The Coats' Spot

Professional Pics of the Boys

2011-11-27T21:17:00.000-08:00

Here are some recent professional pictures of the boys taken this fall. Isaac is 3 years old, and Eli is 3 months old in these pictures.

Eli's First Haircut

2011-11-27T20:53:00.004-08:00

Well, it is time.....

Time to get rid of the mullet and side burns once and for all! Eli has more hair than any baby I have ever seen. Isaac had a lot of hair too (just not as thick). Adam and I decided that we were not going to do with Eli what we did with Isaac, and that is wait too long for the first haircut. Poor Isaac's hair was entirely too long in all his first Christmas pictures. So, Eli, now 4 1/2 months old, received his first haircut on Thanksgiving Day by his Daddy! (Daddy had a little help from Grampie and Grandmama). Daddy took off about an inch or slightly more around the ears and neck line. Eli's hair was so long that it would get hung in the velcro on his bib, and would even have tangles when I brushed it. Even though it's a little sad to cut his hair so early, it was definitely time!

BEFORE:

DURING:

AFTER:

Eli's 1st's Continued....

2011-09-07T09:09:00.001-07:00

Eli has been to several restaurants now. His first time at a fast-food restaurant was when Daddy and Mommy were bringing him home from the hospital. They went through the drive-thru at Steak N' Shake. Since then, he went on his first outing with Daddy, Mommy, and Brother to Olive Garden. Other places he's been is Chick Fila with Mommy and Isaac and Culvers with Grampie, Grandmama, Daddy, Mommy, and Isaac. Eli went on his first stroller ride, while Mommy walked for exercise in the neighborhood and big brother Isaac rode his tricycle. His first shopping outing was to Kroger to pick up some groceries with Mommy. Mimi fed him his first bottle while Daddy worked and Mommy was at a church conference. He has also had his first real smiles, shown in the pictures above. We are so blessed with our little fella, and can't wait to experience many more "firsts" with him!!!

Isaac- August 2011

2011-09-06T14:33:00.001-07:00

Isaac is getting so big! He really expresses himself very well! He has said a lot of funny things this month. His new favorite word is "cool." He says, "that's cool." When we are getting ready to go for a walk, and Isaac rides his tricycle, he says "we are ready to roll" or "let's roll." One morning when we were getting ready for his school, he told me "today is a good day." I am not real sure what was going through his mind or why that particular day was any better than the others in his mind, but I am also thankful for an optimistic attitude! Isaac gets really excited when we play with him. Some new phrases he has started saying quite frequently are "check it out," "watch what I can do," "I show you," and "I show you what I like the best." Not only has Isaac been able to express himself well in a positive way, but he also tells us when he is not so happy. He says things like "you make me sad," "I sad," and "I'm not happy" as he gives us that little pouty puppy dog face. Boy, he sure knows how to work it. When he is tired, he tells me "I'm going to take a break." I know if he voluntarily takes a "break" then he is really needing to rest. Finally, Isaac also makes it clear what he wants for lunch. He still loves peanut butter. Now he says "I want peanut butter on a spoon." He is so particular about his peanut butter! I am thankful he likes it, because otherwise, I feel like he might starve (not really, but it seems like it sometimes).

Isaac has had several accomplishments this month including dressing himself for the first time on 8/22/2011. He has been able to put on his shorts, socks, and shoes, but now is finally able to put on his own shirt (at times). He also bathed himself for the first time this month (8/23/11). He is able to brush his teeth and actually has an interest in this, but feel he is not quite ready to complete independence in this area. When he is really adamant about brushing his own teeth, I "check" his teeth afterwards. Another accomplishment of his this month is reading his first word besides his name. He read the word "hi." Isaac also drew his first recognizable picture this month (on 8/22/11). It was a whale and really looked like one. Finally, Isaac has started attending church services now. Instead of getting childcare during the service, he sits with us. For the most part, he does pretty well being quite and still (although he has his moments).

Isaac seems to like his new school (BGCA). He starts each day with three frogs on a log. Each time he disobeys, a frog gets removed from the log. So far, he has not had any frogs removed, and he is so excited to show me his frogs when I pick him up in the afternoons! He is so proud of himself, and so am I! Even though Isaac seems to like his school and teachers, I can't ever get him to tell me much about his day. From our conversations about school, he can't seem to recall any of his new little friends names or tell me much about what he did that day. When I ask him about lunch, he says he did not eat. Apparently, he skips lunch and holds out for the snacks. His teacher, Mrs Bradshaw, did tell me a funny story about Isaac. She said that Isaac always has interesting prayer requests. She said most kids request to pray for their parents, pets, toys, etc. Well, our little guy asked the teacher to pray for his garage door to go up. I am not sure why he thought this needed a special prayer because our garage door works just fine.

Isaac has had some fun times this month. He had a visit from his buddy Tay, went to his friend Dhavid's birthday party, and played many hours with his neighbor Caroline outside in the back yard. He loves riding his bike, playing with his train table, and being outside. He enjoys spying on the neighbors by peeping out the window. He also has a new interest in money. He likes getting coins to put in his bank. One day Grandad gave him a dollar, and he was disappointed because he wanted the penny (he likes the coins better). Oh, how quickly that will change!

We have started "Mommy school," and Isaac is very interested in this. We have what we call the "learning box" and work on learning letters and numbers. We write letter on a little marker board, and Isaac is so proud that he writes an "I." He likes to look for letters on everything, such as signs, clothing, etc to see if he recognizes them. He also likes to trace his foot. We try to learn things when we are in the car too. He has learned to recite John 3:16, which he learned while I drove him to school. While in the car, he also likes to tell me when to stop and when to go, depending on if the stoplight is red or green.

One of my favorite things Isaac started doing this month is whispering. His little face will light up and he will whisper things like "after I poopy I can get a starburst" as he nods his head up and down. Another thing that is precious to me is when he tries to tell about an event that happened in the past. No matter when the event happened, he always says "last two days ago..."

This has been such a big month for Isaac. He has had to adjust to changes at home and at his preschool. Overall I feel has done a pretty good job of adjusting. He finally seems to be getting used to Eli, his "Bubby," being around. It is my prayer that these two brothers love each other!

I am thankful that the Lord has blessed Isaac with health and the ability to learn. Isaac is so dear to me, and it is such a joy to be his mother!

Who's Who?...Do you see any similarities?

2011-09-06T14:32:00.002-07:00

Here are some similar pictures of the boys. Even though they have some differences, you can certainly tell they are brothers (or at least I think they do). Eli's pictures are first and Isaac's are below. See what you think!

Brotherly Love

2011-09-06T14:32:00.001-07:00

Many people have asked how Isaac is doing with the new baby around. Well, I can honestly say he has adjusted fairly well, and seems to be improving each week. It was a little difficult on him the first week or two, but he seems to love his "Bubby." As you can see in the pictures, he likes to show Eli how to do things. Sometimes if I am encouraging Eli to do something, such as hold his head up during tummy time, Isaac says "I can do that Mommy, watch me." Isaac will ask to hold him at times, but after a few seconds, he is finished. He says "I done." I have to watch because he will just let Eli's little head drop when he is finished holding him (like a toy he is done playing with). Isaac definitely needs assistance in holding his little Bro.

