Cooper-Ba-Booper! I can't believe I've known you a YEAR already! I have to be honest, when I first met you in the hospital, I wasn't sure what to think. I thought you were cute and all, but I didn't know what to make of the tiny, squirmy, delicate, crying creature all wrapped up in blankets. Not long after that I realized I had a talent for making you smile, and you won me over with that toothless grin.
Now I can't imagine our family without you. I am one lucky kid to see my favorite playmate first thing in the morning (even though I am not quite the morning person that you are) and right before I fall asleep at night, especially now that we are sharing a room! I love teaching you how to throw balls, making you laugh (which I am proud to say, I am the BEST at), playing cars with you, chasing you and then tackling you, and watching you learn new things every day. You are already my very best friend in the whole world, and even better than that, you are my brother. Happy birthday, Coopy! I love you so much!
Me and my lovely Aunt Kelly:
Getting some love from Grandmama and Aunt Sara:
Taking a break to read with Bebe:
My sweet birthday spread:
Me and my Daddy:
My Mama sure does love Aunt Kelly!
My favorite family activity - laughing until my tummy hurts:
My favorite person to laugh with:
Hanging out with Christian and teaching him about balloons:
Coop, are you ready for your first taste of cake?
Singing Happy Birthday to Cooper:
I think the look on my face says it all. I am not sure what to make of this?
Okay, once I got used to it I kind of liked it...let me give it another very cautious try...
Dang this is good! Picking up the pace a little...
Big brother is old hat at this, and shows me how to do it right:
What? This is how you pull off looking devastatingly cute even when covered in chocolate icing:
Oh, Cake Coated With Delicious Icing, where have you BEEN all my life?
I loved it so much that I decided to put some in my hair, eyes and even my ear for good measure. What I really wanted was to bathe in it:
Mmmmm. My first sugar high:
Let's just put a little more in my hair. Perfect.
I even shared some of it with Mama:
And I'm back, all clean and ready to work the room and mingle with my guests:
Time for presents!
By the way, Harrison decided he also needed a wardrobe change once he saw that Grandmama brought him Daddy's old soccer jersey. How cool is that!?!
I am getting so much cool stuff at once that I don't even know how to take it all in!
Look at me and my manners - wanting to read the card before tearing into the next present!
Us with one of Daddy's best friends and his son, Christian:
Hanging out with Aunt Kelly some more. I am trying to impress her with my feet:
Here is Harrison breaking in my first tool set. And yes, he fixed the door he is working on!
Soaking up Papa & Bebe:
Enjoying Uncle George & Aunt Marilyn too:
And we got to enjoy Uncle George & Aunt Marilyn even longer than we thought! Uncle George's battery konked out and so I got my tools, put my gloves on and tried to remedy the situation with my expertise and years of experience:
Taking some time to relax inside with Bebe while the other boys are outside sweating it out under the hood of a Jeep. Suckers.
Uncle Jeremy and Aunt Lucy were a little (read: 3 hours) late, so we got to spend the evening with them, and had a blast:
I love you Uncle Jeremy!
