I don't know how it happened, but Cooper has this wacky idea in his head that he deserves presents every day.
Each time I pick him up from school he asks, "Do I get my present?" I tell him that presents are on birthdays and Christmas only. He starts wailing, "but I want a present!" Heck, I want daily presents, too! But that just ain't the way we live, child o' mine.
On Monday, we talked about earning presents. Since potty training is something we're working on, Coop and I made an agreement that if he uses the potty and not his diaper FIVE TIMES then he can get a present. He says he wants the Lou Zealand muppet figurine. He claims it's his favorite muppet. (Really? The flying fish act guy? Ok. Hey, whatever's clever, just as long as we're phasing out the Huggies.)
Cooper and I made this chart. He gets a star for each successful trip to the bowl. As you can see, he had a good morning.
This morning he asked, "Where's mommy's chart? Where's mommy and daddy's chart?"I told him that we got rid of our diapers long ago and so we don't need charts.
But then I thunk on it. Maybe we do need charts.
Here's Jakob's Wii Fitness chart. 20 workouts of 30 min. or more and he can purchase Wii Sports Resort. 
And here's my art chart. 20 projects COMPLETED and I get something fantastic that I want. I'm just not sure what that is yet. But I'm committed anyway.
Look! Because I completed these charts, I already have a star.
Progress Charts
Eastern Standard Time
I have been out west to Californ'.
But I miss the land where I was born.
I can't help it.
Dum-de-dum-de-dum-dum-da-dum-day
Oh, New England.
-Jonathan Richman & The Modern Lovers
No matter where I go, there I am. But when I'm in New England, I'm back at the beginning. All my childhood memories are set in Boston, Wareham, Bourne, and Falmouth. It's a place I wanted to run from, but it still has hold of my heart.*
Now Cooper is making his own East Coast memories. Mimi and Grampy took us out on their boat in New Hampshire. Coop and I took a dip in Bow Lake. Some would say it was cold, but I'll say it was, "brisk." I can't remember when I last swam in a lake. 
Each day was more New Englandier than the last. Deep fried seafood. Soft serve ice cream. A cruise along the Cape Cod Canal. 
And here's Coop's version of digging for clams:
My child has my husband's features. What did he get from momma? Boundless enthusiasm and volume, volume, VOLUME! The kid has excellent projection. 
Being the amazing grandparents that they are, Mimi and Grampy took us to The New England Aquarium. Ok, let's all sing-say it together, "I can walk like a penguin!"
The SMELL of the penguins brought me back to when I visited there as a child. My dad held me up so I could get a better look at the penguins jumping off the rocks and slipping into the water with playful grace. 
I heard more than one toddler say, "There's Dori! There's Crush the turtle!" (Oh, Disney/Pixar. You are gospel to anyone under 6.
Honestly, I was dreading the Pick-up Pond. Last time we tried this at Sea World, Cooper nearly murdered a starfish by launching it in the air while screaming, "Patrick!" (Oh, Nickelodeon. I kinda hate you.)
But Cooper listened when the aquarium staff kindly told him to place the urchin back in the water so it could live. Then he made her laugh by scrunching up his face and saying, "It's sooooo prickly!" 
The task of tracking a raucous 3 year old in a crowded, dark enclosure with many exhibits is not easy. But all the, "HOLD MY HAND! COME BACK HERE! PLEASE LISTEN TO ME! DON'T RUN AHEAD! STAY BY MOMMY, PLEASE! WAIT FOR ME! WAIT YOUR TURN!" is worth it.
I think my next art piece might have something to do with this last image.
Thanks to our families for an unforgettable summer vacation. We miss you. We started missing you before we left.
*pattern recognized, I assure you.
Makes Yer Heart Go Bang Bang
I like that the cymbal falls off and he keeps going. The show must go on.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY COOPER!!!!
Dear Cooper,
Today you are three years old. You woke me up this morning and talked all about how we're going to blow the candles out and have cake and pizza. I was weepy thinking that not too long ago you could not walk or speak. In the past year you have learned so much. You learned that life has many twists and turns.
You changed schools.
You made new friends.
You had your first trip to the hospital.
You rode a horse.
You started using the potty.
You can sing Elton John songs.
You play a mean drum.
You say 'please' and 'thank you' and 'excuse me.'
You love fruit and hate chocolate.
You love playing in your tent.
You love playing with your daddy.
You are so brave.
You impress me every day.
I love you more than there are words to say, Cooper.
Happy Birthday!
VICTORY DANCE!
I'm so busy at work, but I can feel your yearnings for some Coop.
This vid is older, but I like watching it. It reminds me to take pride in my accomplishments. I don't think I'm proud enough of me. The truth is, I'm not so awful and Cooper is proof of that.
Pneumonia Infection of the Left Lung
The first movie I remember seeing was E.T. I went to a drive in with my parents. I loved it. Except for the part where E.T. was sick and dying. Tears were rolling down my face. I felt red hot. My heart hurt. But (SPOILER!) E.T. gets better.
I hate sickness. I'm no good around it. Even when Jakob gets so much as a sniffle, I make some soup, pick up some drugs at Ralph's pharmacy and then run for cover. I have a hard time dealing. SERIOUS things like HOSPITALS and IV's and X-RAYS leave me feeling a sense of horror that I just can't describe to you right now. Hospitals are scary places and this impending "pandemic" has made them even more terrifying since I can't see ANYONE's mouth (patients, nurses, doctors are all wearing masks) and all I hear are children coughing, wheezing and crying in agony.
I am currently sitting in Room 533B at Los Angeles Children's Hospital. Cooper has been on a steady regimen of antibiotics to counteract the pneumonia infection. It has made breathing difficult for him.
We spent nearly 12 hours yesterday waiting in a "respiratory room" for a hospital bed to become available. Cooper was amazing. He was so brave and even chatty with the nurses...especially the cute blonde named Lindsay. He was sort of in love with her even though she gave him an "ouchie" when she put in the IV. He said, "Mommy gives me a Band-Aid and kisses and I feel better!" He was trying to tell her how to do her job. She tried to distract him by pointing to the Nemo stickers on the wall.
"Look, that's Nemo!"
"No!" Cooper replied, "That's Nemo's daddy, Marlin."
"Oh." She looked the sticker over. "You know, he's totally right. Nemo would have the gimpy fin. That is Nemo's dad! He's the first one to point that out!" (My gosh, he's soooo Jakob sometimes!) She immediately won him over by giving him a dinosaur sticker...triceratops, his fave!
His numbers are still struggling. Yesterday, he was at a blood oxygen level of 80...nope, that's not good. Today, he's hovering at 90 and 91. He's still asleep. Jakob's asleep. I...well, sleep wasn't coming to me last night. I'll sleep when his eyes and complexion look a little less, "Children of the Damned."
Thanks for all your well wishing. I'll keep you all updated as best I can.
New Fave Band:
Ladies and Geklefins...please enjoy the musical stylings of...
COOPER AND THE UNCLES!!!!
CLICK HERE to see Cooper and Uncle Sean rock the guitar
CLICK HERE to see Cooper go solo
Breakfast of Champions
Superman cup + Batman pajamas + Krispy Kreme donut = SUPER COOPER flying around the house for nearly half and hour
Fashion and Vegetables
This style is so versatile. It works for a 2 year old who digs Yo Gabba Gabba or a 22 year old enjoying their 5th year at Emerson and still living at the Little Building dorm...who also digs Yo Gabba Gabba. 
Those are the slippers that Jakob got for me to wear in the hospital when I was giving birth to Cooper. Simpsons fans will know that famous fish.
Cooper told me last night that he wanted to be a green bean. I was confused.
"You mean you want to eat green beans?"
"No, I want to BE a GREEN BEAN!"
Hey, we all have dreams.
Inspirational...Celebrational...MUPPETATIONAL!
The family that plays together, stays together. 
When our dear friends Josh and Kayla Cagan gave our family the incredible gift of designing our very own MUPPET WHATNOTS, well, we took it very seriously! 
Cooper's Whatnot arrived first. Coop went with a lounge singer dressed in a burgundy tux. SO CLASSY! We believe he picked this attire because it looks a lot like something The Great Gonzo might wear. In fact, he named this new friend 'Gonzo.' And because he already has a smaller stuffed animal of that other Gonzo, he calls this one 'THE BIG GONZO."
Jakob's Whatnot looks like a crazed economist. I feel like he should be yelling at me about our current feduciary crisis. The plaid suit, bald head and glasses made me laugh as soon as I saw him. 
My whatnot is a showgirl, actress, performer, fashionista, poet, artist, drunkard, tough cookie with a big heart...just like me! Cooper named her...her name is "Pretty."
Thanks, Cagans!
