The Charbonneau family, still struggling to cope with the loss of my Aunt Karen, has yet another reason to grieve.
My grandfather, my Pepere, died Tuesday of a heart attack. He was 82. 
Here is Pepere nearly 30 years ago at my Christening. He's the rather serious looking guy on the left side. This picture makes him look so stern. That's not how I think of him.
He was in the Navy. He was a cook. I know he made a custard pie for the actor Edward G. Robinson once. Mr. Robinson said it was top notch. Pepere was flattered.
He had a family of 11 kids. He drank. He smoked Pall Mall cigarettes. He had a huge voice that filled a room, no matter what size the room was. I get that from him. 
My Pepere lived with us for several years on Cape Cod. First, we all lived together at the Panorama Motor Lodge above the Bourne Rotary. This photo is from a New Years Eve celebration there. Don't I look festive? You can see my sis, Danielle, also rockin' the shiny party hat in the background.
Later we moved to Falmouth and Pepere lived in the apartment below our house at the Capewind Motor Lodge in Teaticket.
He used to play with our dog Izzy. He used to ask her over and over again, "Who's a good girl?" Izzy loved the attention.
He'd make amazing stuffed quahogs and clam chowder. (Pardon me, 'chowdah.')
We used to have large, weekend-long family reunions and we never stopped eating, talking, drinking or laughing. He looked forward to them.
In the 90's, he quit smoking and lost a ton of weight by walking every day. The transformation was remarkable. I admired him for it.
He was friendly. He talked to everybody. He got me my first job at a local bakery by telling the owner that I was a great kid. I was 14.
I use to buy him Old Spice and scratch tickets for his birthday.
For the holidays, he used to play Santa Claus. He really played the part, too. He had a real beard and an enormous laugh. Kids used to see him around town and think it was the real Santa.
He always said, "Hi Ho! Hi Ho! Here's Nicole!" Just like the song the 7 dwarfs sing in 'Snow White' as they head off to work. I think it was because I was always doing something, always working, always creating.
He said 'I love you' all the time. He was a wonderful grandfather. 
This is without a doubt my favorite photo of my Pepere. I am so fortunate that he got to meet Cooper before he left this earth. Cooper liked him right away.
I feel like I can still here him laughing. Heck, if anyone has a voice that's powerful enough to travel all the way down from heaven, it's Pepere.
I love you, Pepere. You may not have ever won the lottery, but you were rich with a wealth of friends and family and we will all miss you.
Raymond 'Pepere' Charbonneau
Welcome to Red Sox Nation (Offically)
Cooper went to his first baseball game on Sunday, June 24th.
We traveled down to Petco Park to watch the Boston Red Sox play the San Diego Padres.
It was a pitcher's duel. Beckett vs. Peavy.
Varitek tripled and homered. Lowell had a base hit to right to score Ortiz. Papelbon pitched a perfect ninth.
Giza and Carrie came with. The Sox beat the monks 4 to 2.
The Diego fans were very nice, even when we were winning. Petco Park is stunning. It's all state-of-the-art wachity schmakity doo, but also has character. It's a park, not a stadium, which I like. 
The Boston fans loved Coop. "You raisin' him right!" They kept saying.
White Height
Look at my child. At this rate, he's going to be taller than me by year's end!
He's 31". That's TALL! (95th percentile). Cooper, you get that from Daddy's family. Momma's family is a combo of short Irish legs (mcstubby limbs) and hairy Canadian legs. (bristly, eh?)
Cooper had an excellent day in the park today. He played with an 18 month old named Danielle and a 2 year old boy named Ray. At first, Cooper did not want to share. But playing in the sand fixed that. There was enough sand for everyone.He liked being with other kids. He's a social dude.
It's better than the other day in the park where Cooper kept falling down on the grass. I wondered what the deal was. I figured he was just having a bad balance day. Then I noticed that I put his shoes on the wrong feet. Ooops! Sorry, Coop. I think I need more sleep. How's about letting me snooze until 6:30am? That would be heaven. Thanx.
Cooper now eats scrambled eggs, hot dogs, fish, ravioli and (drum roll, please) mushrooms! Finally someone else in the family digs on mushrooms.