Isaac likes to be a big helper. He will go fetch diapers and burp cloths for me when needed. He will turn the music on for Eli when he's in the swing, bouncy seat, and on the play mat. When Eli is crying, Isaac says "he's so sad." Sometimes he is too big of a helper. For example, he may try to give Eli toys to play with in his crib. He does this by throwing hot wheels blindly into his crib. He will also help him by rocking his swing or car seat, and tends to do this a little to forcefully. It's a miracle Eli has not been really hurt. He tends to be a little too rough with him at times. He has only intentionally tried to hurt him a couple times (i.e. pulled his hair and bit his eye). One lesson Isaac will learn early is that he will not intentionally hurt his brother. We are trying to teach him to love his brother and to be gentle with him!

We are so thankful for both of our sweet boys, and look forward to watching them grow up together and be good buddies!!!

Eli 1 month old update (8/8/11- 9/8/11)

2011-09-06T14:31:00.001-07:00

Eli is such a pleasant baby! He seems fairly laid back and content, for the most part. He weighs 11 pounds 9 ounces and is 22 3/4 inches long. He eats/ nurses 8-9 times/day (about every 2.5-3 hours). He takes frequent naps between feedings. He is sleeping a little bit longer stretches at night (3.5-4.5 hours). He has done a very good job of getting on a good eating schedule. Eli has discovered that it helps him fall asleep if he sucks his thumb, knuckles, or index finger. He constantly wants his hand in his mouth. He sometimes takes a pacifier, but definitely prefers his thumb. Swinging also helps him go to sleep.

Eli is becoming much more alert. He really enjoys looking at people's faces, being outside, looking at lights and fans, grabbing and holding onto Mommy's hair, looking in mirrors, swinging, being walked and rocked, listening to music, and playing on his playmat and bouncy seat. He smiled for the first time this month, at 5 weeks of age! What a precious smile! I just love his little toothless grin! Having a child smile at me for the first time is such a wonderful feeling! Eli started social smiling consistently at 6 weeks old. His first smile for his Daddy was on 8/21/11. He is tracking objects/ people and batting at objects more now too! Eli also had his first bottle this month (given to him by Mimi).

This month Eli met some more new faces. He met some more extended family members, including baby Lucas Coats who was born this month. He has also met more of our church friends who have been bringing us meals. Eli has been a busy boy this month, going to several new places and getting out of the house more. He went on his first trip out of town. This was to Greenville for Carrie's baby shower and to visit grandparents. He also went to Dawson Springs to visit his other grandparents, Paris, TN for Chris's mom's memorial service, church, Olive Garden, Chick Fila, and Culver's. Eli travels fairly well; however, the trip to Paris, TN was a little far for him. On the way home, he was just crying, but as soon as he heard the music on the radio, the crying stopped. It was amazing. Eli seems to cry a lot too when we are shopping. Other than that, he mostly just cries right before he falls asleep.

Eli's biggest problem has been with spitting up after he eats, and it seems to be getting worse. He spits up massive volumes, so we hope this improves soon. Eli also got cradle's cap this month; although, it went away after one use of Neutragena T-gel shampoo. It amazes me and the rest of the world who sees him that he has so much hair. It's really unbelievable. He has not lost any hair. It is so cute because it actually has a little curl to it when it's wet.

I love the sweet sounds Eli makes. He makes a sweet "awwhh" sound after he sneezes. He is cooing a lot. He also still grunts frequently due to gas. He has started making a pouty face/ lip before he cries.

We love Eli so much, and are thankful the Lord has entrusted him to us to grow and raise! I just want to snuggle him, squeeze him, and hold him forever! He is so precious to me! What a blessing!

Daddy, Wow, I'm a big kid now! (Isaac)

2011-09-06T14:30:00.000-07:00

This is Isaac growing gradually into his Daddy's shirt, at 1 year old, 2 years old, and 3 years old. It's bittersweet seeing how he's grown in 3 years.

School Days (Isaac)

2011-09-06T14:29:00.002-07:00

Here is Isaac after his first day at his new preschool with his Toy Story backpack. I was a little apprehensive about his transition to a new school, but he has adjusted very well! Fortunately, his assistant teacher is one he had at his previous school, and this has seemed to help him. So far, he has had all three frogs on his log (which is the school's way of monitoring behavior) every day! Each week, his class focuses on a certain number, letter, and Bible story. Each month they learn a new shape and color. Isaac seems to really like his teachers. His lead teacher told me the other day that she was taking prayer requests, and Isaac wanted them to pray for his garage door. We have not been having any problems with our garage door, so I'm not real sure where he got that, but the teacher seemed to appreciate having a unique prayer request. His assistant teacher told me that he does not always take his nap, but he will lay there quietly the entire time. I will ask Isaac what he had for lunch, and he says he didn't eat because it was yucky. Who knows when this boy will start eating lunch better. At the end of the day when I ask him what he did, he replies "I shared." I still haven't gotten a good answer when I inquire about his new friends and classmates. He never really talks about anyone specific in his class. I am just so thankful he is adjusting well, and hope he can find some good buddies in his class (because I know he will miss Tay and Dhavid).

Eli 1st Month continued (more pics)

2011-09-06T14:29:00.001-07:00

Isaac's 1st Masterpiece

2011-09-06T14:20:00.000-07:00

Isaac has drawn many pictures over the past year, but these drawings are mostly compiled of a bunch of scribbles and shapes. This is his first actual recognizable drawing. After he drew this picture, (having an idea of what I thought it was) I asked him what it was, and he replied "a whale." I think he did a very good job for a 3 year old! (but I'm not a biased Momma or anything).

Eli's visitors (at hospital and at home)

2011-07-27T10:11:00.001-07:00

Eli has had many visitors, both at the hospital and at home. Friends and family have brought him and Isaac gifts, prepared meals for our family, or just stopped by the house to visit. The most common comments people make about Eli is that he is precious and that they love all his hair. The majority of people seem to think Eli looks most like his Daddy. Everyone also seems surprised that that does not look that much like Isaac. I guess it is difficult to imagine us having a baby that looks different than Isaac, with the same parents. I had a difficult time picturing what Eli would look like too. All I could imagine was a head full of dark hair, and that he has! I am so thankful Eli is here, that he has a name, and we now know what he looks like. Most of all, we are thankful he is healthy!

We especially want to thank the grandparents for all their help during this time of transition. We appreciate everyone's prayers and support during this special time in our lives, and are so thankful for each of you!

Big Brother Isaac

2011-07-22T08:19:00.003-07:00

Isaac Bopper is 3 years old now! Wow, I just cannot believe how quickly time flies! He is such a blessing to us! He is a sharp little fella, and picks up on everything we say and do. I can just talk to him almost like he's all grown up. I have to often remind myself that he is a child and to expect him to have some childish ways. He is always asking us "why?". He really wants to understand things. Sometimes he will ask "Ere/Ooh is that/this thing?" meaning "What is that/this thing?" He is like a sponge, and absorbs everything I say (well, at least the things he wants to absorb). For instance, one morning I was trying to pull up something on the I-pad, and it was taking a few seconds. Isaac commented, "it has to download." I mean, what 3 year -old knows what downloading means, but he heard his Daddy say it.

