When we moved to Tujunga, we had a big wall that needed art. Jakob wanted to hang work I'd already completed. I begged him not to. I wanted to make something new. 
I started this painting in August. It took nearly 3 months, but I am done. At over 160" long, it covers the entire wall. 
The first panel features Cooper looking into the fish tank. I was going to add more color and detail to his hair and shirt, but there's something about the soft, almost out-of-focus quality of the image. I decided to leave it be. I don't make that choice often in my work. I usually futz with stuff until I futz it up.
The second panel is where I let things get nutty. There are Chicken Fish, fish with spectacles and mustaches, (kinda resembling R. Crumb) a stingray because one once jumped up at Cooper, and a Rock-A-Billy Fish. The Crossword Fish was a last minute idea for a fish that I just didn't have an idea for. It has grown to be one of my favorites. 
The third panel is the most busy and the most representative of Cooper. There's a Peanut Butter and Jelly Fish. There are Jack-O-Lantern Fish, Santa Claus Fish, Dog Fish, Dinosaur Fish and an octopus--all things he digs. Oh, and a sea anemone, 'cause that's where Nemo lives.
This painting is for Cooper. I'm sure it's too big and too loud and too crazy...but I suppose that's indicative of his mommy. I hope he likes it. 
I think he does.
Triptych
Devo's First Birthday!
Thank you so much to the Gantz Family and to Devo for being born! Way to go, kid! Here's some pictures from the celebration...
We've Only Just Begun
I apologize for the poor quality of these pics. I busted my digital camera when we were evacuated for the fires. (BTW--we didn't burn! In the words of Ice Cube, "I gotta say it was a good day.")
Anywhose, here's a sneak peek of the painting I've been working on:
No, those are not real fish. I made them up. I meant to do that. 
This here is a Joker Fish. The pink guy behind him is a Ziggy StarFish.
These are Hunter S. Thompson Fish. Yes, they ARE wearing fishing hats. This is the first of three panels. Each canvas is 54" X 42". I'll keep you updated on my progress.
And because there's no rest for the wicked, I started on Halloween, too! 
Cooper and I are going to decorate the front yard with characters from Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas. Here are the humble paper mache beginnings of Lock, Shock and Barrel.
And...(drum roll, please)...I did my hair, too!
My hair in curlers, my pearls around my neck and my sunglasses on the end of my nose. That's how I painted outside today.
I know I'm ridiculous. I'm ok with that.
Nine Times
Today, 9/9/09 is my 9th wedding anniversary.
Is something magical supposed to happen? Tonight after dinner, I'll try to convince Jakob to take hands with me and spin around nine times whilst chanting "number nine" aloud...nine times, of course. Perhaps we'll be transported to The Goblin Kingdom or turned into Vermicious Knids. 
I can't believe I've been able to hang on to Jakob for so long. I was pretty sure he'd bolt after the first six years, but it looks like he's in it to win it. He tolerates me so well. That's really a quality I admire in a man!
He'll even put up with me watching weepy women movies like The Hours over and over again. Thank you and Happy Anniversary, Jakob. I'll let Virginia Woolf put it better than I ever could...
"What I want to say is that I owe all the happiness of my life to you. You have been entirely patient with me and incredibly good...I don't think two people could have been happier than we have been."
Ooooo De Lolli!
Coop's good behavior at Dr. Arboleda's earned him a rainbow lollipop.
He was determined to eat the whole thing, but the lolli won.
Thank you, my son
Dear Cooper,
Daddy left for New York at the crack of dawn this morning. You woke up to kiss him goodbye. As he drove away, I expected you to demand your breakfast. Instead, you climbed into my bed and we slept for another two hours. I can't tell you how much I appreciate you letting me sleep until 8 o'clock.
I won't forget this.
Love,
Mom
Progress Charts
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.
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.