We had a pretty good 4th of July! Here are a couple pics of all of us watching the fireworks. I love it that our driveway is a perfect viewing spot for the fireworks in our town! Cooper didn't seem afraid of them at all, which I had been a little concerned about because he slept right through them his first time around. :o) He did great this year. He just kept pointing at them and looking back at us like he wanted to make sure we were seeing it. He wasn't a big fan of the finale though, I think that part did get a little too loud for him. But, he was also tired, it was way past bedtime. Gabe had a blast. One of his buds came over and they played with those glowstick necklaces the whole time and ate ice cream. Sometimes I wish I was a kid again!

not a stay at home mom

Oh there are so many days I wish I was a stay at home mom. This time it's been that way for about a week. Gabe will be 5 next month and we seem to have hit the lying/disobeying/talking back/general anarchy stage all at once, and boy, we have hit it HARD. It's really frustrating for me because I'm home for a few days and then he goes to a sitter for two days. I love my work schedule because it allows me quite a few full days at home, but sometimes I feel like it's not enough time. It's so hard to try and get all the "stuff" that needs done finished on the days you're off, plus do all the mom things. I think usually we do alright at it, but this week I'm feeling like a failure. This too shall pass I suppose.

I do love my job. I feel like I'm doing something important........ plus they're paying me. :o) I feel like my job gives me another purpose in life. And again........... they're paying me. And we can't afford to not have that paycheck coming in.

And right now, at this moment, life is a-ok in our house. The boys are playing with those musical drum things and making a ton of racket, while Gabe's dressed up as a race car driver and Cooper is in a diaper and cowboy hat. :o) I love it when they laugh together.

I called the IRS and was told that they have finished auditing us, and now we only have to wait a couple weeks for the money to be deposited. We've been anxiously waiting so we can pay back a chunk of the adoption money. So, I finished most of that paperwork during naptime yesterday. yay!

We're having a yard sale next weekend and getting rid of some of the extra stuff that's been cluttering up our lives. We cleaned out at least half of all the boy's toys and the playroom is still stuffed full! I couldn't believe it.

Then next month - camping! We didn't get to go last year, so I'm looking forward to it. It'll be Cooper's first time. I think he'll like it a lot.

Summer!

It's June! Life is cruising along pretty regularly here for us. T-ball is still in full swing, and the weather is getting so nice. We've been outside quite a bit this past week or so. Gabe seems to be having some issues with his attitude, but I think that's normal for his age. Cooper's new favorite thing to play with is Pepsi cans. I don't know why. We have a giant tub of wooden blocks in the living room, but he doesn't play with them, he crawls over to a cube of Pepsi and stacks the cans up. It's a little odd, but he's just like all the rest of us........... a little odd. :o)

just an update

T-ball has started. We seem to have a slow start because practice keeps being cancelled on account of rain. Our first game is this week. I hope they do well. Well, you know it really doesn't matter because it's just T-ball and they're only there to learn the basics I guess.

The IRS audited us when we applied for the adoption tax credit, so we faxed in all the paperwork, and now we wait 30 days to see what happens with that. Cooper's new birth certificate came yesterday and that was SO exciting.

Cooper loves to read. It is the cutest thing. Both boys love to read, so we sit on the couch and read stories and it is wonderful. I love it! It just kind of surprised me that Coop wanted to read so early. He picks out one of the his little board books and brings it over to you and plops down and waits to get started. :o)

Mother's Day is tomorrow and I am so happy to the mom of these two boys! It is the best thing I have going on in my life.

We were listening to a comedian talk about kids and he said having a boy in the house is like inviting a Viking over. There's looting and pillaging................ and yelling, and I laughed and laughed because that's how it is! There's always something going on!

Just today we were at a graduation party and I was holding Cooper and talking to the graduate and I glance over at Gabe and he has taken over the cake table and is trying to serve people cake with that spatula thing and it is getting a little messy, lol. Luckily Craig came over and saved that situation. Just as I was breathing a sigh of relief, I look down at Cooper and notice that he has dunked his entire hand up to the elbow into my cup of lemonade. You have to be looking directly at them every second to keep them out of trouble! And they're good kids too! They're not that crazy or bad-mannered (I don't think) They're just boys. :o)

I love it!

vote for Cooper!

It's Cooper's turn to be famous!

http://photos.parents.com/parents-cover-contest-2011/17/2011/924

click on this link to go vote for Cooper in the Parent's magazine weekly reader's choice contest! The selection of photos seems completely random and the winner is not necessarily the cutest kid because it's decided by vote. Bascially the winners are the kids whose parents have the most friends who voted, lol. Help the little guy out please!

just stuff

Cooper was so funny today, he was running around with one of Craig's shirts on his head and cracking up. I was afraid he was going to run into something, but everytime I got close to him he'd pull the shirt off his head and smile at me. He never did run into anything, so that's good. It was pretty funny to watch though.

He's started having diarrhea explosions again, which is a bummer. I thought maybe it was a combination of teething and too much juice, but we're playing it safe so we called the pediatrician. We're supposed to watch him for 24 hours and then if it hasn't stopped we'll take him in to be seen. Gabe was sad, he said he wanted to be near Cooper to play with him and love on him but he didn't want to get sick germs. They are so cute. When Coop was in the hospital the only time he ever smiled or acted like he wanted to play was when Gabe came to visit.

Oh, speaking of Gabe, he's in a Parents magazine readers choice photo contest this week! The weekly finalists are entered into another contest for the cover. pretty cool. If you have time click on this and go vote for him!

http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fphotos.parents.com%2Fcategory%2Fvote%2Fphoto%2F808158&h=9a5fa

I entered Gabe and Cooper's pictures at the same time, but Gabe's was chosen. Looking at the other contestants it appears to be a completely random selection, so I entered Cooper again, cause he's super cute too. Unfortunately you can't vote for Coop until he's entered in a weekly contest, so we'll have to wait and see on that one.

I need help with my dog

Alright, our dog Taylor is very close to finding a new home. She's had bladder issues ever since she was spayed as a puppy, but I have reached the end of my patience. Almost every night she pees on my carpet while everyone's asleep. It does not matter if you let her out before bed, or if you limit her water in the evening.

She manages to summon up some pee in the middle of the night just for kicks.

I've even changed her sleeping location because I thought maybe that one area of the carpet was where she thought she was supposed to use the bathroom. So, we put her in the basement for a few nights. You guessed it, she peed down there too.

My only other option is to keep her outside every night, but that seems mean. Especially in the winter time. Suggestions would be great.