I know what I am, how about you?

It's a great, comforting feeling for anyone, especially a toddler, to know who they are.

Kelsey and I were driving to Target a couple weeks ago, and as we are driving along she is peppering me non-stop with typical toddler qustions:

*Where are we going?
--> Target
*What are we buying?
--> Food

(now getting silly with the questions)

*Who are my friends names at school?
--> Allison, Paige, Meghan, Izzy
*Whats your name?
--> Daddy Cooper
*Whats my name?
-->Kelsey Cooper.....

Whoa, not quite right there Mr. Smart Guy...At this point, I learn that she is not in fact Kelsey Cooper..

I am corrected with her correct name,

"No Daddy, I am Princess Kelsey, don't you know?"

I guess its true - you hear something enough times you start to believe it!

Now, if I start saying "A small wedding is best, A small wedding is best" maybe by the time she's ready for that (you know, like age 40 or so) she'll agree!

American Idol - Toddler version

Well everyone, it has been quite a while since we have posted anything new and exciting in the life and times of Ms. Kelsey Cooper.

I've got a couple things to make up for lost time - so lets get right to the first one!

American Idol, Toddler Edition
Here are some of the all-time classics, as sung by Kelsey:

Turn it up loud and sing proud - you know the words!
Classic 1
Classic 2
Holiday Classic

Its a bird, its a plane...nope - just a bird

Okay, here is one for the ages..allow me to set the scene: The three of us are at a not-too-crowded local park having a picnic lunch one fine Saturday afternoon.. Kelsey is having a blast at her first "real" picnic; she helped make PB&J sandwiches, packed the actual basket, helped us pick a spot to put down the blanket, passed out the food to all of us, etc. (none of this is relevant to the real story, just wanted to share with you her joy of helping mom and dad with "big girl stuff".) So, we finish our lunches and then its off for some playtime. However at this park, she isn't so interested in playing on the acutal playground equipment.. This park has a very nice, very huge Gazebo that is probably 30 foot in diameter. Its used for community concerts and those types of things. There are a couple of steps to get up the stage which is surrounded by a rail (hope I painted a good enough picture for you. It also has a ceiling that helps with the echo effect when you stomp your feet on the stage or are singing silly songs, which she is having fun doing. Kelsey is just having a blast running all around and across this thing, racing Mommy and Daddy from side to side, playing hide and seek, red light - green light, all sorts of fun games. 

One time when Karen is up on the stage and Kelsey is running up the steps to get to the stage to chase her, Karen yells "Red Light!"..Kelsey is surprised by this and says her usual "one more minute" while holding up the one more minute sign (You know it - stick your hand out, index finger extended as if to say, "one more minute"). 

Now you have to remember that she has a tendency to use her middle finger when pointing, probably because it easier for little ones to use that one to point So guess what Karen received when she said, "Red Light" to Kelsey? Yep, you got it, a tiny middle finger pointed straight up and directed right at her mom, with a cute little, "one more minute" to go with it. My recommendation? Maybe Kelsey's first elective in preschool is "Anger Management 101" so she learns its not okay to flip the bird to your classmates and/or teachers (at least until high school). - till next time.. C&K

Honesty can be the funniest policy

You have to adore the pure, unabashed honesty and inquisitive nature of a toddler.

So I come home last nite from my barber thinking that I am looking alright with my new haircut. Its nice and short, low maintenance - exactly what I am looking for in a cut.

Kelsey sees my new 'do, and right away says "hey, what you get haircut for daddy?".. I tell her that my hair was getting long, I needed it to be shorter and she comes over to check it out. Shes laughing as she runs her hands through my hair, probably cause its all fuzzy and tickles the palm of her hand a little..

She gets to the top of my head and, looking it over and rather inquistively asks:

"Daddy, why you have hole in your hair?"

(Karen trying very hard to contain her laughter (and not doing a good job of that, mind you) seems to be having a nice chuckle at my expense)

Hey, can I help it if I happen to have a small bald spot on the top of my head?

So, rather than having thinning hair on the top of my head, it appears that I have a "hole in my hair", per Kelsey.. But it could be worse - its a heck of a lot better than a hole in my head!

-chris

It's my party and I'll go outside if I want to

Today's note takes us back to September 2004.. I was going through some old emails and came across this one that Karen had sent to some folks a while ago. I found it and thought this would be a good place to keep it on file (and help clean out my in box)..So enjoy this entry from Karen, dated Sept 29, 2004..

