Family Resemblance

I gave my sister a picture of the two of us together when we were little for her birthday. When she saw it, she said (or it was my mom...I can't remember now), "Oh my goodness - that looks so much like Miles!" I hadn't really paid much attention when I was getting it ready, but once I looked, I could really see the resemblance! Here is a picture of me that I think could be Miles, if, let's say, Miles was dressed in girl clothes and born 30ish years ago. :)

Playin' in the Rain!

We took the boys out in a downpour and let them enjoy the rush of water in the curb. Although cautious at first, they enjoyed their time splashing in the rain!

Tattoo

We were standing in line at Woods today behind a football player looking gentleman. He had a large tattoo around his upper arm. Cooper was a pretty interested in this guy's tattoo. Finally, he asked me, "Mom, why did that guy write on his arm?" loud enough for all to hear. We had a small discussion about tattoos - Cooper wanted to know all he could. Tattoo Guy turned around and smiled at us. I'm glad that he didn't beat us up!

Miles has started saying: "Cooper, where are you?" but it sounds a little bit more like, "Bobby, Ooo ahhh oooo?"

Meatballs

Not much new is on the Bethell front. I've been traveling a lot - mostly to Canada and Texas. We've had some beautiful days lately with highs in the 70s so it's been a great opportunity to spend time outside with the family and on the bike. Carey is still running and adding mileage here and there. Sarita and Carey are running a half-marathon in a few months in Bolivar. They ususally don't train for the halfs but they have done a 10-mile run for fun.

So, to the meatballs. (This is Carey...)
One day, I was holding Cooper. He rubbed my chest a little and said, "Mom, those are your meatballs." I let it drop - I didn't want to give him a reaction that would make him want to say it again. We did have a small discussion about private areas and how we handle those. (I didn't think this would start with a 2-year-old!)

One of the P90X videos that we have is an ab video. I do this video a few times a week, and Cooper likes to watch, and sometimes attempt the exercises with me. There are four people in the video and one of them is a woman with a green sports bra. In the middle of the video last week, Cooper said, "Where's the green girl?" I said, "Oh - the camera's not on her - just a second and it will be." Cooper - "I want to see her meatballs." Shock and horror. I got up and turned the video off. "Buddy - who taught you that those are meatballs?" Cooper - thinking - "Grandpa Holtwick!*"

The video will no longer be on while he is around...

*For those of you who know Grandpa Holtwick (my Dad) you know that he would never teach Cooper that a woman's chest is called meatballs. I called him first to tell him that Cooper blamed him so he would not be surprised by this. He is an awesome Grandpa!!

Get ready house...

The fam was hanging out on Monday night and enjoying some time with the boys. Cooper had just fallen off the stool at the kitchen counter and we were in the living room recovering. While doing so, Miles decided to stand up next to the couch and start walking. He has taken a few steps, but this was good progress. Lots of fun to come in the Bethell house - I hope the house survives!

We were listening to Michael Jackson during dinner one night last week. Cooper started dancing by "punching" with both arms in the air. As he punched, he said, "Punch it out, Baby!" I think Michael would have been proud.

Conversations with Miles

Miles has added two words to his vocabulary: this and that. Conversations sound a little like this:



Miles: This! This! This! (While pointing at something.)

Me: This?

Miles: That!

Me: That?

Miles: This! (Pointing.)

Repeat



The other day in the car, Cooper spotted a green tractor. I said, "That tractor is green! I bet it is a John Deere." Cooper said, "Oh! Good thinking, Mommy! Good thinking!" Such an encourager.

Sayings of Cooper...

On Monday, I took Cooper and Miles to the Y to work out. In the time it took to get from the front seat of the van to Miles' seat, I lost my keys. I looked in all the normal places, and they were just gone. Cooper noticed me stressing about the keys, and he asked me what was wrong. I explained that I misplaced my keys and that I was trying to find them. Coop said, "It's okay Mommy. You can do it! You can find your keys!" He seems to be such a words of encouragement guy.


Monday night we went to a book club/pool party at the Evans' house. I told Cooper about the party in the morning, and all day he said, "Is it time to go to Ms. Rachel's house? I'm so excited about seeing my friends. I really want to see my friends, Mommy. Is it time to go to Ms. Rachel's house?"


Yesterday morning, Cooper was getting dressed and he wanted to put some new underwear on. Normally I don't change his undies the morning after a bath, so I told him he didn't need new undies. He said, "But Mom, I need new underwear! My old underwear are stinky!" Uh oh...


We went to Springfield tonight on a whim. (We're so crazy, I know...) When we told Cooper we were driving to Springfield, he said, "I'm so glad we're going to Springfield." He was a delight to be with on the trip!

On the way to Lisa's house yesterday, we were listening to the radio. I looked back, and Cooper was moving his hand over his stomach area - playing the guitar. He said, "Mom - you should play the guitar, too!" So we played together. He started saying things like, "Oh yeah, Baby!" and "Rock out!" and "I'm jammin'!"


Just so Miles gets a bit of the spotlight, he sang a full song this morning with the sound "ba." I could definately tell he was singing, not just talking, but the way his voice moved up and down. It was very sweet.

Old videos - okay, not that old, but by a few weeks anyway

After Jaime!