random little things about our recent days...

Need to buy more of these...

"Cars" Bandaids seem to turn a frown upside down almost any day! Funny how many boo boo's we're finding lately. ;)

Going for big adventures each day with our toys...

It's all about Buzz and Woody...
(ask Parker about our pizza and movie night downstairs complete with the Toy Story movie and he'll go on for hours repeating details that we should all know :)

Catching every last minute of fall weather that we can before winter hits us big...I'm holding my breath daily :)

Most important job right now...being a big brother
He takes the responsibility of getting Cooper his "nu nu" very seriously...and he's quite good at it

Amazed at how fast our littlest guy is growing...he is 4 weeks old today. Since he was one week old he has been trying to hold his head up. At two weeks, he was doing it for short intervals on his own. Every day, he's holding that head up more and more for minutes at a time. If we didn't have it captured on camera I might not believe it!! Slow down Cooper!!! You have plenty of time for big boy stuff!

I'm too pooped to do anything else right now other than sit here at the computer and jot down a quick post...one more feeding and I'm off to bed...after only getting 2 1/2 hours of sleep last night, I can't get there fast enough. Boo to the time change. ;)

What grandparents do...

"Nobody can do for little children what grandparents do. Grandparents sort of sprinkle stardust over the lives of little children."

Alex Haley

thank you to our family!!!

In less than 8 hours Nana and Poppie will be leaving MN; that means that all of our family will have departed. :( To say I'm sad, anxious and not ready for the "family time" to be over would be an understatement. Clay and I always look forward to having family come stay since we aren't lucky enough to live close to any of our relatives. We were so blessed to be able to have family come this time for an extended stay before and after Cooper was born.

Nana was able to come up prior to the delivery...thinking she would be here for a few days before the baby arrived "early." Those few days turned into a few weeks...what a blessing that was for us! The last 2 weeks before Cooper was born, I felt like I was on a physical roller coaster ride. One day I would be down on the floor playing with Parker, dusting, cleaning...like I had all the energy in the world and the next day I would be good for nothing and had to literally get help putting my socks and shoes on! ha ha! I remember the day before I was due with Cooper, I was down on the floor playing cars and building a highway system at 8am. Two days later and for pretty much the rest of that week before Cooper was born, I felt like I was doing good to roll (and I mean literally roll) out of the bed each morning (and the 5 times I'd get up to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night!)

My mom flew in a couple of days before Cooper was born and was able to stay with us a week. She watched Parker while we were at the hospital and helped manage the house over the next few days when we got home.

After she left, Nana flew back up to stay for awhile longer and last week Poppie flew in to meet his grandson.

I have not done a load of laundry in over 6 weeks. I have hardly cooked or done a thing in the kitchen over the last 6 weeks. Every day for the last 6 weeks I have had help with our sweet angel of a toddler who, as much as we love him so, wears us out with his daily activities. :) The help from our family has been indispensable and I truly don't know how we could have done it without them. It has helped make these last 3 weeks so much easier for recovery.

Poppie, thank you for taking time out of your super busy work schedule to visit us! I appreciate your help with the household projects (as always!). Thank you for my delicious and warm, homecooked Southern breakfasts these last several days. This morning I literally closed my eyes as I savored each bite...knowing that it might possibly be my last hot meal for awhile. ;)

Mama, we really appreciate you taking off time from school to come spend the week with us. I don't know how we would've made it without you. Parker had a blast with his Rassie at the park, at home playing games and reading books and just spending time with you!!!  You always think of the most fun things to keep your grandson entertained when mama and daddy aren't able to provide that time that he needs.

Nana, I'm not quite sure how you managed to put up with us (ahem... well, mostly I'm referring to me!) for all this time...but I love you so for it!!! Thank you for wanting to come spend this time with us and for working so hard to try and make my life as easy as possible these last 6 weeks! You have slaved over this household and us...I don't know how we could ever repay you. I am so glad you love spending time in "your office" :) and appreciate all the scrumptious meals you fixed for us over these last several weeks...thank you for thinking of our upcoming months and stocking our freezer!!! We loved our visiting time as well and can't wait for the next party!