Lately, Kelsey has enjoyed having us stack up cushions on the loveseat in our livingroom to pretend that it is "Kelsey's House". The last two nights, we've had parties at this house, where each of her stuffed animals have been invited to join her in her house for a party. One by one, she tells me who to invite as she sits in her house looking out the "door". Every now and again, she can't think who else there is to invite so I'll go get somebody to surprise her. She squeals with glee when she sees the next invitee. She excitedly tells them that she's having a party and "come on in".

Last night upon seeing the last two invitees (two bunnies), she decided that the bunnies wanted to go outside (the real outdoors, where it was cold). I informed her (in a bunny voice) that it was too cold for me to go outside, please let me stay inside where it is warm. She then dropped the bunny, said "OK" and went digging through all of the invitees that were already in her "house". She came back to the door with Elmo. "Elmo outside". I informed her that it was even too cold for Elmo. She informed me that Elmo was wearing a jacket! (Elmo's jacket is a tuxedo jacket). Who am I to argue with that logic? We all went outside, once Kelsey put on her jacket and shoes too. What will she come up with next?

until next time,
C&K

Good ideas come in small sizes

I think we may have a future inventor on our hands.. Lately our little genius has been starting of many of her statements by excitedly exclaiming, "Me have good idea!"..It's funny to see that she has a good idea about so many things including; where to sit for dinner, what movie to watch, what to drink, what bows to put in her hair, what colors to paint with....what's really neat is that what she says are indeed good ideas,i .e. milk to drink, matching bows for her outfit, watching the 101 Dalmatian movie, they are all actually good ideas! If she keeps up with having good ideas as she gets older, who knows what her next "good idea" may be! If she doesnt grow up to be an inventor of something, she could have a very successful career as a professional negotiator..she has become the queen of "One More Minute"..Almost without fail, when we want to get dressed, turn off the movie, leave the basement, eat some lunch, stop playing "airplane" --- we are treated to a sweet "One more minute" in a little cute Kelsey voice... 

It's good to know that she is keeping her career options open at this point in her young life! What is soooo funny is that she asks for a timer to keep tabs on one more minute, so I set my watch's timer to beep after that minute is up, and nearly every time after the beep she is done with whatever she was doing and ready to go on to the next thing.. pretty cool way to compromise without any huge battles. Oh yeah, here's a shot of our princess playing in one of her favorite toys, the jumping tube. (note: it was her "good idea" to put it up on the couch and use it as a slide, and when it was time to be all done, she kindly asked for "one more minute" of play time. ;)

  Kelsey having a blast with her jumping tube

Share and share alike

The generosity of Kelsey is amazing at times... Last nite after she ate a real good dinner, we told her she could have a cookie..We let her pick which one of the three that were left that she wanted. She chose hers and then instead of grabbing the other two for herself, she picked one up and gave it to mommy and picked the other one and gave it to daddy..Then she said, "eat your cookie now mommy and daddy"..

This was followed by earlier in the evening when we put some cups out for her to choose which one she wanted her milk in for her dinner...she did the same thing - picked one for herself, one for mommy and one for daddy to use, so we all had cups and no one was left out.

I don't know where she has learned how to share so well or to be so giving to others, but it sure is a sweet side of her to see.

repeat, repeat, repeat

Well its offical...we have our own personal recording device in our house that goes by the name Kelsey Grace...The little one is a total mimic of everything she hears...

It is so funny to hear her repeat the things that she hears during the days..NaNa got a couple new ones yesterday. "Go away", "What me tell you about that" were the new entries into the Kelsey vernacular...Gotta love the influence of school and her teachers.

Also last nite as they were going up to bed Karen was treated to a stunning rendition of "Hi-Ho, Hi-Ho, its off to bed we go..." from the Snow White movie..

She is quite the little comic/showgirl in the right setting..

Welcome to the wonderful world of blogging

Welcome to the first installment of the The Coopers family blog

The Inspiration
I thought this may be a nice way to keep everyone who's interested on the happenings of our family.. Ok, that's too transparent I know - its really just to have a place to brag and talk about the things Kelsey does on a daily basis that amaze and humor us, plus post a few pics now and again to keep family and friends up to date....(and a place to rant and ramble on from time to time). All with out having to send a million emails.. and its all archieved and saved so we can look back and laugh at these things some time down the road.

I am just learning the ins and outs of how this works, so bear with me on the learning curve that I have to go through...I think there is a place that will automatically send notices to you when we update this, and also post photos from time to time..

So, welcome, sit back, buckle up and enjoy the ride (and readings)..

-chris