Category Archives: Cooper

The Wiest’s Summer 2014

Posted by cwiest in Cooper, Crosby, Photo Sessions

Man, what an amazing summer this has been….yet so quick!

Cooper has been practicing riding his bike so much to try to be able to take off his training wheels. He wants to be so big. He loves his skateboard, but is not particularly always fond of the instruction portion. But he is getting better about feeling things and teaching himself. And I am cool with it, as long as he has his knee pads, elbow pads, helmet, and bubble wrap….just kidding….sort of.

Crosby is doing everything he can to be just like his big brother. But what he doesn’t know, is he is (at this point) tougher than his big brother…at least physically. On a daily basis Crosby takes a big digger that would make even me cry. He will pop back up, I will say “Are you OK?” and he says “Yep!”, and carries on. It is actually pretty crazy. Today we walked around the block and down to the park and back. On the way, he fell HARD 3 times…totally fine.

But, when it comes to something that may have hurt his feelings….watch out. He is so sensitive. And so sweet. Demanding. And giving.

We have spent time at the lake, at the cabin, with family, with friends, at home and away….so many good times!

I can’t believe another summer is nearing the end. My Cooper is 4 years and almost 4.5 months and Crosby is 2 years 2.5 months.  I cannot believe how quickly time has gone, how much they have changed…how much I have changed.

Cory and I will be celebrating our 2nd wedding Anniversary over Labor Day weekend. That seems like so long ago…like it has been forever, in such a great way. I cannot imagine my life without him. None of this would have existed. He is my soul mate, and the most amazing dad my little guys could have ever wished for.

We are all so truly blessed. Incredible families, a home, and each other.

Cooper’s first year of Preschool

Posted by cwiest in Cooper, First's, Milestones

He is SUCH an amazing kid! I could not be prouder about how well he has adjusted to being in the structure of school. Tons of new people, new kids, away from us all day…the list goes on.

The teachers glow about him. We are so lucky to have found such an amazing place for him at The Treehouse. They love him as if he is their own. They have provided him such great guidance, direction, knowledge, structure and kindness. There are days he says he doesn’t want to go to school. That kids are mean. That they call him “Stupid”. Some of my family might remember a hopefully long lost audio tape that we sent to Deb when she was in Africa over Christmas.  I was about 5 or 6 and when my part came, I spoke in a very whiny and sad voice (now I may understand where my boys get it) explaining how I didn’t like school because the kids called me “Stupid”.

Breaks my heart sometimes to think about all the things I will not be able to protect my boys from. Hurt, sadness, disappointment, heartache, physical pain, loss…just plain old life. And then I think back to that little me on the tape. I was little once. I have had the list of emotions above, more than once. And thank God. Not that I enjoy pain, but it is necessary. I could cite dozens of things in my life that needed to happen. Completely sucked at the time, and at times I thought they would never get better…but they did. Without all of these experiences, I would not be here. I would not be me. I would not have the relationships I have, the feelings I have about life and those things that are most important. I do not know who I would have even become. It was all more than necessary.

I watch Cooper walk into school each day that I get to drop him off. Sometimes he is hesitant and hangs by me. Sometimes in walks in ready to start the day, with no reassurance necessary. Sometimes he needs to have a few extra hugs. And most days he watches me leave from the window, waving and waiting for me to pretend to kiss the Mr Potato head statue in the garden. He is AMAZING! Brave, strong, and becoming more and more a little human. Oh how I love that little human he is becoming!

Cooper is 3!

Posted by cwiest in Cooper, Uncategorized

I can’t believe that I am even saying this already, but my little dude Cooper is 3!  How is it even possible that this has come this quickly? Although it seems like both Cooper and Crosby have been here forever, we just all fit together so perfectly, the last 3 years have flown by.  I can barely remember my life before having Cooper.  It is like it never really meant all that much….and in all honesty, it really didn’t.  I was a daughter, a friend, a coworker, but nothing on the planet compares to being a mom.

This year Cooper chose a super hero party…big shocker!  There is almost not a day that goes by where Cooper isn’t wearing some sort of costume (Superman, Spiderman, Green Lantern, Batman, Thor, and even his “Zap, Bang, Pow” t-shirt with red cape.)  We had a bunch of his friends (and ours) out to the Maple Maze with their kiddos to play on the climbing area and then had some pizza and cupcakes in the super hero decorated room.  It was so fun!  We had such a great group!  Family included: Gamma and Papa, Sheesha and Nana, Kelly, Brandon, Gabby and Tristan, Shaneon, Steve, Frederic and Franklin.  Friends included: The Gerbers, The Harrington’s, The Dayland’s, The Jakubov’s, AJ, and The Johnson’s.

The kids had such a blast and the parents had a few minutes (though brief) to catch up as well.  It is amazing how infrequent a good ol’ conversation between adults is when the kids are around.  Not complaining, just sayin’:-)  All the more reason to take time for date nights and time with friends and family.

Happy Halloween 2012!

Posted by cwiest in Cooper, Crosby, First's, Holidays, Uncategorized

We had so much fun this year!  The Joker, The Witch, Green Lantern and a Lawn Gnome.  Nice combo huh?

Bill and Angie Gerber came over with their kids Mason and Hayley.  Mason is almost a year older than Coop, and Hayley is just a few weeks younger than Crosby.  It was fun to be able to go around with them.  Just like last year, we all went over to the Johnson’s next door to fuel up and hang out before trick-or-treating.  Kim made homemade soup, bread, and mummy fingers (hotdogs wrapped in crescent rolls).  Gary was a big hit with Cooper when he came out as Spiderman.

Then we hit the streets!  Coop ran ahead with Gary and his kiddos and sprinted from house to house.  Crosby and I took a little more time to coordinate with Angie, Bill and the kids and got out just a few minutes behind them.  And they were gone…so excited!  We caught them as they were walking back.  Coop had slowed down quite a bit.  He was kind of like George when gets out in the field for the first time to hunt…he just runs around like crazy and doesn’t pay attention, then when he gets the wiggles out he puts his nose down and hunts.  Cooper did the same thing, he ran and ran, and then tired himself out.  When I caught up to him, he was walking, and at times even just standing and looking around.  When he got the wiggles out he finally looked around and saw all of the other kids, the decorations, the pumpkins and skeletons, and in particular the Batman and Buzz Lightyear kids that were walking close to him.  He needed to fully inspect their costumes and tell them all about all of the tools they had.  It was adorable!

Luckily it was close to 40 degrees outside, so Crosby was able to hang out in the front carrier as I took him around.  He didn’t make a peep.  I think he was soaking it all in as well.  I got stopped 3 times by people saying he was “SOOOO cute” and had a great costume.  He was completely yummy!

Cory hung back at the house to hand out candy and scare all of the little kids.  He had put all of the chocolate in one bowl and the fruit based candies in the other bowl and let the kids pick what they wanted.  He is so funny, there is always a system, and the “right way” to doing things….even handing out candy.  Man I love him!

Before The Day That Changed Our Lives

Posted by cwiest in Cooper, Mom and Dad

Meet our family.

Courtney, Cory, George and Shot . . . .
and a little baby bump starting to show.

Cory purchased a beautiful house in September.  He bought it before we found out about our soon-to-be present.
It is the perfect family home, in the perfect neighborhood for raising a child.

We have had a great time making it a home, together.

We had a photo session, I can’t believe I showed
my belly so willingly.  I guess it is because I enjoyed
being pregnant so much. . . . no need to suck in!