A First Time For Everything

A few days ago, Cooper started making a fishy face while eating.



He sucks his cheeks in with all his might, enjoying every last little bit of Pineapple Glazed Ham. He delights in the fun kissy/slurpy noise that this action produces.



And then yesterday, it happened. On Tuesday, January 30th at 3:01 pm Pacific Standard Time, Cooper said his first word.

Most of you know that we had converted all our swear words to, "donkey,' for Coop's benefit. (This idea came from my dear friends The Tagues. "Donkey head," "Donkey face," "You Donkey," and "OH DONKEY!" all work well for what you actually want to scream.) Since we made that decision, we'd expected that this or perhaps, 'onkey' or 'dokey' might be Coop's first stab at language. I'm happy to report, it was not.

Care to guess what it was? Was it 'yum,' or 'eat' or 'poop' or 'loquacious'?????

Cooper went with a classic. I won't leave you in suspense any longer. He said Ma Ma.

My heart swelled, my face collapsed and I cried that real 'ugly cry.' You know the type of cry I speak of. There's so much emotion that your face just can't maintain its form.

I picked him up and through my tears yelled, "YAY! YES! I'M MA MA!"

He responded with a rapid fire of , "MAMA MA MA MA MA MA."

No song, poem, movie or book has ever moved me like that real life mommy moment.

Rawk the Fauxhawk



My son's hair is my new favorite toy.

He had been bald for the first 5 months of his life, so when hair finally arrived, I was thrilled! Now, it's growing out, up and all over his head. After his bath, I like to form it into a nice little spike.



His hair is not the only thing sticking out...a front TOOTH has started to peek through his bottom gums.

I have named this first tooth, "Chomper."

WOW. Hair. Teeth. Cherub cheeks. He's got it all.

(Accept eyebrows. When do you think those will arrive?)

DJ King Koopa MC

I tried to tell Cooper that a thug hoody with the words, "CAPE COD," imprinted on it does not make him "pimp kool."



He's started freestylin.' A lot of it is just BAAAA MAAAA GAAAA, but hey, it rhymes!



Look for Coop Doggy Dogg's soon to be released debut entitled, "Cooper Poop : Droppin' Turds in the Burbs," featuring hits like, Gotta Roll Wit Da Milk.

TPD (Toilet Paper Debutante)

When I was a little girl, I would spend a lot of time in my great grandmother's bathroom. No, not because I had bowel issues. My Nana Blanche had a bunch of cool stuff in her powder room. She had a sign that said, "Don't sit here all day, there' work to be done!" and another that read, "Having troubles? Tried prunes?" She had a seat in the shower, which I thought was neat. Sitting was fun. Showering was fun. Sitting while you showered...brilliant.



But my favorite thing in my Nana's loo was the pretty toilet paper debutante. It was a plastic fashion doll with a flamboyant hat. Her hand knit wool dress hid an extra roll of toilet paper beneath it. What an excellent way for the small dress to maintain a billowed look and to keep some extra TP on hand! I'm all for adorable decor that prevents you from being stranded on the crapper.



I decided to make a couple of these for friends as housewarming gifts. I punk rawk'd it a bit. Nana B's looked more like a 'Little House on the Prairie,' type, whereas mine seem less wholesome...just like me!

Happy Blogiversary


T'was one year ago that I started this blog. Since then...

*I took up yoga
*Jakob gave up beer
*I gained 67 pounds in pregnancy weight. THERE! I FRIGGIN' SAID IT!!!
*Our office/lounge became a nursery
*My hubby and best friend were makin' out all over the internet and tv (Broke Mac Mountain)
*Mighty McPilgrim threw a sketch shindig with Lizzy Cooperman, Overtime, Kenny & Chantal and TROOP!
*I made 15 paintings
*I gave birth to a happy, healthy and taller than average baby boy.
*My mom came to California and lived with me for a month
*I learned to knit
*The White fam came for a visit.
*Sean and Casey came for a visit.
*Jessica Trimble came for a visit. (We had many visitors.)
*Ryan and Jenny got married
*Jakob and I celebrated our 6-year wedding anniversary.
*Edy and Alex got engaged.
*Andrew starting acting in commercials, did a play and broke both his arms.
*I became addicted to shows like Lost, The Office, Weeds and Dexter.
*I lost my pregnancy weight. (YAY! I can wear my wedding ring again. No more looks of, "Oh-that-poor-single-mommy," from the old ladies as I push Cooper around the supermarket in his carriage.)
*McPilgrim's short films appeared at the world famous Hollywood Improv. (I was insulted by a hack comic!)
*Giza, Alex and Karen all turned 30. (Jakob's turn is coming up on Feb. 23rd. More on that later!)
*Coop had his first Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years
*I started transcendental meditation

I know that this year there will be even more luck, laughter and laughs to write about.

