Cooper Thomas: 20 Months

There's not a whole lot of new things to report with you this past month. You have been trying to get on Carson's bicycles for a few weeks so we finally got you a bike, and one that is small enough for you to ride! You picked it up right away. It must have been your daredevil instincts, lol. You also started pointing out (and saying) your eyes, head, nose, ears, mouth, teeth and BELLY!

You continue to say lots of words and pretty much {at least try to} repeat anything we say. You like to go up to your teachers at the end of each day and give them a "hug" before we leave and wave "bye" too. Another cute one is telling us "night night" when it's time to go to bed. You love being "ou-ide" so I was actually looking forward to daylight savings so we can be out more after dinner.

You are a pretty good sleeper unless something is bothering you and still have to have your "moosh" with you. Also at bedtime I have to put a blanket over your lap while you sit in your chair to read a "book." And just recently I've had to give you multiple hugs before you let me leave the room. You must have learned that from your brother! You are quite the handful but so cute and make daddy and I smile with your constant talking. You and your brother are already up to no good but we love hearing you guys laugh and play together.

Cooper Thomas: 19 Months

I'm not sure if I can start off this month with "sweet Cooper" because man have you been ornery and whiney lately. I think we've heard more crying these past few weeks tan we have the las 18 months! I hope it's just you figuring out your personality because I'm not sure how much longer we can take it. But on the flip side when you are Carson decide to play nicely with one another you guys have the best time! Carson loves that you are starting to talk more and I think that's why he's been a better 'friend' with you lately.

So about this talking. You seem to repeat or make an attempt to repeat anything we say and you have picked up so many words! You love seeing dogs when we are out and saying "hi" to everyone. You also love anything with wheels and know "truck," "bus," and "vroom" (car). Unlike your brother, you know when you are tired and happily run down the hall when I say it's time for bed. You finally are sitting still for books and you love to flip through them yourself too. You're favorite book to look at is anything with a "choo choo" on it. Recently you've also started babbling in sentences which is so cute! But what isn't cute is the attitude at meal time. For whatever reason you have started throwing your food and drink over the tray and just sitting there screaming while the rest of us finish eating. In an attempt to help with the behavior, we have you sitting at a table and chair now, which helps some but now you just get up and down and wander. I guess it's better than screaming! Your other obsession right now is wearing shoes around the house. Like you bring them to us anytime during the night and throw a fit if we don't put them on you (and no house shoes don't count). You also try to bring us our shoes to wear. Maybe it's because you love getting out of the house!

Picture by Carson

The past couple of days I've had to take a double take with you because you seem to be getting your big-boy look. While the attitude and constant crying has been driving us crazy, you still throw in those cute smirky smiles or your goofy personality and you melt our hearts. And lastly I have to share about your moose (and I'm not sure how I've forgotten about him before now). For your first birthday, daddy picked out this moose from Ikea. I can't remember when the "bond" officially started, but you LOVE this thing and especially his little nubby tail which you clinch your teeth around. A few times a week we have to go in to your room to lay you back straight in your crib and you cuddle your moose like he's the best friend you've ever had!

Cooper Thomas: 18 Months

Cooper is our little monkey through and through (and this is coming from parents who thought Carson was wild). So you can imagine how our time is spent and how exhausted we are at the end of each day. If I had to pick a couple words to categorize this past month for Cooper it would be bumps and bruises! The kid is a klutz... and also is a little brother and he currently has a uni-brow bruise going on. But aside from his craziness he is still a little cuddler, still loves hugs, running to you when you come in the house, and sitting in your lap while he looks at books (but won't let you read a complete one).

He's starting to communicate with us more and more each day and I feel he has more words than Carson did at this age. Some new things he's picked up are recognizing (and saying) football and basketball, Bob (for Bob the Builder), book, coo coo (choo choo) for train, bubba (bubble), cheese (for taking pictures) and bye bye (with the wave). Things he's loving right now are trains, musical instruments he got for Christmas, dancing to music, and basketball. We went to a K-State game this past month and he had so much fun! He also loves anything with wheels that can be pushed (or whatever Carson has) and of course his milk. I think the kid would survive off milk alone if he had his way. He is a total monkey-see-monkey-do with Carson too which is oh so fun for mom and dad.

Cooper is my mini-me and a tiny thing compared to his big brother. 18 month shirts fit comfortably and he's moving in to 2T but he's still in 9-12 month pants (with the waist as small as it can be). He wears size 4 shoe (for comparison Carson was in 4/5 shoes at 9 months, lol) and tipped the scale at 21lbs (15%) but was 50% for height. He might be small, but he's got a big personality!