Isaac has had lots of fun events this month! He got to celebrate his birthday and welcome his baby brother into this world! He had the opportunity to attend VBS (vacation Bible school) at church. I think it was good from him to go to VBS. It was right after Eli was brought home, and gave Isaac a chance to get out of the house and be around other kids! He also stayed with Grampie and Grandmama for a weekend, and went to his cousin Christopher's swim party. He had a great time! Isaac has also benefited from all the visitors who have come to see the new baby. Many of them have brought Isaac a gift too, and have given him extra attention (which he loves). Even though it's been nice having people give Isaac special attention; he tends to become rowdy and disobedient (as he craves even more attention). He has been pretty whiny lately. Overall, though, Isaac has done very well with the transition from being the only child to the big brother. He often likes to look at my scar. This seems to help him understand why I am unable to lift him or drive. One day he touched my belly and asked if there was another baby in there. That sure makes one feel good! Funny how kids speak their minds and the truth!

Isaac loves to stay busy! He is constantly on the move. He is starting to us his imagination more to come up with new games and activities. Isaac has loved playing with the new toys he got for his birthday. He got a new rug that has a city on it. Isaac spends lots of time driving his Hot Wheels on his rug, which he refers to as "Scottsville Road." On his actual birthday, Isaac got his birthday gift from Daddy and Mommy. It was a train table, and he loves it too! He and Daddy put it together. Isaac got out his tools and helped Daddy assemble it. Isaac asks every visitor who comes into the house if they want to come to his room. It is really sweet! Isaac enjoys his room, but wants company while he's in there. Not only does he use his imagination with his car rug and train table, but he also likes to pretend that he is going to the grocery store or a restaurant. He always says "what do you want Mommy, chicken?" He hands me the pretend chicken and says 'here you go." He has started pretending too that he has a gun (not sure where he learned this). He goes around the house using random toys and says "peel, peel" which is his gun firing sound. One of Isaac's favorite pastimes is spying on the neighbors. He is very curious what is going on at Caroline's house or Stephanie and Billie's house. He loves watching the neighbors from the window.

Isaac really likes learning new things. We have recently started playing with the "learning box." This is a box full of learning activities (such as the "Your Baby Can Read" materials). Since I have been making a big deal about the learning box, he has seemed more interested in learning his letters. We are particularly focusing on writing his name, learning numbers, and recognizing lowercase letters. He is starting to understand that there are both uppercase and lowercase letters. Isaac likes to pretend he is reading. He will hold up a book he knows, and recite the storyline. He says "Mommy, I reading." I am thankful he enjoys books, and hope this is something that brings him joy all his life!

Isaac has lots of interests! Of course, he loves playing outside. He and Daddy have played with the slip-n-slide and sprinkler some. Isaac has also made some progress with his swimming. He will jump in without floaties on, and kick his legs and move his arms with only a little assistance. He is no longer scared to put his face in the water! Isaac always wants to play what he calls "catch n' catch" which is pitch n' catch. He throws a ball very well for his age, but has trouble catching it. Isaac loves riding his bike, especially with his Daddy! Sometimes Adam will ride his bike and pull Isaac in the bike trailer, which the little guy also likes! Since Eli has needed much of Mommy's attention, Daddy and Isaac have really bonded more and he has been clingy to Daddy. Isaac has helped Daddy wash the car and change the oil. Since Mommy had a C-section and can't do much right now, Isaac and Mommy have bonded with the learning box, painting, doing water colors, and playing with bubbles. Isaac has also enjoys to help cook. Isaac just likes to have fun! He enjoys dancing and has recently discovered that he likes to make silly and scary faces when being photographed.

The grandparents have been at our house more lately, helping out (especially with Isaac since Mommy is not allowed to lift him). Isaac has loved every minute of it! He really likes the attention he gets from his grandparents, and loves them very much! Grandmama and Mimi have spent lots of time with Isaac during this transitional time in our life and we are thankful for them!

Isaac wants to be independent in some ways. He is always telling me "I can do it all by myself." With dressing, he can put on his socks and shoes by himself, but needs some assistance with his shorts and shirt. Isaac is also doing a really good job of pooping in the potty now. Starburst seem to work really well in motivating him to poop on the potty. He always requests an orange Starburst, and is so happy with his reward! However, he did have one incident this month where he peed in his pants on purpose for attention. Isaac was not napping as well at the beginning of the month. I am not sure if it's because of all the commotion in our house, but he had a difficult time settling down for a nap. However, now he is doing better with naps. He likes to talk about what he will do after he wakes up. He says "after I wake up we can.....(and names off a ton of stuff he wants to do)". He has started helping to clean up better. We have been singing the clean-up song which seems to help. We have been working on doing things "without delay" meaning doing tasks right when Mommy and Daddy tell him too. We are trying to teach him the importance of obedience and doing what is asked of him immediately. When Isaac does not do what is asked of him, and he is disciplined by Mommy, he says "I sad, I want my Daddy." The reverse happens when he is disciplined by Daddy (he then wants Mommy).

Despite all the fun things and events that occurred this month, Isaac did have a viral infection this month. He never seems to have more than a low grade fever. However, this time his temperature was 104 degrees. The doctor instructed us to take ibuprofen and it went away on its own. We were just thankful Isaac recovered quickly and that Eli did not get whatever Isaac had, since he is so new to the world.

Ever since the 4th of July, Isaac has been scared at night, especially when going to bed. He was first scared of the fireworks at Grampie's house on the 4th. Then when Eli was born, Grandad and Mimi stayed with him at our house. They said that fireworks were shot off every night and they were really close to our street. Ever since then, Isaac has been scared to go to sleep. After our night time routine of reading books, singing songs, and saying our prayer, he always says "will you sleep with me for a second." He has been sleeping with the covers over his head. I have to go in his room after he falls asleep and remove the covers from his head, and he is just soaking wet with sweat. Another thing Isaac is scared of is hand dryers in public bathrooms. He always ask me not to use them. If I have to use them, he covers his ears and often cries. He has even started asking me to shut the bathroom door at home when I am blow drying my hair. I am not sure if his ears are sensitive to loud sounds or if it is just scary to him.

Isaac continues to be a picky eater. I wish he would like fruits and vegetables. Isaac's new favorite food seems to be waffles. He loves them, and requests them every morning. When he does not request waffles, he asks for me to save the sprinkle poptarts for him. He enjoys praying before his meals. When he is finished eating, he says "I done." Isaac is especially curious when Eli is eating. He is trying to get used to the whole nursing a baby idea. He will make comments like "Mommy, Eli's eating you" or "He's eating your motes." It cracks me up, but Isaac calls breasts "motes." I do not correct him because that way if he brings it up in front of other people, they will not know what he is talking about. He likes to kiss Eli, which is very sweet. However, he especially likes to try to kiss Eli while he is nursing which drives me crazy. I guess it is just curious about everything.

My absolute favorite thing about Isaac this month is that he tells us frequently he loves us! Those are the best words to hear come out of my son's mouth. I love him so much, and am so thankful for him. It is so precious to me to hear Isaac tell me, Daddy, Eli, and grandparents that he loves them, because I know he means it now! Can't wait to see what this year has in store for us!

Eli's 1st's

2011-07-22T08:19:00.001-07:00

Since Eli is so new in this world, he experiences many "firsts" every day. Eli's trip was to Dr. Fraser's office for his weight check when he was 5 days old. Eli did not seem to mind the car ride or being weighed at the doctor's office. He was accompanied by Mommy, Mimi, and big brother Isaac. We made two other trips to the doctor the next week (one for Isaac and one for Eli). Eli's first trip out, not including trips to the doctor's office, was with Mommy, Grandmama, and Isaac when he was 2 weeks old. He sat in the car while Mommy ran into Kohl's, then we all went and sat on a picnic table and enjoyed some ice cream at Bruster's (well Eli sat out with us, while we ate the ice cream). I have to admit, it was nice getting out of the house for a short while and actually being outside. It has just been too hot to get out of the house much lately!

