One Month Milestone and Newborn Supplies

Check out baby brother at his one month milestone.  We got our money's worth with the Fisher Price papisan cradle swing for Minicoop and her baby brother.  There are many designs available but we recommend that you consider the one with the best ratings from sites like Amazon. It can swing, has a lot of padding that's machine washable, has a mobile, multiple angles, and music.   We did all of our baby registering online to make use of the consumer feedback before making our selections.

This Baby Bjorn chair is great since it's washable, can be folded flat, has multiple angles, and has a soft backing for the baby's head. Here is baby brother watching Big Sis play with her Legos.  To help entertain Big Sis, she loves puzzles, Legos, kitchen toys, pretend play with her barbies. 



Welcome Home Baby Brother

December 2010 was a very special time for our family.  We became a family of four and welcomed home a healthy baby boy. It was a much appreciated gift to have our parents and siblings close by during the holidays. Newborn pictures were taken in our house which took the stress away from us needing to travel. The first few weeks were full of emotions, physical recovery, and exhaustion. .BUT..we have been on cloud nine!

Minicoop's Big 2 in Maui

Minicoop's first beach vacation was in Maui. Words can not express how much fun we had while we enjoyed Aunt Cindy and Uncle Toan's wedding.  The flower girl did so well walking down the ailse with Daddy.  I highly recommend a beach pop up tent.  Even when Minicoop was not using it, it was great to protect your things from the sand and sun.  We extended the vacation and spent time on the Big Island (Kona and Hilo).   Enjoy the album.  

Thanksgiving 2011

I never realized how big I was until I found these Thanksgiving pictures!

Minicoop Becomes a Big Sis

As the day got closer to little brother's arrival, I became more worried and more anxious about how Big Sis would react.  I was feeling torn on how I can have room to love another little being as much as I love her. I was feeling sad that the attention that I have to give the baby is time that I would lose with my first baby. Minicoop is a natural Big Sis.  She melted my worries since day 1.  Here are pictures of her first time meeting her baby bother.  

I continue to count my blessing on how nurturing and understanding she is. We planned for her to be potty trained and the Minicoops to at least be 2 years a part.  That was a huge plus!

We also did our homework to minimize disruption and to help ease the transition. 

-Ahead of time, we purchased I'm a Big Sister book By Joanna Cole.  She still loves reading that book!

-We bought a big sister and little brother gift for them to exchange during their first meet in the hospital.

-She still remembers that her magnetic dress up dolls toy is from her baby brother.

-In return, she gave baby brother a beany baby.

-Upon arrival at the hospital, we ensured that Big Sis saw her Little Bro in his crib and not Mommy's arms. 

-We made sure our family gave extra attention to Big Sis since the baby wouldn't know any better.

-While I was recovering, Daddy became the primary care taker for Bib Sis. He made sure her routine stayed the same while I stayed in the hospital for the first three nights.  Minicoop always went home to sleep in her own bed.

And so the journey now has a family of four :)

Tiny Tim Song

A big part of our family's routine is singing and listening to music. It helps wind the kids down, or gets them moving to pick up toys, or spare our sanity while we are driving :)  We appreciate how easily you can find lyrics to songs on the internet.  We try to memorize new songs and incorporate them into bedtime and bathtime routines.  Daycare has introduced Minicoop to many cute songs.  After she turned 2.5, we started hearing her sing songs from school.   This is one of our favorites that we learned from her.

Tiny Tim


I had a little Turtle,
His name was Tiny Tim.
I put him in the bathtub, to see if he could swim.
He drank up all the water.
He ate up all the soap.
And now he's sick in bed with bubbles in his throat.

The cutest is listening to her voice and when she adds a hiccup at the end of the song!

Dallas Arboretum Fairy Tale Castle

This year 2011, is our first Spring as a family of four.  Here are pictures from a day at the Dallas Arboretum. Enjoy viewing the album.

Baby Portraits of Lucas

Sophia is a proud Big Sis.  Christmas 2010 was extra
special with us welcoming home Lucas!

7 weeks old

Last night he slept for 5 hours straight! That's a first!





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Gymnastics fun!

http://picasaweb.google.com/vantrancooper/FirstTimeGymnastics25Years?feat=directlink



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Fall 2010 Fun - Tossing nuts

This Summer and Fall 2010, we've been attending Emlers Super Waterbabies swimming lessons. It is really neat to see how the program has transformed Minicoop into a little fish. After swimming lessons and lunch, we enjoy the outdoors as often as the weather permits.

Here she is gathering and tossing nuts for fun.








Gathering nuts to do more tossing




























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Toddler funny phrases

Here is soon to be big sister playing with her shoes!



Also, I've captured several comments she tends to say. Her vocabulary drastically changed after she entered "Pre-school" at daycare.
 
Daddy be careful , you might get hurt.
We are at daycare and I was talking to the teacher.  She cupped my face and said "I need home".
"Good job Mommy as she was clapping" (Mommy pee-peed on the potty)
We were eating dried apricots..."Like it?" . she replied "I don’t like it"
We were at Loews heading down an ailse...."Keep running!" and she was off!
"I need to close my eyes" (she was tired)
Everytime she says "Yes" it's clearly articulated "Y E SSSS"
She went through a phase of ending every statement or question with "Okaay!?"
She was looking at an old picture of Simon and myself before she was born and asked "Where's Sia?"
When she doesn't want to help pick up toys - "I'm tired"
"No Carmine, it's Sia's toy!"  Carmine is our cat.
'Put your shoes on."
We were getting ready for bed.  I asked "Want to pick out a book?"  Response:  "No, I’m sleeping"
After dropping her off at daycare I was hanging out to make sure she was served breakfast, I got dismissed by my todller"Mommy Go"
"Booga…look! ..I ate it!"
At 2 am in the morning, “Im not tired”
"That's Amazing"  I'm not sure where she picked that up, but it's funny to hear her express it :)
"That's cute" I think she got this from me since I always say cute.



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Planting and outdoor fun with Toddlers

With the weather getting cooler, we have welcomed Fall by planting flowers for Minicoop to water :). She loves watering things! Also, we enjoy hanging outside, including Kitty Carmine, to play with sidewalk chalk! She tends to make special requests for Daddy to draw and luckily we have an artist in the household.
























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Summer 2010 Fun- Sidewalk Chalk

Luckily between the two of us, Simon is more of the artist in the family. Minicoop loves helping and watching Daddy.































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Reading Sunday Paper

Here is Minicoop enjoying the Sunday paper while waiting for a table at La Peep.










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Halloween 2010 preview

For the past year, Minicoop's favorite colors have been shades of blue and purple. Not to our surprise, she picked the Disney Rapunzel costume in preparation for this years Halloween.

She's currently 27 months. To my surprise she understands what it means to "dress up" for Halloween. Here she is watching TV after she tried on her costume.








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Toddlers love to help

Minicoop is in the phase of loving to help. She is really good at waiting and receiving directions. She is always eager to be Daddys little assitant.





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