We love each of ya'll so much and are looking forward to seeing everyone again soon! We understand that we are sooo spoiled and that we are also beyond blessed to have such a wonderful, supportive family who loves us so! Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.

P.S. Is it too late to beg you to stay?!

P.P.S. You can all start praying for me now... :)

around our house on Halloween...

Yesterday afternoon, around 4:30, our house turned into a pumpkin patch and all things Halloween! Carving jack o' lanterns, changing into costumes, watching an excited Peter Pan run from yard to yard squealing, "I Peter Pan!", placing out candy, making fun memories with Nana and Poppie, trick or treating, chowing down a quick McDonalds meal for supper, and chatting with neighbors out by a fire pit while watching hundreds of kids run through the neighborhood...this was our 2010 Halloween.

Parker, Poppie and Clay enjoyed carving fun faces into the pumpkins out on the deck. Parker and Cooper even had special "mini" pumpkins, which Parker was in charge of helping decorate before the carving started.
It was a chilly October day, so Cooper had to spend most of the day warm inside, but he ventured out for a few quick moments throughout the day.

Cooper's special jack o lantern that his big brother helped make for him.

....what Cooper did for most of Halloween...snooze... :) But doesn't he make the cutest little Halloween treat ever?!

Loved that all day Parker was telling everyone he was going to be Peter Pan for Halloween and that Baby Cooper was going to be a pumpkin....
Parker certainly picked up the trick or treating part quickly; after one house he was a little pro ringing those doorbells, flashing that cute grin and holding out his little treat pail. What made it even more fun was running around with his neighborhood friends, "little miss bumblebee" and "sweet candy corn." They all looked adorable :)

One of my favorite things this year was what some of our creative neighbors did with their jack o lanterns. The displays on front porches were breathtaking...wish I had some better pictures of these. Another favorite...Buzz and Linda, neighbors of ours, traditionally hand out hot chocolate to each of the trick or treaters. Then the nearby neighbors gather around another friend's firepit and sip hot chocolate as the trick or treaters pass by.

I am already looking forward to the festivities next year...hmmm, I'll have to get a little more creative with my own costume next Halloween. This year, I dressed as a "mom to newborn baby who was too busy feeding one child and dressing the other to fix her hair that day." I thought I played the part really well actually. :)

Happy Pumpkin Day!

"Pumpkin"

We bought a fat orange pumpkin,

The plumpest sort they sell.

We neatly scooped the inside out

And only left the shell.

We carved a funny funny-face

Of silly shape and size,

A pointy nose,

A jagged mouth and two enormous eyes.

We set it in a window

And we put a candle in,

Then lit it up

For all to see Our jack-o-lantern grin.

Author Unknown

a brother's love

Parker, this picture was taken less than 24 hours before your little brother was born. Throughout this whole pregnancy, you loved to pat and kiss my tummy and tell the baby "hi." Your daddy and I knew that you would be an amazing big brother...we can't wait for the upcoming days to watch you and Cooper grow and play together!

This was your expression when you saw your little brother for the first time...awe and wonderment. I LOVE that this special moment was captured!

You love giving him lots of hugs and kisses and often tell us that, "Baby Cooper needs a hug and a kiss." Then you tell us, "I wuv Baby Cooper. Baby Cooper wuvs me too."

Yes, he does love you Parker...very much.

You are so good and gentle with him. We love that you want to show him all of your toys and share your things with him. What a big helper you are too! You like to help give him his Nunu and his lovie and always want to make sure he has everything that he "needs."

The other day you came up to my not-so-big-tummy-anymore and said as you patted my stomach, "There's no more baby in mama's tummy." It's amazing to us how well you understand this whole transition. From the first day you saw Cooper, you were calm and yet excited to finally have a sibling. Most of the time, you are very patient and willing to wait when I have to tend to Cooper's needs immediately, even if it means putting off what I was doing with you for a few minutes. You are incredible, Parker.