Eli's first trip with Daddy and Mommy was to church was when he was 2 weeks and 2 days old. He slept the majority of the time during the service. He did let out one loud cry, but instantly went back to sleep once I gave him his pacifier. Overall, he did very well! (Unfortunately we did not get a picture of our first trip to church as a family. We had a difficult time getting ready and out the door before lunch, then had hungry and sleepy boys after church. However, we did gets pics of Eli with Mommy and Eli with Daddy).

Eli's first bath at home occurred when he was 5 days old (which was technically his second bath since he had one at the hospital). We were instructed by the nurses at the hospital to bath him every 2-3 days, but because of new, dry skin, I decided to wait a few days. Mimi helped me with his first bath. Eli was not very excited about the bath...especially being without clothes. Who can blame him though? The little fella is bundled and fully dressed at all times, so being cold when you are new to the world, cannot be all that much fun. He basically cried the entire time while getting bathed, then calmed down once he was all wrapped up in his hooded towel! Since then, Eli has seemed to like his baths much better. He likes to just look out the window above the kitchen sink. He did not fuss at all even during his second bath at home, so we are making progress!

Even though I cannot technically count this as a "first," he has smiled several times over the past 2 weeks. However, I know that he is really too young for baby's to actually smile because they are happy or like something. Therefore, his little smurky, half smiles must be due to gas. I cannot wait until I witness that first true smile. It does not get much better than seeing your sweet little baby smile at you for the first time!

Eli's first book was read to him at the hospital when he was one day old by his cousin (honorary Aunt) Amy. She read him a book called God Always Cares. Hopefully that will be the start of many, many books he will have read to him!

Just at a few days old, we noticed that Eli is able to lift his head. He is not able to maintain head control without support, but he is able to lift it. He appears to be a strong little guy. His daddy has noticed and commented on how his hands and forearms look like they will be very strong. His Grandmama has noticed how tight his abdominal muscles get when he grunts. At a week old, he even rolled from his back to his left side. This occurred several times, all when he was uncomfortable from gas. During tummy time, he is able to lift his head and sometimes will raise himself up on his elbow. When he was 3 weeks old during tummy time, he rolled from his belly to his right side. He is a strong little fella!

Well, we are excited to experience our little fellas others "firsts!" We love him so much!!!

Welcome Home Baby Eli

2011-07-21T21:01:00.000-07:00

I just want to take a moment to reflect on how amazing God is, and what a miracle it is to witness the pregnancy and birth of a child! It is unbelievable how God orchestrates the whole process. How amazing is it to hear a heart beating inside of you, when the baby is the size of a peanut? How amazing is it that the baby's body develops just right...spine, organs, facial features, etc, all formed from tiny cells and in the right places in the body? Just feeling a baby moving inside me, knowing that he is made by God, and watching my belly grow as the baby grows, makes me realize how I have no control over the situation. Babies are such miracles and we are so blessed and fortunate to have our sweet and healthy Eli!

We are so excited to say that we are home with our new little boy! When Eli was 3 days old, we were discharged from the hospital (born on a Friday, discharged on Sunday). His weight had dropped from 7 pounds 10.5 ounces at birth to 7 pounds 3.6 ounces at discharge (which is normal). He eats very well, so I am not too worried about his weight. When he went to the pediatrician's office when he was 5 days old, his weight was back up to 7 pounds 12 ounces. Then at 10 days old, he was 21 inches long (50th percentile), weighed 8 pounds 6.5 ounces (50th percentile), and had a head circumference of 36 cm (25th percentile). He got a great report, and seems to be doing very well! Not only does he eat well, but he poops well. He has a very steady cycle, like babies should, of sleeping, eating every 2.5-3 hours, and pooping.

Before Eli was born, it was hard for me to imagine what he would look like. However, I did picture having a baby with lots of dark hair. At this point, I think it is difficult to determine who Eli looks most like. Even though I think he probably looks most like his Daddy, he just looks like Eli! He is so beautiful to me! I just love admiring him and looking at all his little features! He has a ton of dark hair, that is so soft to the touch. This seems to be his claim to fame so far! Everyone, and I mean everyone who sees him, comments on how much hair he has. Isaac had a lot too, that was longer, but Eli's hair is thicker. Not only does he have lots of hair on his head, but he has quite a bit of hair on his legs and above his bottom on his lower back. His eyebrows and eyelashes are really light brown. It is hard to tell what color his eyes are right now. Daddy says they are "slate gray," but it looks like they might turn brown. Time will tell I guess. I think it is precious that he has a little dimple on his right cheek that I notice sometimes. He has thin lower legs and cute little, thin feet that are the softest things you could ever touch. His hands are wide and strong. I love how little babies grab your finger and hold on tightly!

When Eli was first born, he had his hands in his mouth or around his face. He scratches himself a lot, so we had to keep little mittens on him until I got the courage to trim his fingernails (which I was not suppose to do so soon). I only made two fingers bleed a little, so I guess I did pretty good. Eli was a good sport about it! His Daddy said he was not a big fan of having Eli wear mittens because he thinks it is bad for his dexterity. Eli likes to have his arms free so he can move them around. As much as he likes putting his hands around his face and mouth, I thought he would love the pacifier. He likes it at times (and sometimes even holds it in his mouth with his finger), but definitely spits it out when he does not want it any longer.

Eli overall seems to be a very good baby, and just goes with the flow. He will let anyone hold him, and actually seems to be somewhat laid back. He does not even let noise bother him (and we definitely have noise and activity with a 3 year old in the house). We will see if this remains as he ages. He gets uncomfortable and stays that way a lot during the day because of gas; however, he does not cry hardly at all. Dr. Frasier said he did not even cry during the circumcision (he just slept through it). Instead of crying, he grunts a lot. Sometimes he even "gargles" which scares us a little. We pray is does not develop pyloric stenosis like his father and brother (which is common in first-born males between ages 2-8 weeks). It is amazing how much he wiggles, moves, and grunts just trying to work out the gas. We will do this for a couple hours and then, all of a sudden, you can hear a loud squirt that we call a "firecracker." He seems to have trouble digesting his milk. His little bottom stays so red and raw because he poops so much. Poor little fella! Eli is pretty content overall, and is mostly fussy and cries when he is hungry or has gas.

Eli moves and squirms around a lot. He frequently has the startle reflex, then there is a loud sound or sudden movement. I love it! He will be completely asleep and just throw his arms straight up in the air! It often startles me, because I don't expect it. Eli seems to enjoy looking at lights, fans, playing on his playmat, mirrors, and his black and white little book.

Eli seems to be pretty strong, and has had decent head control since his first week of life. He pulls his head up well, but needs a little extra support to hold it there. During tummy time the first time, he lifted his head for a couple of seconds while looking at his black and white picture book. He even pulled himself up onto his elbows; although, this position did not last long. He tolerated being on his belly a while before he started crying. Eli has even rolled from his back to left side and from his belly to right side this month.

