So basically my kid is smart...

No seriously, he is. Here's my proof.

Example #1
He can read all of Green Eggs and Ham. By "read" I mean he has memorized the entire book in order. We have been struggling with naptime and bedtime. By struggling I mean Cooper refuses and we don't know what else to do. So we have started to give him his books and tell him that he needs to read the books to his stuffed animals. And boy does he...every single word. His favorites are Green Eggs and Ham and Marvin K. Mooney. I will say we have read these to him maybe 4 times before he started "reading" them by himself. (told you - he's smart!)

Example #2
He remembers/listens to everything.

We took some shoes back to a store today. We were having the new shoes shipped to Pop Pop at his store. Cooper was sitting in his stroller eating lollipops, while I dealt with the salesperson. I explained everything thinking that Cooper wasn't listening. We come home and tells E in detail what happened like this...

We took pop pop's shoes back to the man because they had a tear in the back. He is shipping them to Pop Pop at his store. Oh and I saw the fishies. (there is a big fish tank at nordstrom)

Also, as I was battling with him over naptime I told him to come get me when he wanted to be a good boy again. About 20 minutes pass. He opens his door and says, "Mommy I going to be a good boy now." So I walk in and I asked what does that mean. He replies, "I going to lay in my bed like you asked." Then he proceeds to tell me this, "My daddy just tells me I have to lay down. He says (yelling) lay down right now! So I going to be a good boy and lay down. K mommy?"
Ok Cooper...

Fail...

Eddie and I have been starting our morning conversations like this...
"When is this phase going to end?"
"I feel like a big failure, how about you?"
"Take a deep breath."

I don't know how many times I have said this, but I wanted to document it so when I look back and say oh it wasn't that hard I am reminded. Parenting is HARD. We fail at it every day. It also makes you appreciate your parents more. How on earth did my mom and dad deal with all my whining and remain sane?

Cooper is a very strong willed boy. For example, he refuses to go peepee on the potty at school because he says, "I go at home." This is all a big challenge. I hope when we look back and think about these days we remember not that we felt like failures, but that he was so darn cute.

Potty Training

So each day I realize being a parent is really hard. Each day is harder than the previous one. Don't get me wrong - it's the greatest thing in the world. It's just hard. Potty training and I have been butting heads for weeks now - and I am losing people. Outside of the fact I may have the most stubborn child. We did awesome all weekend. No meltdowns, no tantrums when I asked him to go, he just did. We gave treats, we did the peepee dance, we celebrated. And he did great all weekend - no accidents during the day. Then came school on Monday. He did great - no accidents - but that was because he held it ALL DAY LONG! The second we walked in the house he went on the potty. He said (and told his teachers) "I go to the potty at home." Seriously can something be easy?

A glimpse into our nightly conversations...

So here's just a recap of tonight's conversations:

"It's hot outside Cooper."
"Yes Mommy."
"Do you know who made it hot outside?"
"Jesus did mommy. Not nice Jesus, I not like it so hot."
"Oh Jesus made it hot?"
"No the ickyboo dragon did."
"Oh ickyboo?"
"Yes ickyboo not like the heat."

"Daddy don't throw things!" (No he wasn't throwing anything.)
"Ok Coop - we aren't supposed to throw things are we?"
"No Daddy, don't throw this pillow or that pillow or golf clubs. Throw golf clubs and they go in the trash can."
"That's right - what happens if you throw your golf clubs?"
"Mommy will throw them in trash."

(Don't judge have you ever had a golf club hit you on leg after a 2.5 year old threw it. It hurts.)

Happy Birthday America!

As we watched A Capital Fourth on tv Cooper kept repeating, "Happy Birthday America" as he danced around the rooming followed by hopping on one foot. Crazy boy. We had a wonderful long weekend filled with playing golf, playing outside, bbq with friends, ice cream, sparklers and naps! Cooper has really turned into a little boy. He's no baby anymore (except that I can't potty train him, but that is a whole other post topic). Without any further delay, here are some pics from our weekend and a video of Cooper's new dancing skills.