The Essence of Democracy
Hey, where the dilly have I been?
Well, today I've been called forth to serve Jury Duty at the Foltz Criminal Court Center in Downtown Los Angeles. A judge just walked us through orientation. She called us "the essence of democracy." I'm waiting in a humble and odorific assembly room for my name to be called. What a perfect time to blog.
There's a lot going on. I started a new job. I commute from Burbank to El Segundo every day. It's murder. Not "flock of crows" murder. More like 'suffocating' or 'drowning' murder. I take three highways (which feel more like parking lots) and it usually clocks in at around 90 minutes or more of me sitting in traffic.
As some of you know, I have a lot of anxiety when I drive. The freeways of this city make me tense. It's not fun. However, the show I'm currently working on is by far the most rewarding and emotionally draining television I've ever produced. I can't reveal too much about it, but keep an eye out for 'Obsessed' when it premiers on A & E this summer. You'll find my name in the credits under Assistant Story Producer.
Now, on to the real reason anyone visits this blog - COOPER! My next post will have more pix. Here's one from my friend Robert's blog:
My lil' Coop is growing up fast. His verbal skills are quite extraordinary. He now tells me about his day at school. He says he has a friend named Sam. I guess last week Sam hurt his lip and Cooper was concerned about him. Now he tells me that Sam's all better.
I love talking to my son. He's hilarious. In his best Fozzie Bear voice he shouts, "Ahhhh, I am so funny! You don't know funny. I'M FUNNY!"
He loves looking at himself in the mirror, especially when he's wearing a cape. He has Batman pajamas and a Superman shirt. Both have little capes on the shoulders attached with Velcro. (Hook and Loop Tape for those of you who work on craft shows. Tee hee.) He dances around and pretends to fly. It's so freakin' adorable.
COMING SOON: Cooper's new PUPPETS...Cooper sings with Daddy...More Cooper Fashion Trends and Cooper Cooks.
Check back for those delights.
FeBLUary
The month of February kicks me right in the balls.
A thousand pardons if you find that expression vulgar, but it's how I feel.
I can never think of what to do for Jakob's birthday. I wish we had more money so I could buy him LOST:THE GAME.
The good news is that Cooper has started his new daycare and they adore him. He had his first three days last week and they had nothing but glowing things to say about him. He went to the potty. He shared. They even commented on how advanced he is verbally. Teacher Stella explained to me that she has the children sit on the blue circle rug and wait to go outside until she calls their names one by one. Cooper piped up, "Could you please call my name. I want to go outside!" She said she was blown away. (Language delayed my butt!)
I was just so overjoyed to have a daycare professional say positive things about my kid. I got a little weepy when she talked about how great he was doing there. I think the other daycare experience filled me with a tremendous amount of shame.
Speaking of shame, I'm working out everyday, but I'm still gaining my weight back. Also, I haven't painted in weeks. Also, I still don't have a job. I really thought I'd be hired by now. I guess the tv news is right, things are the worse they've been in 34 years.
Meeting Mr. Claus
Things to remember for next year's trip to see Santa:
#1. Don't go on Christmas Eve day. In fact, avoid the Burbank Mall entirely on December 24th. T'was madness. Like being trapped in a Hieronymus Bosch painting, but with cheesy holiday decor.
#2. Have back up. We waited in line for over 90 minutes. It was just me and Cooper and as I scanned the long, long, long (one more) long line, I saw that it was mostly parent "A" holding a spot while parent "B" was off occupying their child. Good plan. Wish I'd thought of it.
#3. Have toys on hand. All I had for Cooper to play with during that painfully slow-going hour and a half was some spare change. He got 17 minutes of joyous play out of five quarters, three dimes and 2 nickles.
He did the best he could, but Cooper became agitated and cranky and grouchy, all at the same time! I nearly gave up at mid-line. I thought, "Next year is fine. He won't even remember this."
But then Santa stood up and waved to all of us in line. I heard Coop say with such clarity, "SANTA?!" He tried to get Santa's attention by yelling lines from the classic stop-motion animated version of 'Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer,' which had quickly become his fave holiday film.
Picture my kid yelling these lines at the top of his lungs at Santa's throne while other children are sitting on his lap and making memories:
"You have a SHINY NOSE?"
"You a MISFIT?"
"You a SNOWMAN!"
"You can't fire me, I QUIT!"
The last one made me laugh. The little dentist elf sings it with gusto and my child captures the feeling behind the line perfectly. Cooper deserved a chance to meet the big man in the red suit, so we hung in there. 