Help your brother grow, learn and play, Parker. Though he might not be big enough now for soccer, baseball, cars and trucks...the day will come when playtime will last for hours between the two of you. Be patient with him and love him. Continue to give him lots of sweet hugs and kisses. Your daddy and I hope that this innocent and pure love that you have for Cooper now will continue and last between the two of you for the rest of your days.

Your daddy and I are so proud of you, Parker. We love you.

Love,

Mama and Daddy

Life with two precious boys...

Life is fun with our two precious boys.
Life is also busier with our two precious boys.

I didn't expect it to be any different than busier though...which is why I worked like a mad dog on projects, cleaning and organizing galore before sweet Cooper arrived. :)
I have about 16 blog post ideas scribbled on a piece of paper that I can't wait to share, but they will just have to wait a little longer. I am having too much fun being a "new mom to an infant" again and being entertained by our "so big" toddler. Though it may seem funny to some, I have felt huge satisfaction and accomplishment just in the little things such as showering and getting dressed every day (even if some days it is 3:00 in the afternoon before that gets done), putting away much of my maternity clothes to make more room in hubby's and my joint closet, staying on top of daily mail and simple to do's, having the house look and feel clean (which I have really had practically nothing to do with...my mom and mom-in-love have totally stepped up to the plate for this one...so thankful that Nana is able to still be here to continue with the help for a little bit longer!) and having at least a few quiet and simple moments with each of my boys individually every day...even if it's just to read a book together or to sing a few songs.

I am absolutely and totally in love with my life right now and am so thankful that God has blessed us with this new addition to our growing family.

I'll be back soon with lots of fun posts...Cooper's birth story, big brother moments, recent scrapbooking projects, and of course...more of our everyday moments...

But for now, here are a couple more pictures of our precious two.

Cooper at one week old

taken at home on Monday, Oct 18, 2010

Parker at 2 years and 9 months at the neighborhood park

Right now I'm...

...enjoying every minute with these three.

...and a picture of our newest cutie

It's a Boy!!!

Cooper Bennett Nolen

October 11, 2010

1:39 p.m.

8lbs, 8oz

 20.5 in

(One of Cooper's very first pictures taken by his daddy on his iphone in the delivery room)

One day old 

(Photo taken by his mom on Oct 12, 2010 during tummy time)

"I will praise you for I am fearfully and wonderfully made..."

Psalm 139:14

another colorful autumn day...at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum

Another colorful autumn day in Minnesota...On Friday, we headed out to the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum for one more outing before Baby Nolen arrives. I'm so glad we did; it was indeed relaxing and breathtaking. Groves of maple trees, cranapple trees, blue spruce and so many more...geese relaxing by the ponds, pumpkins and ghords adorning the frontal grounds...truly an amazing afternoon and experience. Parker enjoyed running through the "hedge maze" with his daddy and looking at the variety of wildlife that surrounded us.

"The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of His hands." Psalm 19:1

A family of three...for now   :)

Have a wonderfully blessed weekend!

almost time!

40 weeks

almost 41 weeks

To say that we are ready for Baby Nolen to arrive is an understatement. We have been keeping ourselves busy over here tackling more projects and to do's (although truly everything I wanted to have done is finished), going on relaxing Fall outings, chasing Parker, and talking the latest baby news (and repeating ourselves right and left with the same info from the day before! ha ha!).

I know that this precious baby will arrive when it is ready and when God (and partly the doctor if little babe doesn't come by Monday morning!!) decides exactly when that time is, but I have to say, this mama and daddy (and a pack of other family members and friends) can't wait to hold this little one in our arms yesterday!!!

I am so very thankful for the healthy and easy pregnancy that I've had once again. I am one of those who really does enjoy being pregnant and am grateful that the Lord has blessed our family once again with another sweet life. Now, let's bring on the birthing part...I can't wait to have another bundle in the household to love and care for! :)