There are a couple of stories that stand out to me over the past month. One day I was bathing Eli. I know it is common for little babies, especially boys to pee on me while changing their diapers. Well, Eli had not done this, so it caught me off guard when he peed on me while I was bathing him. The pee just shot straight up like a fountain, and seemed to just keep on going. The pee went up in the air, then down the cabinets in the kitchen, on me, and in the floor. Another time, I was changing Eli's diaper on my bed. While I was in the middle of changing his diaper, he pooped more, and ended up dirtying 3 diapers total, my pajamas, and the sheets on my bed. Wow, I had no idea a little fella could do all that! The sweetest memory happened when I was holding Eli. I looked at him and said " you are being so good." He smiled at me as soon as I said it. I know it was probably coincidence, but it was so sweet!

I am excited to see how Eli grows, develops, and changes. I want to know everything about him...his cries, expressions, actions, etc. I love the sweet sounds he makes. I am learning what his sounds and actions mean. His little coos usually mean he is content. He tends to make a little piggy snorting sound, put his hand in his mouth, and/or roll his tongue when he is hungry. His little mouth quivers frequently, and often times this is a precursor to him spitting up (but not always). Eli's little smiles, usually means he has gas. My favorite face expression he makes is when he makes his mouth looks like he is whistling. It is precious! I know that he will grow so quickly, and I want to enjoy every minute I have with my sweet baby boy!

We all love Eli and are so thankful he is here! At first Isaac was a little distant to him, and would only look at him for a few seconds. Now he is warming up to his little brother, and wants to kiss and pat him.

Both Isaac and Eli are God's children, who He is allowing us to raise and train. We are so very blessed to have two, healthy, precious sons, and are excited to see how the Lord uses them to impact our lives as well! Parenting is a ministry, and it is our responsibility to disciple our boys and teach them about Jesus! It is our prayer that God uses us to nurture and teach our children about Him, that they realize their need for a Savior, and that they will live their life for Him and give Him all the glory in all things!

Isaac 3 year old doctor visit

2011-07-14T09:18:00.002-07:00

Isaac had his 3 year physical/ check-up at Dr. Fraser's office on 7/14/11. I was pleased to find that he is growing well, and is now in the 50th percentile for height and weight. He is 38 inches tall and weighs 30 pounds. His blood pressure was 96/52 mmHg. To get his blood pressure, his nurse, Holly, said she wanted to see how big his muscles were. He was very cooperative, and even peed in a cup (which is something they do with 3 year olds to prepare them for testing at age 4). He had 20/20 vision on the eye test. When looking at the eye chart, he had to identify shapes. When the nurse pointed to a picture on the line for 20/10 vision, Isaac stood up out of his chair, walked right up to the chart, and said "it's a moon." It was really funny!
We are so thankful our little fella is healthy and growing the way he needs to (even though he needs to be eating more fruits and vegetables).

Baby Eli has arrived!

2011-07-14T09:18:00.001-07:00

INTRODUCING.....

ELI COSBY COATS

Baby Eli arrived on Friday July 8, 2011 at 7:56 am, making us a family of four! He weighed 7 pounds 10.5 ounces, and was 19.5 inches long. He has a head full of thick dark brown hair and is such a blessing to us! We are thankful for the new little fella! We are so excited he is here, and that God put him in our lives!

Isaac's 3rd Birthday Celebration!

2011-07-06T16:04:00.001-07:00

Isaac had a wonderful 3rd birthday celebration. This year, with baby boy scheduled to arrive on July 8th, we decided it would be best to celebrate Isaac's birthday early this year, so he could still have a party. We had a family party at Grampie and Grandmama's house this year, and the theme was dump trucks. With it being July, we anticipated it to be extremely hot on the day of the party, so we planned to have a little pool and sprinkler out for the kids. Well, the weather did not cooperate fully, and it rained. This didn't seem to slow down the kiddos any or ruin their day. They had a great time just playing inside and being with the family.

We started the party by eating some yummy food...pizza, chicken fingers, fruit/ veggie trays. We had little dump truck toys full of candy (M&Ms, hershey kisses, oreos, and Starburst) for decoration. Following the meal, we let Isaac blow out the "3" candle, we all ate some cake and ice cream, and Isaac opened his gifts. He got so many cool toys! We are thankful for our family, and appreciate all they do for us!

Later on in the day, the sun finally came out. Those who were still there, went outside to visit, as the men played corn hole and the kids got in the kiddy pool and played with Isaac's new toys. Isaac was starting to struggle a little because he did not have a nap all day, but he was having such a great time. He and Christopher were just going non-stop. Later, a family friend brought over an inflatable bouncy castle, which the kids loved! Isaac, Christopher, and Jenna, along with a few adults got to enjoy the bouncy castle, and had a blast!

Isaac had such a great time! He was telling the guests as they left to come to his birthday party tomorrow. I guess he thought we were going to do this everyday. Even though he is still technically two, he tells people he's "free" meaning 3. Isaac was worn out after the excitement from the day, and slept well! He had such a wonderful 3rd birthday celebration with his family!

Guests included: Daddy and Mommy, Grampie and Grandmama, Grandad and Mimi, RG and Nanny, Uncle Steve and Aunt Jenny, Aunt Suzanne, Uncle Sterling and Aunt Karen, Tony and Amy, Chris and Amie, Brian and Kayce, Troy and Mary, Suzie and Harvey, and cousins Christopher, Jenna, Kaydon, and Jonathon.

Isaac 35 month update

2011-07-02T16:53:00.000-07:00

I can't believe my little guy is almost 3! Where in the world does the time go? People have warned me of how quickly time flies, and it is so true! Even when life seems hectic, I want to embrace every moment I have with my boy!

Isaac has had an eventful month, full of fun times and events! First of all, Isaac went to Chaney's Dairy Barn with his daycare. He was excited because he got to eat red ice cream (which seems to be his current favorite color), and see cows. However, his teacher told me he liked the cows, but would not pet the cows. Isaac tends to like things, such as animals, only from a distance. Isaac went another time to the Dairy Barn this month to his church buddy's, John Thomas, birthday party. There is playground equipment, huge slides, sandboxes, and more, and Isaac chose to push around a Tonka truck the entire time at the party. They got to make their own ice cream sundaes. The entire time the kids were eating, Isaac kept asking me if he could get up to play with the Tonka truck.

One of two of the biggest events of the month for Isaac was his birthday party. Since baby brother was expected to arrive on July 8th, we decided to celebrate Isaac's 3rd birthday a little early (on the 4th). I do want to tell a couple stories from his party. He and Christopher were playing in a kiddie pool, with shorts on and no shirt. Isaac thought it was hilarious to be playing without a shirt on, so he ran around yelling, "we are naked boys!" Another cute thing he said when his guests were leaving was "you can come to my birthday tomorrow." His party highlights and pictures are covered in a separate blog entry, but he had a wonderful time!!! The second big event, which will be life-changing for him, is the birth of his brother, Eli! When Eli was first born, Isaac mostly just seemed curious...not really overjoyed or disappointed about it. He will randomly kiss or talk to "baby brother" as Isaac calls him, but does not really spend too much time with him. Needless to say, this month, has been full of fun and big events for the Isaac Bopper!

Since we had to celebrate Isaac's birthday early; we decided to do a couple special things for him after Eli arrived. First of all, Daddy and Isaac together put together a cool train table for his birthday! Isaac enjoyed helping to put it together, and absolutely loves playing with it! We also had a another mini celebration on his actual birthday, the 12th. We took Isaac to GiGi's cupcake shop and let him pick out his own cupcake. He wanted the "brown one with the star." We sang Happy Birthday to him and let him blow out the candles. This seemed to make him feel special during this transitional time in his life.

