a year ago today

One year ago today James and I went nervously to our first ultrasound. We were a nervous wreck and the day seemed to drag on forever. 3:45 finally arrived and we met at my doctors office. We sat in the dark room and the nurse put the cold, sticky gel on my belly and immediately a little bean popped on the scream. James clutched my hand as we sat there waiting for a heartbeat. We waited for what seemed like an eternity until the nurse pressed a button and the room was flooded with the most beautiful sound I had ever heard. Our baby's heartbeat. I was immediately overtaken with emotions and the tears started sliding down my cheek. I couldn't believe it. After a bit of trouble, a tiny little baby was finally growing in my belly. James jumped up and kissed me and all we could do was smile. It was everything we had ever wanted. It was our baby! After we left we headed to Buffalo Wild Wings in true James and Malary fashion for wings and a beer for the Daddy-to-be. I excitedly took out the pictures and just stared at our little bean.
One year later, as I stare at that beautiful baby sleeping I am so overwhelmed with happiness and joy. Cooper has brought us closer than I could have ever imagined and a love like no other. This boy is such a blessing in our lives and I thank God every single day for choosing me as his mother.

our first Christmas as a family of 3

Christmas time around our house is busy, very busy. That is the way it has always been and we are totally fine with it. We decided a long time ago that we wanted to spend our holidays with our family and if that meant we went to five different places on Christmas then thats what we would do. So this year was no different, well except the fact that we toted around a fourth month old too!! It wasn't easy, but so worth it to see the joy that Cooper brought our families just made my heart so happy.

Cooper had lots of Christmas jammies and onesies but here are a few of our favorites

Gautreaux Family Christmas and Coopers first experience with Santa…. it didn't go so well!

 

We went to our usual spot to get our Christmas tree but this year had so much meaning. Bringing my child to the same place I went to get my Christmas tree as a child is just the best. I loved going there as a little girl and I hope he does too! 

Our tree was just as big but I did not put anywhere near the amount of stuff as I did last year! But we still loved it so much and already miss it!

This year we also went to Acadian Village. Every year they decorate the entire place with lights and it is absolutely magical. It is so beautiful to see it all lit up and this church is my favorite!! So beautiful! While we were there we got to see my little brother perform with his high school jazz band! They did great and it worked out to be Cooper's dinner time so he was quiet the entire time! Cooper also got to see Santa for the first time and could care less! We tried everything to get my normally smily boy to give us a grin and we got nothin! Ha!! Little stinker!

 

 We decided that since it was Cooper's first Christmas we would make presents for his grand-parents, great-grand parents, and his nanny. We thought it would be a piece of cake but the joke was on us! It was a mess!! Those cute little toes of his would crinkle up every time I was about to press it on the cup! We got smart the second time and James fed him while I pressed his feet on the cups! We ended up making 9 mugs total and it was a nightmare but to see how happy they all were to get them made it worth it!!

The Saturday before Christmas we went over to James' parents house for our Gautreaux/Gilbert Christmas. His mom (Cooper's Mimzy) went all out and had her house beautifully decorated and they cooked a delicious meal! One of the fun things we did was she got those popper things, but these had whistles in them for us to play songs! It was super cute and fun!! They even had these really stylish crowns for everyone to wear! ;)

Cooper's second visit with Santa went much better than the first one! He ate right before he took his picture so he was a happy baby when he got to Santa. The best part was that there was no line and it was FREE!! I couldn't believe I had spent money on the first no-smile picture and got this happy baby picture for free! We are hoping this Santa is comes back next year!!

One of Cooper's favorite people.. his Nanhan! She is my first cousin and we are three months apart. We grew up more like sisters than cousins and she has been such a big help since Cooper has arrived! Hannah, just like Cooper's nanny, is moving to New Orleans this summer and we are super bummed! But now we have two big ole reasons to go visit this summer!!    