The piano is still the fave toy right now. He loves it.
His compositions are very 'Philip Glass.' He enjoys contemporary minimalism.
Goodbye, Aunt Karen
My Aunt Karen passed away last night after a long battle with cancer. She had been in a lot of pain recently. Her suffering is over now. I'm sad that she's gone.
This blog is usually loaded with pictures of my kid and my goofy musings, but today I'm just going to post a few things about my Aunt Karen.
She used to live down the street from us in Falmouth, MA.
She used to make me nachos with microwaveable cheese.
My mom never bought cheese dip, so this was exciting.
She'd let me watch cable tv.
She used to cut my hair.
She gave me my first perm.
I looked poodle-esque, but at the time (1988) it was rad.
She had a wonderful Boston accent (like most of my family) and said things like, 'Oh my gahhhd! No sah!"
She was hilarious.
She had a great laugh.
She had fun at the family reunions.
She'd drink, smoke and play cards.
She'd sing.
She had a beautiful singing voice.
My whole family is loud and when everyone would start yelling at family funtions (joyfully--not in anger. we're a happy, loud bunch) she'd turn to me with a smirk on her face and say, "Is it loud enough in here?"
When I was 10, I had a Halloween party for my birthday and she came as the wicked witch and her husband, my Uncle David, came as a nerd. Their costumes were perfect!
She did her whole face in green make-up with a big fake nose with warts and everything. I was impressed.
She was kind.
She had a good heart.
Goodbye, Aunt Karen. We'll miss you.
More Birthday Fun
Here are the Muppet Tablecloths and some more birthday photos. (Thanks, Auntie Edy!) Enjoy!
Happy 1st Birthday
Dear Cooper, 
Congrats on a year of life. How was it? In my opinion, it was stupendous.
Each day I look at you and think to myself, "How did I get so lucky?" I must have done something good somewhere in my wacky life to get a kid as sweet and smart as you.
Many of the folks who met you the day you were born came to your first birthday. You're loved by many people, Coop! 
The celebration was a Muppet-themed event. I made ordinary white tablecloths into Muppet tablecloths with some Crayola magic. We wore Muppet t-shirts. You had Rowlf on your shirt. You like his songs. This one seems to be your favorite:
"It's not where you start, it's where you finish,
It's not how you go, it's how you land.
A hundred to one shot, they call him a klutz,
Can outrun the fav'rite, all he needs is the guts.
Your final return will not diminish,
And you can be cream of the crop.
It's not where you start, it's where you finish,
And I'm gonna finish on top!"
Speaking of favorites, Aunt Karen and I made a Cookie Monster cake that came out pretty darn AWESOME if I do say so myself. 
You got your own little cake to destroy. 
And DESTROY is an understatement. You gleefully wrecked that whole cake until there was nothing but a few stubborn, mushy crumbs and stray frosting. Here's the bib following the aftermath:
You had so much cake smeared on you, that a bath was essential. But why take you away from the party? That's no fun. We brought the bath to you. We lacked a hose, so we filled your inflatable duckie with bottled water. 
Yes, my little prince, you bathed in the finest H20 that Arrowhead Spring has to offer. You were naked in a duck full of sugary cake water in a park surrounded by friends. That probably won't happen again until college.
The day was made even better with the arrival of Violet, a lady just 3 weeks younger than you. You were smitten. It was love at first gaa gaa goo. Fear not. I'm sure you two will meet again. 
You made out like a wee toddler pirate! Oh, the massive amounts of Fisher Price treasures and Sesame Street goodies. Daddy bought you a little piano and you haven't stopped pounding on it. You even use your feet on the keys! GOODNESS, GRACIOUS, GREAT BALLS OF FIRE! 
Look at you! You're such a tiny hipster with your old man hat and your 'Rushmore Bee Keeper' shirt.
After you finally came down off your sugar high and went to bed, your father and I stayed up talking about the day your were born and how far you've come. We laughed and we cried. You take our breath away. You are an incredible boy. We can't believe how cool you are. We love you so much. So, so much.
Happy Birthday, Cooper Kingsley White. Bravo on all your growing and learning. You done good.
-Mom
For more photos of Cooper's First Birthday, click here to visit Flickr.