It amazes me how he remembers everything he hears and sees. Sometimes I don't even realize he knows things because I don't remember teaching him. Many times, he just picks up information by listening to other people's conversations. For instance, I have never told him what a grill cover was or it's purpose. One day Adam said he was going to go get the grill cover, and Isaac responded by saying "so it won't get rain on it." Another time, Daddy was driving us and he had his arms in a different driving position and Isaac said "not like that Daddy." Daddy then corrected his hand position, and Isaac said "yes, that's it." That is hilarious to me that he even noticed it! While driving one day, Isaac told me to stop because the light was red. Then when it turned green, he said "you can go." I asked him what a yellow light meant. He didn't know so I told him it meant to slow down and proceed with caution. He replied "I'll say that when I grow up." You just never know what kids this age will say. I am also amazed by all he remembers. We told him a story about Carrie falling off her bed when she was little, so he would be careful with his "big boy bed." Then weeks later, I was putting pillows between the bed and wall, and he said "so I won't fall off the bed like Carrie." I couldn't believe he remembered that, since it had been a while since we even discussed it. Even though he remembers everything, he still gets his time frames mixed up. He might be talking about something that happened when he was a baby or months ago, and he will say that it occurred last week or yesterday. It's cute how he tries to put a time line on events, even though he does not quite understand time lines exactly.

Isaac really likes to help me cook. He wants to be a "helper" and will help me crack eggs, stir things, and put spaghetti noodles in the pot. Isaac seems to be eating a little better this month, not so much a better variety, but more quantity. Maybe him assisting in the kitchen makes him more interested in eating. Even though I have mentioned this in previous posts, Isaac still really likes to play with and twist my hair. He only does this when he is sitting in my lap, relaxed. Each month, Isaac enjoys pretending more and more. Like last month, he still likes to bring us "chicken." At night when we are doing our bedtime routine, Isaac tells me he wants to read me a book. So, I lay next to him, and he says "once upon a time," then giggles. After that, he usually just flips through the pages. Isaac loves playing outside, and especially loves it when our neighbors are outside for him to play with (Caroline, Cade, and Savannah). He always talks about how he wants to go to Carolines (pronounced "Carowine"). Once he has been playing with them, it is extremely difficult to get him to come home without a complete meltdown.

Isaac has developed a fear of the dark. If it's close to getting dark outside, he wants to be indoors (even as much as he loves to play outside). Even though he was already a little scared of the dark, I think this fear really kicked in around 4th of July, when people in the neighborhood started shooting off fireworks. He doesn't want anything to do with fireworks. We first noticed this at Grampie's house. We thought he would want to see them, but he would not even look at them from inside the house. Then, when Adam and I were at the hospital when Eli was born, Mimi and Grandad said that there were fireworks on our street and really loud outside his window. Since then, he has been putting the sheets over his head at night when he is trying to fall asleep. At night, he tends to walk right by my side, even inside the house. If he hears a slight sound, he says "what was that noise?" I just reassure him that he is safe, the dark won't hurt him, and God created night-time, just like he created day-time. He also seems a little extra apprehensive when it is raining or lightening outside. The night of his friend's birthday party at the Dairy Barn, we had to leave the party early due to lightening. Daddy was mowing the yard when we got home, and Isaac was very concerned about Adam being out in the rain. Now, whenever it storms, Isaac brings up the night when Daddy was mowing and we had to leave the Dairy Barn because it was lightening. I hope him being scared is a phase he is just going through, and that he will learn not to fear these things. I hate to see him scared and worried about things that are out of his control.

Isaac has had a tough time when I drop him off and pick him up at daycare. He cries when I leave him. Then when I pick him up, he cries because he either doesn't want to leave or because of a "sucker" situation. The teachers have started giving the kids suckers on Fridays if they have been good for the whole week. Well, if Isaac doesn't have one, he has a melt down. If he gets the wrong color he has a melt down. One day, his teacher gave him a "red" sucker. Well, when he opened it up, it was pink. He went hysterical. As we walked out of the daycare, the teachers probably thought I had been beating him (that's how bad his crying and behavior was that afternoon). I wish his school never even started giving out suckers. It makes it hard on Mommy, when I pick him up. I want him to wait until after dinner, but all his buddies have already had their suckers. Now, he doesn't even run to me or say hi to me when I get to his school. He runs directly to his folder and tells me he wants his sucker. We are trying to teach Isaac a couple lessons from all this....1. He does not always get what he wants. 2. He needs to accept what is given to him, be appreciative of what he gets, and say thank you (even if it's not the "color" he prefers).

The only other negative challenge we have had recently with Isaac is that he likes to play with his private (what he calls his "tee-tee"). I think he is just trying to get attention. He likes to get naked before his bath and run around, and point to it and say "this is not a toy." He sometimes will come out of the bathroom after using the potty with it sticking up just over his underwear, with a huge smile on his face. He is doing very well with pooping in the potty still. I am thankful he has not regressed in this area since the baby's arrival (which was a fear I had). He must consider using the potty a private thing to do because he has started shutting the bathroom door when he has to poop. Using Starbursts as the reward for doing #2 on the potty has been a huge help for us. Isaac will poop by himself now, then yells at us to help wipe him. Then he says he would like his yellow or red starburst (depending on his favorite color at the time). We are still working on not peeing at night, so he still sleeps with a pull-up on. He may have 3 successful nights in a row, the a full pull-up the following morning. He is really thirsty at night, but I have encouraged him to drink less and just take little sips from his sippy cup. One morning when he had a dry pull-up, he had a big smile and said "I took little sips."

Isaac's favorite word seems to be "why?" I am trying to teach him to ask "who?," "where?," and "what?" too, not just "why?". I am glad he wants to understand things better though, and seems interested in learning! Isaac's other favorite thing to say is "I sad." He tends to say this when Mommy or Daddy leave, when he does not get his sucker, or when he has to come inside after playing outside. He has mastered the puppy dog face as he says "I sad." He knows how to tug at Mommy's heart!

Isaac really likes to say bye to his Daddy in a certain sequence, when Adam is going to work. Isaac wants a kiss, high five, and then knucks! It is really cute to watch them in action. Then after Daddy leaves, Isaac says, "did Daddy go to his patient work?" He hears Adam and I mention that he treats patients, so Isaac calls it his patient work. Daddy and Isaac have had some great bonding time lately, especially at night. Isaac really looks forward to Daddy getting home from work. It is sweet to see them interact! I love my boys!