Christmas morning was the best!! Cooper decided it would be a good day to sleep in but James and I were so excited we were up at 6 am just watching him sleep! When he finally woke up around 7 he was in the best mood! We figured he wouldn't care about opening presents Christmas morning but we were wrong! He loved it! He would get so excited when he could see what the present was! So cute!! We got to open our presents together and then he went down for his morning nap while James and I got ready for the busy day ahead. We had lunch in Baton Rouge at James' grandmothers, went visit my family when we got back and then finished the night at Maw-Maw's with the other side of my family. It was busy but great. Cooper did fantastic and got so much love, attention and lots of fun gifts!

little stinker wouldn't wake up

these are the kinds of faces he would make every time we would open a gift

our fur babies had fun too

The necklace James got me! He went out and did this all on his own and I was so impressed! He is the sweetest!!!

cooper (4 months old)

*** This post is approximately 2 weeks late!!***

But who is counting .. right?!

;)

Another month has come and gone and I can't believe it! Our little man is growing like a weed and learning new things every day. We have had a very eventful month that included 3 different illnesses, the holidays, and a two week break for mommy and Cooper to spend together.

4 months as of 12/27/13

Weight: 16 lbs 2 oz. We were actually really shocked by this! We both thought he weighed more! It sure feels like he does! ;) 

Height: 27 in.  

Sleeping: I thank God every single day for this boy's sleeping habits. I keep saying our next child will never sleep since we have been so blessed with a boy that could sleep all day and night long! He goes to bed at 7:30 (ish) every night and wakes up around 5-5:30 every morning. He takes 3-4 naps during the day depending on who he is with. At the sitters he sleeps for 3 hours straight so he only takes 2 naps but with me he doesn't get to sleep as long (this mama has errands to run and can't sit at home all day for this little stinker to sleep the day away) so he takes 3-4 shorter naps

Eating: He started rice cereal in his bottles about 3 weeks ago. He was up to 7 oz of formula and it just wasn't holding him up and he was also spitting up a lot so we started putting it in his bottles and he is doing so much better! He also started eating cereal with a spoon Christmas day! The first two days we tried he literally cried the entire time. It was a total fail and we thought we might have to stop and wait a few weeks but by the third day he was a pro (okay not even close to a pro but not screaming the entire time). He loves the spoon but isn't really sure what to do once it is in his mouth!

Firsts: Eating rice cereal with a spoon, first Christmas, first trip to Baton Rouge, first time getting sick (he got a little cold but didn't get the stomach virus or strep throat that I had, so weird but I am so thankful he didn't the really bad ones),  

Liking: mama and daddy, swing, bouncer, baby K'tan, activity mat, Sophie the teething giraffe, jumperoo, high chair, bed, Aden and Anais blankets, bath time, and he is finally starting to like the dogs! Since he was born he pretty much ignored them but lately he pets them and watches them as they walk around or play.

Disliking: still not a big fan of the car seat but it is much better than before! I can finally drive with two hands again! He is not a fan of the exercauser, we tried multiple times but he would be fine for about five minutes and then cry. We just got a jumperoo and he is loving it. I think it is easier for him to move around and jump. 

new mom @ 4 months

I am not the kind of person who has ever really cared about weight. I have never dieted, it is something I have just never really had to worry about. I have never been that skinny but in my opinion I am just normal. Well while I was pregnant I got really worried about my post-baby body. I was scared I would not be able to lose the baby weight. Luckily I had an 8 lb 11 oz baby and only gained 26 lbs during my pregnancy so I lost the baby weight within the first 4 weeks. After that I started thinking about what I weighed in high school (10 pounds less than my pre-baby weight) and decided I wanted to weigh that again. I still haven't really dieted, I just started eating smaller portions and I am now 2 pounds away from my high school weight. I really never thought it would mean that much, but it does.It feels great to start to feel a little better about my body. I know it will never be the same (thanks to even wider hips and stretch marks) but it is a start. Now I just need to do a little toning before summer!! 

new dad @ 4 months

For a while Cooper only wanted me. If he was uncontrollably screaming I was the only thing to calm him down but this last month he has been growing fonder of James. He has been wanting his Daddy all the time and it is making James so happy. When James gets home at night Cooper gets so excited and wants to sit with James and watch tv. The funniest thing is watching James feed Cooper with the spoon. James has very little experience with babies so feeding a baby was a foreign concept for James. All I can do is laugh watching those two as James tries to get the spoon in his mouth and not get cereal all over the baby and himself!

And as always an iPhone photo dump:

This is how his hair is falling out! He has actually lost more on the sides since!

first time eating with a spoon

This is how I grade papers… putting football on the iPad!