Annabelle's 2nd Birthday

Today we celebrated Annabelle's 2nd Birthday. Addison went to school in the morning and Cooper, Maddox and ventured out to the grocery store. All the kids could talk about was making a cake for Annabelle, so after lunch we baked the cake and then decorated it. And boy are they good at decorating a cake!!! They were so careful and tried to put the candies in certain places! I'll have to find a picture from her first cake because if I remember correctly they look very similar......just a bunch of candy and sprinkles all over the cake!!!! The very top picture is from last year. I guess the about the only difference is the color of the frosting! Cooper even got in on the action of blowing out the candles. We went out for pizza and then came home and had a little party for Annabelle. That afternoon Addison and Maddox were playing outside and she came in and said, "Mommy, I have something very special in my hand." I said what it is? Addy then said, " Mommy, it's a very special and beautiful rock for Annabelle's birthday present." It was so sweet! We now have a white rock sitting beside a picture of our family including Annabelle. It was a bittersweet day for me. I am so thankful that we have our sweet little Cooper. However, it doesn't take away the pain of losing Annabelle. Sometimes I will look at Cooper and it makes me miss Annabelle even more. Overall, I would say I am doing well. I am sure her birthdays will always be a bit emotional for me. Thanks to all of you who called, emailed or texted saying you were thinking about Annabelle and our family. It really does mean alot to us.
We are starting to settle in and get in somewhat of a routine. It has been so nice to have such great weather so the kids can hang out outside. Cooper is adjusting well and is a sweet little guy. He does not like to have his diaper changed or wait very long to eat when he is hungry!!! He still has a set of lungs on him!! Maddox has calmed down a bit. Still in Coop's face all the time, but has not been destructive, so I'm thankful for that! Addison is such a big helper. She is a great little mommy! Here are a few pics of the kids decorating the cake and the final product!! Yes that is a cake under all that candy!

Finally home and trying to get settled!!

Well, we were released from the hospital on Halloween around 3PM. Cooper's tests came back negative, so they are thinking his culture was contaminated and it wasn't actually in Cooper's system at all. Unfortanately he had to be hooked up to that IV and have antibiotics for 3 days when it wasn't really necessary, but I'm glad they were overly cautious and made sure there was nothing wrong with him. Cooper is doing well. He still has jaundice so he is on a light, but hopefully won't have to be on that much longer. When we came home Addison greeted us and was so excited to finally have Cooper home. Maddox was napping, but when he woke up he seriously had a smile on his face for an hour!!! He was so excited he could barely contain himself. It was very sweet. He is always wanting to be holding him, feeding him, touching him, kissing and hugging on him or up in his face. He means well, but we are really having to watch him. He thinks he is capable of picking him up all by himself. Maddox is also having a hard time with having a new little person in the house. He has started going in his diaper again which he has never done. He has no desire to wear his big boy underwear because he says he is a baby. Whenever Cooper cries, Maddox starts crying just like him. Yesterday when he woke up from his nap, we went into his room and he had torn the border off of his wall. He said it was because he was mad at the wall. We asked him if he was mad that Cooper was here and he said no, but we have never had issues like this with Maddox. He has always been the layed back one who was a really good listener. I forgot what it was like to get up during the middle of the night for feedings!!!!! I'm sure there is a reason why we forget that!!! Cooper likes to eat!! I'm noticing he also loves to be held. It's hard to not want to hold him all the time, because I know he is my last baby. Gotta run for now, speaking of eating, Cooper just woke up and is using those lungs to tell me he is hungry!!!