Pregnancy Pics....The Bump is Growing

2011-06-25T18:51:00.001-07:00

39 weeks....morning of C-section

38 weeks, 2 days

37 weeks

35 weeks

34 weeks

33 weeks

31 weeks

30 weeks

26 weeks

22 weeks

20 weeks

Isaac 34 month update

2011-06-09T18:31:00.002-07:00

This month in Isaac's life had some emotional highs and lows for my family. First of all, we are excited to announce that Isaac has a new cousin! Baby Anna Katherine was born on May 12th. As we did add a family member, we also lost our Gran (as Isaac calls her, Grandmother Dot). Even though we lost her, we know she is with our Savior in heaven! She passed away peacefully, in a hospital room full of loved ones (including all three of her daughters) on June 4th. Gran was a wonderful grandmother, mother, wife, and friend, and impacted everyone in her family in a positive way. Her love for others and persistence to serve will always be qualities that I will never forget! I feel so blessed to have had her in my life for 31 years and thankful that Isaac got the opportunity to meet her and be loved by her. Adam and I actually took Isaac to see Gran in the hospital (long-term care) a week before she passed away. When she saw Isaac, her face just lit up with joy! She loved Isaac very much! As for me, I got to see her on the day she died. I knew when I walked out of her hospital room that it would probably be the last time I saw her. It was a bittersweet moment. I was grateful that she would no longer have to struggle for every breath and that she would experience God's glory in full! However, I selfishly miss her as she was such a huge part of my life growing up. I cannot imagine driving by her home and her not being there. I also wish she could have met the 4 new great grandchildren (Anna Katherine and 3 on the way). I will miss her dearly, but am thankful for the time I had her in my life. Her funeral, even though had some mourning, was such a celebration of the good life she lived! Isaac knew Dot was sick and sometimes still talks about how she's at the hospital. We did not have him go to the funeral; however, when he asked I explained that she is no longer here and living in heaven. Of course, he does not grasp it all, but he seemed to enjoy the time he spent with all the family while everyone was in town for the visitation and funeral. I know he will miss going to visit at Dot's house too!

We made a trip to St. Louis to see baby Anna Katherine and to watch Uncle Eric graduate from seminary! Isaac seemed to like baby Anna, but he was too busy to want to be with her a lot. He was curious about her, but this would just last for a minute then he was on to his next task. Isaac really enjoyed Uncle Eric's graduation. I have to admit, Isaac behaved pretty well overall, especially considering he had to sit in one place for a long time. I did take him out a time or two to go to the potty and just to walk around a little. It was funny, because out in the lobby, there were tons of parents walking around their "toddlers." Isaac was very interested though to keep his eye on Uncle Eric. He wanted to make sure he saw him walk across the stage as he got his diploma, then waved at him as he walked back to his seat. Another really cool thing about our St. Louis trip was the Magic House. Grandad and I took Isaac one day to the Magic House. Isaac loved it! There were so many neat things he got to do there. It is like an interactive museum, made for kids! There was a bubble area (where he actually got to be inside of a bubble), a construction zone where he got to work, a giant beanstock (between the stair cases) that he got to climb, slides that he got to go down, areas to learn about shapes and the alphabet, a music area, a train exhibit, the Oval office, and so much more. I was so impressed at all the fun exhibits they had for kids his age! There was a huge outdoor sand exhibit (like a mini beach) and so much more that we did not even see. You could literally be there the entire day and not get to see everything there. Isaac had a great time!!!

Adam's dad's side of the family had a big cookout this month for all the May birthdays, since there are at least 5-6 people with May birthdays. It was especially to celebrate cousin Chris's 40th birthday, so we made the party specifically for him (even though he thought it was for all the May birthdays). We all went over to Amie and Chris's house. The food was delicious, and it was great to spend time with everyone! Isaac had a blast with his cousins Jenna and Kaydon! It was so funny watching the girls follow him around the house as they played, and he seemed to like it! Another fun outing we had with the Coats' family was going boat riding out on the lake. Isaac and Jenna loved the boat and watching the men water ski! It was a great time with family.

Isaac got to do a few other fun things this month. Isaac went to a friend's (Avery's) softball game with Carrie and me. He loved being outside, watching the girls play ball, and drinking his Gatorade. He is all about some Gatorade, because he likes the color (and always request red). Isaac also went to his first two weddings this month, and he seemed to enjoy all the action. Isaac also went to his friend Brennen's birthday party. It was an outdoor party with water activities for the kids. He had a fun time!

We are making some progress in some different areas this month. First off all, Coach Dee at swim lessons recommended that I get Isaac some goggles. I let Isaac pick out his own goggles (which he chose some with dolphins on them), and wearing goggles has really helped Isaac feel more confident in putting his face in the water. He finally seems to enjoy going to swim lessons. Every time we are driving near the pool, he talks about wanting to go to swim lessons. Thank goodness he is participating and enjoying himself now. Isaac is also continuing to make good progress when it comes to using the potty. He is pooping in the potty on his own initiation now, and also gets out of the bathtub when he needs to pee (rather than just peeing in the tub).

Isaac's favorite word is "why?". I am very glad he wants to learn new things and the reasoning for why things happen. However, he probably asks "why?" a hundred times a day. He will ask "why?", I will give an explanation, then he asks "why?" again (wanting me to further expand on my previous explanation). I am thankful he is curious and wants to learn; although, I may not be smart enough to always answer his "why?". Another thing he asks a lot is "yes or no?" He will ask to do something then follow the request with "yes or no." Sometimes he even says "say yes." I am not sure where he picked this one up...who knows, it's probably something I say. He tends to point out things I say and do. He keeps me accountable at times. It's amazing how God uses a 2 year-old to remind us of things. For example, one time I started eating without praying first, and Isaac said "mommy, say God is great." This meant he was reminding me to say his prayer. Another good example was when I was trying to sing him a song that his Mimi sings him. I got a few lyrics messed up, but just kept singing. He insisted that I stop singing and told me that I sang the wrong song and that it wasn't Mimi's song. Isaac still likes to make up words with his little buddies at school. Although he still says noodle, he has started saying "mote" a lot. He typically seems to say "mote" when he is pointing to moles on someone. He also likes to point out when people are not fully clothed, such as when boys have their shirts off. We were in a parking lot one afternoon, and Isaac pointed at two boys on bikes who had their shirts off, and said "look Mom, naked boys." Isaac also likes to say that he is a naked boy when he gets out of the bath tub.

Isaac has said several funny things this month that seem to stand out. One day he was sitting on his little potty and passed gas. He laughed and said "I burped out my bottom." It still makes me laugh thinking about it! Another incident occurred when we were pulling into a gas station and a police man (state trooper) pulled up behind me with flashing lights. I had not yet put on my yearly sticker on my license plate. He was very nice to me, but of course, I was extremely nervous. As soon as he left, Isaac said, "I want to see the man with the hat again." When I ask him what he wants for lunch, he has started saying "I want peanut butter, on the side." By this, he means that he does not want a sandwich. He is requesting peanut butter to eat with a spoon with some crackers on his plate too. Another funny thing occurred while I was driving Isaac home from daycare. I asked him a yes or no question, but did not get a verbal response from him. When I asked the question again, he replied "I shook my head," meaning that he already answered me. I had to explain to him that when I'm driving, I cannot see him shake his head, and that I need to hear his response. Isaac's buddy Dhavid's mother offered to sign Isaac out of daycare one afternoon and wait with him in the parking lot until I got there (because I was running late). She told me that Isaac told her "you don't have a car seat." He recognized that he could not go with her because she did not have an extra car seat for him. That seems to be a pretty good observation made by a youngster. Finally, I find it funny that whenever I talk on the phone to Adam, Isaac has started asking "is that Daddy or voicemail?" How in the world does he know what voicemail is? I guess he's heard us mention it.

