Bittersweet Summer

Today is one of my last days off with Cooper before having to go back to work. Jeff will be off with us Monday, then I go back to work for 2.5 weeks before we go on our vacation. The day after we get back, I go back to work for in-service. It just doesn't seem like the summer was long enough.

Mine and Cooper's time this summer has been so much fun. Cooper is growing and learning so much. He's making different babbling noises and much to my mother's delight, he has started saying, "Yayayaya," which is, of course, long for her chosen grandmother name of "YaYa." He's still crawling all over the place and will pull up on anything he can. He loves to "play drums" on boxes, trays, and plastic bowls and still is enthralled with any and all puppy dogs. He's up to 3 meals a day with 2nd foods and we've found a new favorite- sweet potatoes and corn mixed together! We're working on drinking from a sippy cup, but with his top teeth coming in, he's more interested in chewing on it. He and I have gotten into a little routine that works for us...and now I'm headed back to work and the routine may fall by the wayside.

There are definitely times I miss being at work. I like my routine there, too, and if Cooper could come with me and just hang out in my office, that would probably be the best of both worlds. I feel like I'm a better mom when I work, but have enjoyed my days home with him.

He's only 10 days away from being 9 months old and I can't believe it. I was looking at his baby pictures the other day and he's changed so much and to think he's only 3 months away from turning 1 is hard to imagine.