Wow. It's been 14 months since I last posted. Poor Eliza really got the shaft on the documentation of her life thus far. Blog posts ceased and we took about 5 real photos in 2016. Tonight's the night, though! I thought of the blog earlier this evening and mentioned it to Jason. Also, I've spent the past 2 hours syncing my iPhone and downloading the photos in preparation for getting a new phone, so it's time for an update!
Our life has been a tailspin since Dec. 2014 (whose hasn't??) when we decided to build a new house. What were we thinking? The past year has involved logistical nightmares, way too many decisions, and a lot of patience. We have been grateful for lots of help and support from friends and family to move twice, repack flooded storage units, navigate untimely illness, and even share living accommodations (thanks to my in-laws!). So glad that's behind us and now we are thoroughly enjoying our new home in the Hallsley subdivision of Midlothian. Someday I will post photos of the inside of the house but since we're about 20% settled, I'll save those for another day.
Cooper will turn 6 next month. This fall was a time of change as he started Kindergarten and we moved into the new house in October. He didn't know a soul at his new school since our old neighborhood, preschool, and church friends are all at other elementary schools. It made me nervous but didn't seem to phase him. He's made lots of friends and talks about his classmates a lot. Lots of boys his age in the new neighborhood as well! Developmentally, it's becoming clear to us that Cooper's strengths will lie in academics (like father, like son). He is reading around a 2nd grade level and continues to do very well at school. Science and technology are emerging as favorites. That said, his writing, drawing, and interest in art has increased significantly since preschool. He's also quite obsessed with numbers, which currently includes a need to know EVERY SINGLE sports score EVERY SINGLE DAY. It used to be cute. Now it's just kind of annoying :) Speaking of sports, we gave soccer a try this fall. It gave him great experience being on a team and playing a sport and he had a lot of fun. He's got good skills, but the actual playing of the game never seemed to click for him. We'll see where that goes, and are giving basketball a try this winter. While he may not be the star player, we will encourage him to play as long as he's enjoying it. Other major milestones from the past year include learning to swim over the summer, losing 2 teeth (so far), and developing a great knack for bickering with his little sister. Some highlights below...
 |
| 5th Birthday Party at Romp n Roll (Feb. 2015) |
 |
| First Time Sledding (Feb. 2015) |
 |
| Fun times at birthday parties (May 2015) |
 |
| Baths at Grandma's House (May 2015) |
 |
| 4th of July |
 |
| Beachin' It (Aug. 2015) |
 |
| Flying Squirrels Game (Sept. 2015) |
 |
| Soccer Medal (Nov. 2015) |
 |
| Christmas Parade (Dec. 2015) |
 |
| All Smiles for Santa! (Dec. 2015) |
Miss Eliza has a personality all her own as she approaches her 2nd birthday. She and Cooper are emerging as complete opposites. The common thread is their tendency to be strong-willed (lucky us!). Eliza is expressive, dramatic, and talks non-stop. Literally. This girl repeats every word we say and is talking in sentences. She has called Cooper "Ba-ba" for the past year, but now she says his name. Unfortunately, the best she can do is "Pooper" at the moment. She's recently started counting, saying some of the ABCs, and identifying a few colors. She's expressing interest in music and art, favoring activities like singing and drawing on the magna-doodle. We love to hear her soft, sweet singing voice on the ABCs or Happy Birthday! She is a decent eater but has recently developed the typical toddler pickiness, and she's got a sweet tooth just like the rest of us. I like to call Eliza my BFF because she's a mama's girl without a doubt, attached to my side when I'm around. Still loves her daddy a lot though! She's definitely shy with strangers and takes time to warm up to social situations. We love her to death and think she really rounds out our family, though we may wish for a little less drama.
Eliza and Madeline: Dec. 2015 vs. Dec. 2016
 |
| Showing off her teeth (Feb. 2015) |
 |
| Mowing (April 2015) |
 |
Ice Cream! (May 2015) |
 |
| Reading (?) on the tractor (May 2015) |
 |
| Bathing Beauty (June 2015) |
 |
| Bed head/Yogurt face (June 2015) |
 |
| Celebrating Aunt Carrie's bday (July 2015) |
 |
| Cousin bath (Aug. 2015) |
 |
| Sandcastles (Aug. 2015) |
 |
| She asked! (Aug. 2015) |
 |
| Cooper's biggest cheerleader (Oct. 2015) |
 |
Halloween in the new house
|
 |
| Playing in the fire pit (Nov. 2015) |
 |
| Little Elf (Dec. 2015) |
 |
| Stealing Cooper's sunglasses (Dec. 2015) |
We look forward to some consistency and settling in our new house in 2016. Happy New Year to everyone!
