and that she wants her children to know how much she loves their dad, that he’s always given her everything she’s ever wanted and taken care of her. Sister Sublett said some very sweet things about how grateful she was for righteous friends who have fasted and prayed and waited faithfully for Kyle to come into their lives. Sister Tague spoke of how our baptismal covenants ask us to comfort those that stand in need of comfort and mourn with those who mourn and how gratelful she is for all the love and prayers in her behalf and for her son Nicholas who would have surgery on his feet that week . Brother Flournoy mentioned that today was also the 38th anniversary of his baptism. Others who bore testimonies were Brother Lord and Brother Stark. Some of the major themes of the testimony meeting were the Savior, families, and what the gospel truth has done for members and their families, once they were converted to the truthfulness of it.

Those in the circle: Stephen, Stephen’s dad-Steve, Jordan, Chris, Melodee’s dad-Mike, Brandon, Bob Heller, John Sublett, and Brother Sharp

Others in attendance: Melodee, Stephen’s mom-Timee, Melodee’s mom-Dianna, Liz, Julia, Grama Sue, Auntie Deb, Uncle Mark, Aunt Terri, Katie and Rex Heller, Jae and Noble Sublett, and members of the Midland 3^rd Ward!