my new favorite

I've got to get around to finally hanging things on our walls. This just might be the first thing hung.

the good ones

Outtakes

Cooper's growing faster than some weeds! The kid is already in size 2 diapers and 3-6 month clothes (he's not even 6 weeks old). As I try to capture these two, I'm loving my camera (I'm so grateful for digital). There are plenty of days when I take WAY too many photos, like yesterday. Here are some funny ones, I can't wait to work on the great shots - some turned out fabulous. So excited.

Dad calls him Whitey

Okay, that isn't true, but he does like to talk about how white he is.

Unfortunately the differences in Cooper (top) and Guy (bottom) aren't as clear on the blog as in the real photos side by side, but I can still see it (mostly in the skin) . . . :)

Too much hair?

At least five or six times we've had to ungrasp Cooper's hand from his hair. He loves holding on to things, and weaving his fingers into anything he can.

Last week at the doctor's office the nurses told me that this 11 lb. 4 oz. baby is bigger than every two month old that was in their office that day. The sad thing about that is that it's looking like Guy's clothes may not work too well seasonally. All of Guy's winter stuff will probably fit Cooper in the middle of the summer. Some of his cute 0-3 month stuff is already getting pretty tight. Since we aren't planning on moving south of the equator anytime soon, I guess I'll have to supplement the wardrobe.

Jimmer Fever

If you know who he is, how do you not have it? BYU's been fun to watch this year--and Jimmer isn't the only reason, but he sure is amazing.

My generous parents kindly offered Rob and me use of their 11th row tickets to BYU's last home game of season last weekend. I probably said yes to my dad faster than he finished making the offer. Knowing that Rob would kindly humor with the request that he join me for one game. I figure one game a year won't hurt him (and I know he'd even go to more without even making me beg). I also thought, though, that it would be fun to take Guy to his first game, so I figured that he could move in between our laps (since I have most of mine back now) and it would be no big deal. Then I learned that 2 year olds require tickets. ?!? We were just a few weeks too late.

I gave Rob a few options: we could go and leave the boys with my folks (another very generous offer), buy an extra ticket for Guy, or I could just take Guy. Rob quickly jumped at the last option. So, I did the "dad thing" :) - and took my boy to his first basketball game.

It was fantastic.

Guy LOVED it. It was nap time when we headed down, so I was a little afraid of how it would all pan out, but it couldn't have been better. Before getting to our seats I bought a bag of popcorn, and then we headed in - in time to see all the pre-game senior honors and all that.

For a while now he's known "miss" and "yea" when a ball either goes in, or doesn't. We've got a way to go before he distinguishes between teams, but we're on the right path because when asked his favorite color is consistently blue (and that was never even prompted). But he watched and clapped, and devoured almost a whole bag of popcorn by himself.

And I had a great time. With Guy, and watching the game.

Every day since that game Guy has asked for basketball. I tell him we'll go again sometime, and we definitely will. It's kind of fun to think that his first basketball game was Jimmer's last game at BYU.

Go Cougs! . . . and thanks, Dad and Mom.With 4 min. left of the game, Guy was saying "All done." So we did head out pretty quickly after the game ended. On the way out, though, we watched the "fun mess" of confetti and the party on the court. Guy talked about it the whole way home. Not the most flattering photo of Guy, but the best I could do while holding him and taking the photo.

some photos

See those things? . . . yeah, they are blue--for now. We'll see what pans out, but I'd be lying if I didn't say I'm shocked. So far they've gone from gray to blue but I'm trying not to get my hopes up. Things are going pretty well, but there's never a dull moment, right? Our latest "excitement" is thrush for Cooper, and, well, the nursing yeast infection that goes along with that for me--ouch, times two. Lucky us, right? In five days things should be better, so here's hoping.

Overall, though, recovery has been SO MUCH better than last time, and I'm truly grateful. Otherwise, I don't know how I'd do it with two.

Cooper Benjamin

So, it's official--on the birth certificate.

We got home on Monday, and all is going really well. I'm healing much faster than last time and Cooper seems to be doing great, too. Guy's been wonderful with him--he's excited to hold him and feed him. The cutest thing, though, is that in the middle of playing, he'll just go over to Cooper, kiss him, and go back to playing.

Today I snapped away--taking way too many photos. Here are more than a few because I can't pick fewer favorites, sorry if it's overload.I guess he was done . . .

A couple photos

Proud Dad

more photos to come--but probably not until we get home. he doesn't have the oxygen stuff anymore, but the i.v. is still in his poor little hand.

He's here!

started Saturday:

So, we think we have a name, but it might be a litle too popular for me, so I've been having a hard time committing. Right now we're thinking Cooper Benjamin, but I feel like every time I tell someone the name they say they know a kid named Cooper. One friend knows two kids named Cooper Benjamin. At least I'm sure none of them have the last name Justiniano. I like that Guy's name is uncommon but not unheard of.