We finally got to the front of the line and Mr. Cooper could hardly speak. He didn't say a word to Santa. He became shy and quiet. Look at the little hands and the closed mouth. After all the freaking out and the screaming, I was shocked that he became so docile.
But then again, it is Santa. He is magic.
Pure Imagination
When I was a kid, I had a vivid imagination. Some folks even thought that I had an overactive imagination. Some folks think I still do. (BTW--That's fine by me.)
Whenever I pretended to be She-Ra, I'd fashion a tube top out of aluminum foil, wrap it around my torso and I was The Princess of Power.
And when I pretended to be Jem (the same costume as She-ra, just with matching foil skirt!) I was truly, truly, truly outrageous.
I would get lost in play and everything seemed colorful and fun. 
Now I watch my son act out Shakespearean tragedies with Gonzo and Zoe.
Better than any play I saw in college. This kid fully commits.
CHRISTMAS 2009...The Holly & The Jolly Of It All!
Holy Pop Tarts! I'm so far behind on the Coop Bloggy Blog.
After enduring the nuttiest November EVAH, I was looking forward to a Feliz Navidad. For those of you who don't know, Cooper was kicked out of daycare for unruly and aggressive behavior. (BABY'S FIRST EXPULSION!) 
Fortunate for Coop, Santa knew the whole debacle was bullspit.
Cooper loved the Christmas tree. He was very into the star. "Star on top of da TREEEEEE!" he'd sing.
I attached some paper snowflakes to the ceiling fan so that when it turned all the snowflake's shadows swirled around on the walls of my dining nook. Sure it was just a goofy paper craft, but it was a tad magical. The shadows slowly circled around and I heard a Danny Elfman score play in my brain. 
We had a pre-Christmas dinner with Uncle Sean since he was journeying east to spend the holidays with his main squeeze, Kate.
(I really wanted to use the term "main squeeze," just then.)
Kate got me the pricey shampoo that helps me wash away my low self-esteem. Sean got Coop an electronic drum kit and he's been playing it quite a bit. He's a wee Ringo...or maybe a wee John Bonham, or perhaps, god help us, Lars Ulrich.
We decorated cookies and set them out for Santa. Cooper actually met Santa this year at the mall. (More on that insanity in a future post. I just don't presently have the energy.)
Christmas morning started in front of the computer. Thanks to our new web cam, we were able to have Cooper open a few gifts as Mimi, Grampy and Uncle Jordan looked on from New Hampshire. Thanks computers! You're tops!
Coop loves puzzles and he got several for Christmas. He also got some percussion instruments, books, Fraggle Rock, Yo Gabba Gabba, a Spider Man clock, a keyboard and a NEW set of tools. (Mommy left the old tools on the road by the car and they were stolen. None of that matters now. Mommy can shed her guilt.)
Memere and Pepere joined us for holiday feasting and boy did we feast. Scallops and bacon, ham, pineapple stuffing, braciole, butternut squash soup, cheesy potatoes...I ate so much I felt like a big, bloated tick. 
Cooper refused to nap and since it was Christmas, I refused to make him. I drank nog and watched "It's a Wonderful Life." 
Christmas 2009 = success.
Class Photo
Is it just me, or does Coop look GIGANTIC? 
I've avoided writing about daycare thus far. After all, this blog is public and I want to be sensitive to everyone, most of all to Cooper.
Coop loves school. He adores his teachers. He lights up around the other children.
However, he has had some trouble adjusting. There have been reports of aggressive behavior, pushing, hitting and biting.
I always thought that two-year old boys were supposed to be tiny maniacs. First of all, they are TWO. Secondly, they are BOYS.
I never imagined that I would be in parent/teacher meetings that included words like "attention deficit" and "autism" and "Asperger's syndrome." Not so early in his little life, anyways.
No, I didn't arrange regular playdates for Cooper prior to entering school. Yes, we read together every night. Yes, I let him watch television--an hour of Sesame Street in the morning and 30-minutes of Muppet Show or Fraggle Rock before bed. No, he doesn't eat his vegetables.
And, no, I don't think there's anything wrong with him.
I've been told that I'm wearing love goggles.
I've been told that I'm too close to step back and see.
They do have more experience with children that I do.
My gut and my heart says he does not have a developmental disorder. I think I need to listen to my senses first and go with my instincts.
Isn't that parenting?