memories

the following is an email I wrote to friends and family when Cooper was just 3 months old...January 2007 - it's fun to look back!

Hello everyone!

We have made it to the 3 month mark, and all have survived! Coop is 14 weeks today, and is getting cuter and more fun as the days go by. He grins from ear to ear as soon as he sees his mom or dad (especially dad!), he smiles and gurgles at his toys, he only cries when he's really upset about something, and he's only getting up one time a night!! He's about 14 lbs, and is wearing 9 month clothes for the most part. He's taken a recent interest in 'black cat' and in Sadie -- focusing on them at every opportunity, and occasionally sticking his hand out to try to make contact. He now consistently grabs handfuls of my hair, and has recently started bringing random objects to his mouth -- I think it's about to get interesting! ;-)

I am working part time at the hotel - they offered me a training/systems position and I'm able to make my own hours. It was really an opportunity I couldn't pass up. I do not work with clients whatsoever, and never have to work evenings or weekends. It's the best of the hospitality industry! Mom still helps and keeps Coop on the days I'm working when Ray is working too, which usually turns out to be about 2 days a week.

Ray is still working at Ft. Benning - he's now the patrol supervisor. Yes, Ray's the boss -- I know it's a little scary to imagine! ;-) He has a great schedule - more days off after getting the new position, and we know well in advance when he'll be at work and at home. Cooper is looking more and more like Ray -- it's uncanny. I've heard he has my eyes, and that's it - other than that, he's his daddy! He looks like the same baby as Ray's baby pictures! Ray has started to add a little of his personal touch to some of the baby pictures we've been taking over the weeks - I think you'll be able to tell which ones were taken by me, and which were taken by him...

Life overall is much more calm around here - considerably fewer tears and frustrating days and nights. We're spending a lot of our time organizing this house after the 5 weeks of bed rest and 2 months of baby-mania. We're starting to see how much stuff babies collect, and are in the process of creating some storage so we'll be able to keep the chaos at bay. For the first time since October 24th, I can kinda see us actually doing this again someday!
Hope every one's new year is going well so far!

Keep in touch!

TL, Ray and Cooper

and just to compare... a picture from now: