Fat Clothes and Skinny Clothes...

Early in my pregnancy, I came home from work one day with a box of maternity clothes a co-worker had given me to borrow. I began pulling the clothes out of the box with Anna Lauren right beside me...it wasn't long until she held up a pair of pants and said, "Mommy, these are FAT clothes." Her daddy came running into the room to "discipline" her for calling them FAT clothes thinking that I was probably in tears by this point. Well, I got use to it, because throughout my pregnancy, she referred to maternity clothes as FAT clothes and asked pretty often when I would be wearing my SKINNY clothes again...referring to my running clothes and my race shirts (very SKINNY should we say).

So pretty quickly after I came home from the hospital she said, "Mommy, Cooper is not in your belly anymore so when will you be able to wear these SKINNY clothes?". I told her it would take some time, but my goal was to get back in those SKINNY clothes. She then asked what I was going to have to do to wear them, and I said...exercise.

And now we are on to exercising...last week I began walking for "exercise" rather than for "leisure / let's get out of the house" and on Cooper's two week birthday, I couldn't handle it any longer...I ran for 5 minutes. That was all it took...I wanted to run more and more and more. Last Wednesday, I talked Matt into running with me, and I was able to accomplish 2 miles...and boy oh boy, I'm so out of shape! But...I must admit, I am a new person now that I can pick my feet up and run...I've missed it more than anyone will ever know!

And now...I would like to show you my new running partner who is determined to get Mommy back in those SKINNY clothes so sister will quit making fun of her...

Cooper at 2 weeks old...this was the day I was just going to walk...then of course, ran for 5 minutes...

Now we are really ready...and Mommy is a happy camper...she can not only run, but she can run with Daddy! I have so missed running with Matt!

Doesn't seem to bother him that he is going to spend hours upon hours in this stroller...let's just hope he will be as good as Anna Lauren was when she was a baby. That sweet girl ran so many miles with us that it is not even funny.

Cooper at 2 Weeks...

Today we saw Dr. Joe Edwards for Cooper's 2 week check-up, and he checked out to be a healthy little boy!

Weight: 7 pounds and 2 ounces. Dr. Joe said he is happy as long as the baby is at their birth weight at 2 weeks...he weighed 6 pounds 7 ounces at birth so he is good. However, his weight put him in the 5th percentile. Matt and I were a bit surprised by this as Anna Lauren has always been above average and off the charts in length / height...Dr. Joe said no worries...he has no potential to stay in this percentile. It was funny because Matt said, "Cooper, what are you going to do on the football field, kick?"

Length: 21 inches...he was 19.5 inches at birth...25th percentile for length.

Head Circumference: 13.5 inches...less than 5th percentile.

Heart: GOOD, STRONG heart beat! Our God is good and has taken care of our little man!

Cooper waiting to be called back to see Dr. Joe Joe...

You know the drill...you dress them all cute to get to the doctor and have to un-dress them...I mean the doctor doesn't even see their cute clothes. Here Cooper is sound asleep on my lap waiting for Dr. Joe to come check him out. And by the way, he LOVES his pacifier...if only we could find a way to keep it in his mouth all night!

The "Light Up" Shoes...

Surely I am not the only mother doing this, but I can honestly say I am eating so many of my words from before I had children. You know the things like my child will not have a snotty nose, my child will not eat in the car and have a nasty car seat, my child will always mind me, my child will not have light up shoes, etc.

Well, Anna Lauren has been begging for light up shoes since one of her friends came to school this summer in light up flip flops, and I have put it off as long as I could. Yesterday we took her shoe shopping for "winter" shoes, and I had in mind sweet little white keds. Yeah...she told me she was not going to wear those or the other 15 pair of shoes I showed her. I mean I even offered to buy "high heel" yellow box shoes like mine and Ms. Katie's...yeah right, she would have nothing but these light up tennis shoes. And of course, Matt and I gave in and bought them for her, and if only I had taken her picture...I have never seen her smile bigger and be more excited...all over a pair of shoes that mommy doesn't like. And I just decided there is no need for us to spend $30 on a pair of shoes she is not going to wear, which is what I did this summer. I think the precious white sandals I bought have been on her feet maybe 3 times, and it was a fight those 3 times.

So...here goes the "wild" light up shoes...maybe Cooper will not care and let me dress him the way I want...there is always hope, right?

Pumpkin Patch Fun...

This morning we went to the pumpkin patch with our friends, the Williams. It was a beautiful HOT day rather than a beautiful FALL day but all had a good time despite the "summer" weather! Fall is by far my favorite time of the year so the pumpkin patch always gets me in the mood for all the Fall/ Winter holidays...just love it!

We also ran into our friends, the Brelands (church friends), at the pumpkin patch. Here is Anna Lauren and Brinkley on the hay ride headed to the pumpkin patch.

Anna Lauren enjoying looking at all the animals on the hay ride to the pumpkin patch...

Anna Lauren and her pumpkin...didn't take her long to pick one out!

Anna Lauren and her pumpkin for Cooper...such a sweet big sister!

Cooper and his pumpkin Anna Lauren picked for him...

I don't know why Katie and I seem to think we can take a picture of these children...left to right ~ Adam, Jack, Tate, and Anna Lauren...

Left to Right ~ pumpkins Jack and Anna Lauren, scarecrow Tate, and sunflower Adam...

Sweet baby Cooper...the cutest "little" pumpkin at the pumpkin patch today!

Anna Lauren and Cooper...are they not adorable in their matching pumpkin shirts? Thanks Jennifer...they LOVE their shirts and so does Mommy!

Our MC Cheerleader...

If you follow my blog, you know that my cousin, Anna, made cheerleader at Mississippi College this year, and our Anna Lauren is obsessed with Anna being a cheerleader. As soon as Anna Lauren found out Anna was going to be a cheerleader, she began asking for a "cheerleader" and to go watch Anna cheer at the games. So after a long wait, the "cheerleader" finally arrived, and we are now ready for the next football game. This little girl could not be more excited!

Coming Soon...

In the near future, I am going to sort through my hundreds of pictures of Cooper's birth and first few days with us, but until I find some time to do that, I'm going to move along with what is going on in the Calvert household these days.

We are all doing good and enjoying being a family of "four"! Anna Lauren has been absolutely amazing and LOVES her little brother to pieces...it is the sweetest thing, and Matt and I could not be more proud of her!

So patience and there will be many pictures of Cooper...

Introducting Cooper Richard Calvert...

Cooper Richard Calvert

~ September 28, 2010 ~ 2:02 PM ~ 6 pounds/7 ounces ~ 19 1/2 inches ~

Mommy holding Cooper for the first time...I was a little "emotional" because I wanted to hear that his heart was beating PERFECT, and I heard arrhythmia. And of course, this is my FABULOUS doctor...and yes, she cried with me! Love this lady!

First picture with Mommy and Daddy...

Sweet, sweet little man!

Getting to hold Cooper for a few minutes...our time was limited with him yesterday afternoon because they were monitoring his heart so closely.

Big Sister loving her some Cooper!

She couldn't get enough of him...so sweet!

Of course, Anna Lauren refused to take a picture with us...maybe we can get one today!

Matt says this is his "mean" face...I think he is just precious! Last night we got to have him in the room with us for a couple hours, and he did great!

Big yawn...it was a hard day Mommy and Daddy!