Isaac has been a little extra clingy to Mommy lately. I certainly don't mind that he wants to be with me, but it worries me a little on how he will adjust once his baby brother arrives. He knows there is a baby in my belly, but I'm unsure of how much of this concept he actually grasps. Although, I think him seeing Auntie M and Aunt Steph pregnant and now seeing them with babies has helped him get a better understanding of what is about to happen with Mommy. He is noticing when things around him are changing. We were changing some things around in his room, and he started crying. He also has done some things to get extra attention, which I feel is a result of him sensing change (well, and being a typical 2 year-old). He has started spitting a lot, biting some, and saying poopy or butt. Since he knows he can't say "butt," he has begun saying to me "we don't say butt, we say bottom." I think he just says that so he can say "butt." He constantly wants me to hold him. I know it's probably not the best to be carrying around a 28# kid all the time while pregnant, but it's important for me to make Isaac feel loved right now. He has been really sweet. At night, he always says "will you sleep (pronounced sweep) with me for a second?". Then in the mornings, he hugs me and says "I love (pronounced wuv) you Mommy." We went to a cousin's wedding this month. I was going to go dance a father-daughter dance with "Grandad," and Isaac just broke down crying because he didn't want me to leave his side. Even though Isaac has been clingy to Mommy, he has also really wanted his Daddy at times too. One day we were in the car driving home, and it started to pour down rain. The rain was hitting very hard against the windshield, and was very loud. Isaac just started crying, and said repetitively "I want my Daddy." It's funny how kids know early on that their Daddy's are the protector!

Isaac is very active and has lots of interests! Of course, he still loves being outside anytime he gets the opportunity. He absolutely loves to play in his sandbox. Isaac enjoys riding his bike, inside or outside. He has recently started to pretend play more. I am glad because I enjoy watching him use his imagination. His favorite way to pretend is to bring us "chicken," and he likes to watch us pretend to eat the chicken. He also likes to point out numbers and letters in books. He knows his capital letters pretty well, but still needs to better learn his lowercase letters and numbers. I am just glad he is interested in learning! He also enjoys working puzzles. One day I got really frustrated because he emptied out 6 different puzzle boxes so all the pieces were all mixed up in the floor. We have been working on the concept of putting up a toy before he gets out the next one. Obviously, he was not quite getting the idea of this. We started putting the puzzle pieces back into the proper boxes, and to my amazement, it did not take that long. I thought it would take forever to do this, but Isaac was able to sort the pieces as good as me. I was very impressed by his ability to look at an individual piece, among a mixture of six puzzles, and put it in the correct box. Finally, Isaac likes to dance. He will get out his toy guitar and dance to the music. As I mentioned earlier, we went to a wedding this month. He was excited to go out onto the dance floor at the reception with cousin Carrie and Aunt Jenny. The DJ was playing the chicken dance, which Isaac is familiar with from daycare. Once he got out there, he would not dance. Even though he enjoys dancing, maybe he just likes to do it in the privacy of his home.

Isaac is such a blessing! He is an active little guy, who's energy is contagious. He loves being around people and seems to enjoy learning new things! We love him so much!!!

Isaac 33 month update

2011-06-09T18:31:00.001-07:00

Isaac, at 33 months old, still weighs 28 pounds; however, it does seem that he is getting taller. Isaac is doing well....sleeping well, loves bath time, and pooping in the potty consistently still. He is becoming more independent everyday. He is always saying "I do it" or "me do it myself." He is starting to want to dress himself. He has learned how to look for the tag on shirts, and knows they go in the back. When he puts his socks on, he looks for the heel. He does really well at putting on his shoes too, as long as they are velcro. Sometimes he will jokingly say, "mommy on this foot" as he is purposely putting a shoe on the wrong foot. He prefers underwear over pull-ups now. He is really a big boy! As I mentioned last month, he wants to wear jeans and tennis shoes everyday. He has added red t-shirts to his preferences too. Everyday, he wants to wear a Big Red shirt or another red shirt. Needless to say, red must be his current favorite color. He also likes (as mentioned last month) wearing his sunglasses. When we get in the car, he says "I got on black sunglasses like you does."

Isaac has started taking swim lessons, and I have to admit, week one was rough. The first week (2- 30 minute sessions), it took me 10 minutes just to get his shirt off. He cried the entire time and was terrified of getting in the water. Then when he did get in, he didn't participate. This frustrated me because I know what he is capable of, and how well he did with kicking and putting his face in the water last summer. The second week, we made a little progress. He did not try to kick or do anything else; however, he did not cry. So, this was a start. They just carried him in the water and talked to him, trying to make him more comfortable. Then on week 3, he started kicking, and by week 4, he put his face in the water. Each week he made progress. He does really well when he is in the water with people he knows. He finally got where he would look forward to going to his lessons.

Isaac and I attempted our first real picnic this month. We were really excited because it was the first predicted warm day we had in a while. We got out our real picnic basket, made sandwiches, and packed some other goodies. We gathered a blanket and headed out to the park. We took some bread to feed the ducks, then we spread out our blanket for our picnic. Unfortunately, the wind picked up so much that it ended up being semi-cold, and the wind made it difficult to eat. Rather than having a picnic, we just played on the playground a little, then ate later. We should have taken a kite instead.

There are several things Isaac has started doing or saying that are new this month. He likes for me to roll down the car window so he can yell "bye bye" to Daddy or grandparents (whoever is still standing in the driveway). He has realized the meaning of the word naked over the past couple months. He likes to point out around bath time that he is a naked jaybird, and then laughs! He also likes for us to give him "wild hair" when he is in the bathtub. On the way to church, he often talks about "computer birds" as he points out the window. I have no idea what computer birds are or why he brings it up on the way to church. He has started making up stories lately too such as: there being a kitty cat under his bed and a man (imaginary) with a white beard at church. It is good he uses his imagination, but he will dwell on his stories so much that it seems he really believes he sees these things. There is a new word he and his buddies say at daycare. It was ka paw, but now it's noodle. He and his buddies say "noodle" and just crack up laughing! He tends to get his days a little out of order. Whenever he is talking about an event that happened, it seems he always says it was on Saturday or yesterday. He is not always right, but he certainly is trying to be specific. It is cute watching him piece together the English language and seeing his vocabulary grow. Another thing he has started to enjoy is hanging out with me in the kitchen. He absolutely loves watching for bread or poptarts to pop out of the toaster! My favorite thing he says is after we do our bedtime routine. He looks at me with that sweet little face and says "mommy, will you sleep with me for a few minutes." Sometimes he will say "we're snuggling." This may be my favorite time with him!

This month we celebrated Mother's Day. Daddy helped Isaac take some roses off one of our bushes, and Isaac brought me flowers. He was so proud, and they were beautiful! I am so blessed to a mother of such a precious little boy, and pregnant with a baby boy (who Isaac has named Baby Brother)! I love my little fella more than words can express!

Easter 2011

2011-05-04T18:56:00.001-07:00

We had a great Easter, and enjoyed going to church as a family! Obviously, Isaac does not yet understand the real meaning and significance of Easter; although, it is our prayer that it will one day touch his heart.

This Easter, Isaac (33 months old) got to participate in Easter egg hunts at his preschool and at Grandad and Mimi's church. He had lots of fun, and of course, loved the sweet treats he got!!! At the church egg hunt, Isaac found a see-through egg that had a blue toy truck in it. It was one of the first eggs he picked up and he was ready to stop hunting eggs and just play with his new truck. It was pretty funny! We all had to encourage him to continue hunting! He also got excited when he found eggs with money in them! Smart boy!

Isaac was scared of the Easter bunny, so we did not attempt to get a picture made with him. He was also apprehensive about the Easter bunny coming into his room while he was sleeping.

It was my intention to get a family picture after church on Easter Sunday. However, Isaac fell asleep and it just didn't happen. Oh well, we had a wonderful Easter, celebrating the resurrection of Jesus Christ!