This morning I was trying to sleep, but had a horrible headache. I finally went out to the couch and took a headache medicine pill my OB/GYN prescribed early on in the pregnancy because I've gotten such bad headaches this time around. I fell asleep after 1 am, but then woke up in less than 20 minutes when my water broke.

Guy's and the baby's deliveries were eerily similar in a few ways. It was 2 years ago on a Friday night/Saturday morning that my water broke with guy. After getting to the hospital, though, things were realy different. This time, after I woke Rob up, we called Eden and she rushed over to be with Guy (can't thank you enough!). I didn't think I was in as much of a hurry as I ended up being in. Guy was born about 11 hours after my water broke. This time barely over four hours later the baby made his appearance.

Two days ago I packed a bag and wrote out a list of last minute things to collect (since we use them too often to stow them in a bag). After Rob collected everything and got us ready, we were off.

The hospital isn't too far away (about 35 blocks), and on the way there contractions began. By the time I got to the hospital I was at a 5, but less than 20 min. later I was a 6. They didn't get the epidural in for a while, and holy pain. I was getting contractions every minute or one and one half minutes. I'm so grateful for modern medicine--especially the epidural. I had to hold off pushing for a while, to get the epidural in, and everything was super painful. even with the epidural, I felt lots of pressure and a little pain.

It took longer than I expected for the baby to make his appearance, but when he did, I quickly recognized why. 9 lbs. 11 oz. later--almost 2 lbs. heavier than Guy's birth weight. No episiotomy and just a little tearing, things were much more rough last time. This time, the birth process was more painful, but the recovery has been much faster. Guy turned in the birth canal, so what he did to my body was the equivalent of delivering a 15 lb. baby. This time, though, for the actual labor I was exhausted, and contractions were every minute or minute and a half--it was tremendously exhausing. After about 45 minutes, I couldn't do it alone anymore. I said a prayer, asking for help to be done, and on the next contraction, I got enough help and energy to push long enough and hard enough for the baby to make his appearance. Whew!

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finished Sunday:

From the birthing room the nurses felt that the baby was having a hard time breathing because he kept making grunting noises. Eden might be on to something thinking the kid just wanted food. Unfortunately, he went straight to the NICU, and has been there ever since. He was on oxygen for a little while, but got off that at 1:45 this morning. For a little while, we were told he'd be able to get out this afternoon, but now we don't get him until tomorrow at discharge. He's doing just great, and I'm grateful for that, but it's not the idal set-up in terms of convenience. Thankfully, he's an all-star eater, but for every nursing session I have to go down to the NICU. However, I recognize that things could be much worse/more difficult. I'm healing really well. A lot faster than I expected. I've only taken Percocet since I've been here, and the walk from the maternity ward to the NICU has gotten much faster and much less painful.

Guy came to visit tonight with my folks and Eden. We've missed him these two days, but he's doing great. I was a little sad that we could only show him Cooper through the window. He wanted to see more of him, but was quickly distracted with the prospect of a cookie waiting for him in the room upstairs (thanks again, Adriana!).

Hopefully all goes as expected tonight and we get to head home early tomorrow morning. It'll be the best Valentine's Day ever.

Life is good, I know we've been blessed, and I'm tremendously grateful.

Guy is 2!

Thankfully on Monday I had more energy than "the usual" these days. We had a fun filled celebratory day. I've definitely been in survival mode these days, so some things weren't top notch (like the only present I wrapped was in Christmas paper upside down), but he won't remember.

We started the morning off at the aquarium. Guy loves Mr. Ray, Nemo, and Dori--can you guess what his favorite movie is?

Then we met Dad at McDonald's by his office--where they have a play place.

Mostly Guy just wanted to shoot hoops with Dad.

A little out of focus, but that tongue--wow!

The beaters he liked more than the 2 bites of cake. We always have to talk him into desserts. Sadly, that isn't a trait he inherited from me.

He has lots of balls, but this is his first football. He loves it, but spends a little too much time shooting into his basketball hoop already. Next ball he gets will be a soccer ball. In November, I bought a TON of Fisher Price Little People off ksl ($80 worth). It took over 2 hours to disinfect them all--it really was a massive amount. That was his main Christmas present (about 1/2 of them), and we gave him a couple more of the sets for his birthday, too.

We had pizza for dinner, then this cake. Guy's favorite friend Chloe came over for a little while for cake and a little play time.

Under the influence of Dad, Guy is already learning to LOVE Spiderman. Not a perfect cake, but he was happy with it.

In some ways, I already feel like he's growing up too fast!