7 Months

I thought I'd post a couple of sketches I did of Cooper instead of photographs. Change is a good thing.



Dear Coop,

In 7 months I have watched you go from a little blob who could barely move or make noise, to a towering 27-inch dynamo! You are so close to crawling, it's not even funny. I mean it!! It's not funny!!! I have anxieties about you being a mobile monster. You already roll all over the place. I know once you figure the whole crawling thang out, you're going to be off like a rocket. I'll be chasing you all over the planet as you zoom toward new things that you want to pull at and put in your mouth. You have a fascination with glass, plastic and fire. Way to keep mommy on her toes, kid! You like hanging upside down, lunging forth with wild abandonment and pretending to fly. You are adventurous.



Even when you have a rough night of farting and crying, you still start the following morning with a smile. I don't know if it's the taste of the mushy banana rice cereal or Daddy making funny faces at you, but you start each day in a state of bliss. You've inspired me to do the same. No matter what woes yesterday held, today is new. To greet a new day with negativity is to waste it. And the biggest lesson you've taught me is that each day is a treasure.

I love you. Thanks so much for loving me.

-Mama

Merry Christmas, Cooper White!

Sorry there have been no updates for a while. I know the 12 people who visit this blog are accustomed to new posts every three days or thereabouts. Well, DEAL! Sometimes I get busy.

The holidays came fast and furious. We journeyed to New England to visit with our families. Cooper was a peach on the plane. Other parents with ornery, volumous kids were asking us if we'd like to trade.



First stop, NEW HAMPSHIRE! It was surprisingly warm. (Thanks, global warming!) We got to visit with Mimi, Grampa Scott, Uncle Scott and Uncle J.



Coop made out like a BANDIT. I know it's a cliché, but he really did enjoy the boxes just as much as the gifts they held.



We spent Christmas day at Gilbody Manor. There we met up with Uncle Sean and Casey. It was nice to spend time with Casey. My selfish hope is that Sean holds onto her so that I can have a partner in crime at family gatherings.



We took a lovely walk around Bow Lake Island to meet with neighbors and friends. We ate both lobster chowdah AND lobster pie. (You won't find those out in Californ-i-a.)



On our final evening, Mimi & Uncle J watched Coop so mommy could finally see the Borat movie. "VERY NIIICE!! HIIGH FIIVE!!!"



Next stop, MASSACHUSETTS! My father met Cooper for the first time and both of them cried. My dad was just so happy to finally hold his grandchild. Cooper was cranky from exhaustion and most likely had gas.




Cooper got to meet his Uncle Owen and Aunt Danielle.



They liked each other immediately. I think that's because they're all so smart.

One New Year's Day, there was a grand celebration. (Thanks sooooo much Sue Mastria. You rock!)



Both great grandfathers got to meet my little man. Coop was fascinated by Pepere's beard. I think it's the only bearded man besides Dad that he's come in contact with.



Cooper met another baby. My Aunt Peg & Uncle Mike have adopted a little baby girl named Ava. They looked at each other as if to say, "Yeah, they feed me. They change me. We sing songs and stuff. My life's been swell thus far. How about you?"



I also got to see my best friend from high school, Reina, her husband Eli and her mother Mary Gwynn. Mary and I got tattoos together! How many people do you know are close enough to their best friend's MOM to join forces and make a daytrip to Rhode Island to get inked. She knitted Cooper two amazing sweaters.



Cooper was so please to finally meet his extended family. As you can see from this picture, he was a bit worn out by the end of the day.



We even got to see the Poyant fam. It was a full, beautiful trip home.



Family. Grandparents. East Coast Chinese Food. It was hard to say goodbye.



Well, Coop, you experienced your first holiday season. From the looks of things, you had a smashing good time. It's only going to get better once Santa enters the picture.

You better watch out...you better not cry...

For more photos, click here to visit Flickr.