August 14, 2011

Cooper,

Today Nana and Papa have been married for 29 years! Can you believe it?  I think Nana and Papa set a record for shortest time spent dating and engagement....less than a week! They met at church on a Sunday and that Friday they got married, no joke! They've made it 29 years.  In 29 years, they've had 3 kids, adopted one, 2 Angel Babies, moved to Iowa, moved back to Oklahoma, surivied the Navay Reserves,
and countless other events. Whew, it's been a long trip.  I'm glad to have them as my parents.

August 14, 2011 - 34 weeks!
5 months ago we had your 1st and only baby shower --- you missed the rest, we thought you had decided you just wanted to be there for all the fun!  Daddy and I had stayed the night at Kristen's apartment in OKC.  We left and were starting to head for Aunt Lou's house in Stillwater.  (Sidenote,  Momma would have loved if you had gone to college at OSU!!! I kept telling Daddy if you chosen OSU we would have paid your tuition but if you has picked that OTHER school we would have disowned you....) We were having family get together.  Your cousin Alex was getting ready to start his freshman year at OSU (smart boy!) and it was more or less a met the rest of your family.  Aunt Amber moved with Craig to Washington right after the were married and Alex and your other cousin Aaron were both born there.  Aunt Lou threw a baby shower for Daddy and I at the same time.  We had lots of fun and received lots of cute clothes just for you! Angel gave us the cutest diaper bag. I couldn't wait to use.  It matched Daddy's uniform and had your name embroidered on it. I was still really swollen and it was really painful.  My cousin Joy is a nurse and she was slightly alarmed by everything that I told her.  She was pretty serious about me staying off of my feet and staying out of the heat. Last summer was BAD. There were some days were it would get over 100*.  I think I spent most of the afternoon camped out in her living room with my feet up. I'm pretty sure Papa and I both feel asleep on the couch and I vaguely remember someone take pictures of us. Daddy and headed back home later that afternoon but not before Joy told me if they swelling stopped going down at night I needed to call my doctor, to stop and stretch while we were driving home, and to keep my feet up as much as possible.  We got home that evening and we starting to put all of your new things away.  We mostly got clothes and I threw them all in a laundry basket to sort and wash later.  We hadn't started to set up you 'room' yet.  In the old house we only had our room and one other bedroom.  Daddy had his computer in there and there really wasn't anyroom to move it out into the living room.  We had our names on the list to move into a 3 bedroom house.  We had planned on just putting up an pack 'n' play next to our bed since we knew you wouldn't be sleeping in a crib even if we had room for one.  Nana and Papa had purchased your Pack 'N' Play and they had just given it to us that day.   Papa Don and Kimmy and purchased your car seat and stroller and they were sitting in the living room in their boxes still. Our living room had become baby central.  We put everything there and planned on waiting until after the other 2 baby showers to start put everything in it's spot and setting up for your arrival.  Kristen was planning another baby shower for that weekend (August 20) and Kimmy and Mimi were planning a baby shower in Tulsa (August 27).  Daddy and I were so excited to start getting everything ready for you.  I spent hours that summer making sure we picked out just the right items for you. I checked reviews for EVERYTHING.  Daddy thought it was funny because he would come home for lunch and I'd be sitting on the computer checking reviews and safety issues.  He'd leave and come home after work and I'd still be sitting there.  Or I would have moved to the couch with the laptop. I was pretty anal about making sure that everything was just right for your arrival. I just wanted everything to be perfect for you.

love you the moon and back again,
Momma