Coop's Random Reference from a Mid-90's Mini-Series
Have you seen Cooper's Bill Fagerbakke impression?
"M-O-O-N. That spells moon."
It's pretty good, isn't it? You should see his 'Pacino.'
Swingin' and Swimmin'
Geez...I wish this kid would smile more, huh?
Cooper has several baby "rides" that he enjoys. He likes to sit in the laundry basket as Jakob carries it from room to room. We call that, "Boy in a Basket." Then, he likes to lay on a blanket while Jakob drags it and he slides around on the hardwood floors. Naturally, we call that "Boy On a Blanket." Since this is a bucket swing, this ride is referred to as "Boy in a Bucket (Swing)."
When I see him grin from ear to ear like this, my life is perfect. 
We attended a Cajun Festival in Simi Valley with Uncle Alex & Aunt Edy on Saturday. 
Coop kept trying to get chicks to show their boobs for beads. I told him that it was a family fair and he should get his mind out of the gutter. 
Sunday was a big, BIG first: first time in a pool! He loved it. He more than loved it, he went nuts! He splished AND splashed. He laughed the whole time.
Thanks GrAnnemarie and Pepere!
Today--a floatie with a canopy. Tomorrow--a surfboard.
Let Me Slip Into Something More Comfortable...
As you can see, Mr. Cooper Kingsley White is wearing the latest in toddler fashions...a blue doggie hooded robe/towel. 
This outfit is perfect for any occassion.
It's casual, yet can be dressed up with slipper socks.
The luxurious cotton/polyester terrycloth blend is, to quote Cooper, "YAAAAAAAAAAEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII!"
If he were any cuter, I don't think I could stand it.
Will Cooper be the type of man to wear a robe? Jakob doesn't wear a robe. He's a "towel-around-the-waist' kind of guy.
As an adult, wearing a robe on a daily basis might mean you are one of the following:
1.) a wrinkly, aged playboy (Hefner)
2.) a bowling, freeloading bum (Lebowski)
Or maybe a robe manufacturer. I'm sure they wear their own products.
Malibu Mommy Day
On Mother's Day, the whole fam went on an adventure. 
We braved the busy freeways and headed to Malibu Lagoon State Beach. It's one of those places that's so pretty that you wonder if it's real. 
The look of joy on Cooper's face when he started to play with sand was magnificent. 
His little hands threw the sand up in the air. His little face was beaming with facination. It was the definition of happiness. 
I like the concept of the Japanese movie 'After Life.' In the film, counselors help people who have passed away pick one memory. The recently deceased describe the memory and the counselors work with a crew to film it and screen it at week's end; eternity follows. 
This day would be my memory to take to eternity.
Best. Day. Ever. 
The Grizzly Bear
Once there was a grizzly bear
Who only wanted honey
He was an educated beast
Well read, well fed and funny.
Yet his aim to snag a tasty treat
Played him for the dummy
He sat upon the ground
Peering keenly at the hive
He knew that the venture
Would make him feel alive
And though his fear did overwhelm
His stomach he'd not deprive
He climbed up the tree trunk
With carelessness and speed
He was driven by a hunger
A dire, ravenous greed
But he kept falling to the ground
Another plan he'd need
He decided to strike the tree
Beating it with fierce might
Not thinking about the bee
Who'd come looking for a fight
His blows did shake and rock the hive
The angered bee took flight
As the bee was stinging him
The bear growled with agony
"You tried to take what wasn't yours,"
Said the aggravated bee
"And this is what occurs
When you choose to steal from me."
(In case you were wondering, the bee stung the bear in the bum.)
The end.
Firsts
The first time I saw you was on an ultrasound.
You were no bigger than an M & M.
Now, you are nearly a year old.
You got your first tooth.
You went on the bucket swing at the park for the first time.
You got your first stuffy nose. 
You said your first words.
You took your first steps.
You climbed stairs for the first time. 
You got your first nosebleed.
You ate your first "non-baby food" food (scrambled eggs).
You got your first pair of sneakers. 
And now, it's my first.
My first Mother's Day as a mom.
Knowing that there are so many "firsts" yet to come is the best Mother's Day Gift of all.
