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Recently Cooper had the opportunity to have his photograph taken with a couple of 1st grade football players. These guys are high profile (FAMOUS even!) in Sydney. It has been a thrill for us to have the rugged brunette live next door to my Aunty for the past few years. Sadly he is moving soon. We'll miss the sight of him mowing the lawn without a shirt, jogging back from the beach still wet & glorious. Seriously, I have never seen a more handsome man in real life. He is in peak physical form. Guns like nothing else. And would you believe he is even a really lovely man? He is totally devoted to his lucky wife & kids....this makes him even more attractive!

I always get a little star struck when I see him. Despite 18 stitches in his lip I still think he looks fabulous. Cooper was totally under awed....but when he grows up I'm sure he'll appreciate these photo's. I'll tell him how 2 famous Rugby League players picked him up, said "Hello Little Mate" and smiled for his semi-delirious, flustered mother.

Royal Easter Show

Sydney-siders flock to the annual Royal Easter Show.
It's the same every year. Chaos. But I love going.

The crowds, the rides, the animals, the food. Kids plan weeks in advance which showbags they want.

It's a hideous rip off in so many ways. Everything cost 4 times more than it should....but still. It's FUN. This year Cooper was big enough to enjoy the Carousel. My voice went all high pitched as I loaded him onto a prancing stallion. "Ooooohh! who's riding a horsey?!!" We waved frantically to Nanny with each passing rotation (I waved...Cooper cantered) It was completely precious. The Easter Show has a whole new level of fun for me now, through my son. Next year perhaps he'll get his face painted, feed a piglet or demand the Dora showbag. Oh, sweet childhood. Embrace the days of innocence. My 14 year old cousin proclaimed that she'd rather be dead than wear a rain poncho, despite the frequent downpours. Not that long ago she was a Carousel rider too, waving to the crowd & not the least bit concerned about how her hair or lip-gloss looked. That's what I love about growing up with the Easter Show. At first you just ride the Carosel & grip your balloon, then you progress onto obnoxious air brush tattooed teenager, then pram pushing proud parent & one day you just go to admire the pickled fruit.
The memories are worth every grossly inflated cent.

April

A blog entry for April.
Lazy bones is finally walking. Teetering & flailing...collapsing onto his lounge. His preferred mode of transport is still his 3 wheeled bike. He hurtles down the hall way, taking corners like a speedway racer. He just can't operate unless he has something on his head. A hat, a headband, a bowl!
Eg:

Funny little bloke. He is completely in awe of "Toy Story"....over & over...infinity, beyond & back again. I know it word for word. My favorite line is "That's MR Potato Head to you...you back stabbing murderer"...such fun for the kiddies. Oh and when Buzz is paging Star Command & ponders out loud "Why don't they ANSWER??" It's a total crack up.."The mystic portal awaits.." Man, I need to buy "Finding Nemo"
See you in May.....and "oh...it's a Combat Carl.."

Hip Hooray

I turned 37 this week. Birthdays are nice. I got spoilt. Cooper loves the Happy Birthday song. Don't all kids? Here he is singing & clapping "Hooray!"

My Mum gave me a pendant that belonged to my precious Nan. My Nan passed away when I was 14, she was exceptionally loving & adored by us all. It's lovely to wear something that once adorned her neck.
Mum also did a little photo album for Cooper. It has pictures of all his cousins, us, the dog and him. He absolutely loves it. He sits & studies each photograph before a flurry of page turning and then more careful studying. He calls his new little cousin "A Bubby"

We are going to see The Wiggles next month. I know Cooper will lose his little mind when he sees Dorothy the Dinosaur. He loves her.
My girlfriend & I are thinking about selling some of our craft at the Markets. I have been sewing alot lately. It would be a buzz to sell some of my handiwork. Here are some of the little sunhats I've made.

Zzzzzzz....

Cruising in the car today I gleefully turned up the radio at the beginning of "All Out of Love" by Air Supply. Such a guilty pleasure....singing your heart out to the daggiest of tunes...You know all the words and the chorus leaves you with a ruptured vocal chord.
That's the Boogie.
After the song finished I heard a little sound coming from the back seat. It was my tiniest homie, Cooper..and he was clapping! Apparently my off-key belting rendition impressed him. Let's be honest, it's never too early to discover your Mum is a Rock Star.

I wonder who coined the phrase "Slept like a Baby..?"
It seems so contradicting. Or at least it DID. My Karitane experience has produced the most delightful, slumbering boy I've ever encountered.
Bedtime is easy. He actually waves goodnight. It is an absolute miracle. 12 hours, 11 hours...all night, every night. And I won't even bore you with the daytime napping stats. Let's just say I yawn a whole lot less these days.
Cooper, my beautiful little dude.
You are sleeping like a Baby.

Hats & Bears

My son isn't a very affectionate boy. He rarely seeks cuddles or sits happily in my lap. He's far too busy.

He does however display immense love to his teddy. Both arms wrap teddy in a headlock. He spoons with Ted all night. I'm glad he has this security friend.

Similarly he will not wear a sunhat. Even for a second. BUT give him his Tonka hardhat & he puts it on his noggin for hours. He'll eat dinner with his hard hat on. He'll watch tele in his hard hat.
Tough enough for a hard hat...mushy enough for a teddy cuddle. A perfect blend for my boy.

Magic

Karitane.
They came.
They saw.
They left.

...left me with a glossy pamphlet, a serious talking to and a whole new game plan. Like a shrill Supernanny episode...it is working.
My son is sleeping.
For hours upon hours.
I am completely gobsmacked. It's all so simple. Cooper goes to bed without a bottle, without his music box, without his pillow & without his on-demand Mother.
I just had to stay strong enough to let him cry it out. Scream & bellow & wail it out, actually. It wasn't easy...but it wasn't difficult either. When he woke through the 1st night I clutched my pillow, said a prayer out loud & watched the minutes of mayhem tick by on my clock. 12 long minutes passed before there was delightful silence. Each waking episode was handled the same way and 3 nights in he is sleeping 8 hours straight. I am giddy.