You Are Grossing Me Out...

Happy Autumn from the Coopers!  I am so glad it is finally cooling off.  We have had some really beautiful weather this week.  I love this time of year!  The kids have been having lots of fun playing outside.  Above is a picture of Silas on a Sunday morning that his Dad got him ready for church.  He had on an orange and gray striped top and brown and orange plaid shorts.  It was hilarious!  I got a big kick out of it and no, he did not leave the house dressed like that.  Poor Jason.  He had no idea that it looked bad.  This picture doesn't do it justice.

Silas is so strong.  He is physically just all muscle.  He is a lean, not-so-mean, climbing machine.  He decided to climb the playset ladder in the backyard all by himself.  We were so impressed!  The rungs on the ladder are pretty far apart and neither one of the girls climbed it until they were at least three years old.  So, when Silas took it upon himself at 21 months to climb it, we were surprised.  Jason took lots of pictures.  Now he does it all the time.  Here are some of the pics...

Getting started...

He's making sure we are watching...

Almost there...

How cute is that little butt?

He made it!

Now to come back down...

Going again...

One step at a time...

Still going...

Paused for a photo op...

At the top!

And landed again!

We went to our friends the Moore's house a couple of weeks ago so the girls could help feed their fish in the pond.  It was lots of fun and the girls got to feed more than the fish!  Silas got to help too and we had a fun night on the farm.  My kids now want chickens in our backyard.

Maleah feeding Pip the pet pig some corn.

Silas wasn't sure if he wanted to feed the pig or eat the corn.

Chickens!  Everyone loved the chickens!

Everyone got to help.

They also got to search for eggs.  Maleah found one!

Blurry, yes I know.  But this child doesn't stand still long.

This is on the docks feeding the fish.  The girls loved it!

I debated about whether posting this next picture of me and girls or not.  I didn't really want to but since all of these blog posts go into a blog book at the end of the year and that turns into our "family yearbook" of sorts, I decided that I should.  This is going to be part of our history and one day we might want to look back on this time and say, "Whew!  I'm glad that's over!"  So here it is, a picture of me, bald, with my girls.  (Silas was already in bed.)

 

 

I found this picture on Maleah's ipod this week and look at all this hair!  I am looking forward to growing it back soon.  Not so much because I am vain, but because wearing a scarf is hot and uncomfortable.  And I scare children.  True story.

 

I even scare my own children, or at least Carissa anyway.  Here are some examples:  She will come up to me and say in the sweetest, kindest, little voice, "Mom?  Will you please put a hat on because your head is grossing me out."  Me:  "No, honey.  I am hot."  Her in a sad voice, "Okay."  Another example from a different day:  Carissa:  "Mom?  Will you please sit in the living room and eat because I am sitting in the kitchen eating and your head is grossing me out.  I don't want to see it while I eat."  She says all of this so sweetly and sincerely.  She is not trying to hurt my feelings but she has no filter.  So whatever she is thinking comes out her mouth.  By the way, I ate in the living room.  Today we were leaving CVS and were next to McDonald's.  She said, "When we drive by here after we leave McDonald's I always look at that house over there while I eat my fries so that I don't have to see your head and get grossed out."  Thanks for the big confidence boost, Carissa.   Silas brings me hats all the time and hands them to me.  Sometimes they are camouflage hats that say "BushHog" on them.  I explain that it is Daddy's hat and then he goes to search for one of mine.  I think he is trying to tell me something too.  And other children... those are the ones that really get freaked out.  We have had friends over to the house, who apparently were completely shocked that I had lost my hair.  The looks are their faces were priceless.  They stared but did not say a word.  I didn't address the issue either because I didn't even know what to say.  One little girl at the doctor's office walked by, did a triple take, and had a look on her face like she had just seen a monster.  And I was wearing a scarf at the time.  Big sigh.  I am ready to have hair again.  And hopefully that won't be too far away.  I am about to start the second phase of my chemo and I think my hair will start growing back soon.  Yay!  And I should feel better too.  Yay!  And I am halfway done.  Yay! 

I tell you what, I have the best friends and family ever!  I have been so blessed to have people bring us great meals.  My friends Melissa and Tina got together and collected money from friends and church family to give us gas cards and Walmart cards.  What a blessing that is!  Others have also sent us money for gas or gas cards or to help with medical bills.  We are just so blessed!  I have one friend that lives far away so she texts me an inspiring Bible verse each day.  Each person in my life has found a way to help me, inspire me, or to help our family out.   It really makes you realize that there are a lot of good people in the world and that people like to help others.  I have not felt like getting all of my thank-you cards done but I thank each and every person that has helped us.  I pray that you are all blessed ten times over for your thoughtfulness.  :)