Wow, It's Been A Long Time Between Posts

It's been insanely busy here between schedules and illnesses (mine). I survived my first semester of graduate school and I love my work. Despite suffering from walking pneumonia this fall, I did manage to do very well this fall. I'm proud of what I have accomplished so far though I feel like I'm still behind the eight ball. Bruce's semester went well but kept him busy. The kids have both completely adjusted to school and are really thriving. Belle is saying new words every few days and the little devil understands everything we say. She doesn't usually choose to obey us or do as we ask but she grins and does whatever she wants to do, however, she usually howls when we retrieve her from someplace she's not supposed to be (usually the kitchen). She is a big time climber and still adores her big brother, she follows him around and imitates everything he does much to his delight (for the time being). She'll also come over to him and start whacking him on the head with a toy and all he does is say "ow, Belle's hitting me." At least he doesn't hit girls.

Jack is becoming very independent and is still very witty. A few recent gems he's shared: At my birthday dinner at an Indian restaurant he wanted to eat a lemon. All we had left was a piece that Bruce had squeezed over the chicken tikka masala. On one side it looked fine but the backside was blown out, I told Bruce to give it to him anyway, Jack wouldn't care. I was so wrong... Jack gladly took it but then looked at the backside and holds it up saying "I can't eat this, it's all messed up." When Jack's Papa was visiting recently they were washing their hands in the bathroom and Jack says "I'm going to tell mommy that we were playing in the bathroom. We're both going to get put in timeout." When I tell Jack that he's funny and he makes me laugh he says "you're right mommy, I'm funny." Around Halloween, Jack wanted to sleep with his pumpkin and I told him that it wasn't a good idea to sleep with vegetables.

I'm in the process of uploading photos from the fall and writing about our holidays. I hope that everyone has had a wonderful holiday season.

A Very Exciting Week

This has been a very exciting and full week with the Cohen family. Bruce and I celebrated our eighth wedding anniversary though we didn't have a chance to go out and celebrate yet. It has gone by so quickly it's hard to believe that it's been eight years. Belle has started using a fork and she is pretty good at getting things on the fork and into her mouth. Of course sometimes she's so proud that she shows us what she has done and the food falls off the fork and onto her lap or tray. She's quite tenacious and she just tries again. Jack had his first gymnastics class on Thursday morning at his school. He loved it and he said that "he jumped up in the air and kicked my legs" and "I flipped" and "the teacher put on music." We're just glad that he liked it so much and had fun. We suspect that Thursdays will be his favorite day of the week. Jack's teacher Miss Vicky was kind enough to send out pictures of the kids during the class so we could see what they were doing. I've included those pictures; Jack is wearing a yellow shirt and brown and orange pants. We really love the kids' school and love hearing about their day even though they are usually covered in dirt from head to toe. They are working so hard at learning about their world!

Jack on the balance beam:



Jack walking up the ramp:

School Daze

I just realized that I haven't posted in almost a month. It's been a very busy few weeks and it's not going to let up until mid-December. The kids have adjusted to school, Jack loved it from day one and Belle seemed to love it for a few days until she realized that it wasn't a temporary situation. After a week or so of sobbing when we left her she has acclimated to her new routine and now loves it. Bruce and I are very happy with their new school and they are learning so much every day. I was going to include a picture of them on their first day of school but blogger is being a bit difficult. I will try again another day to post the picture.

Bruce has been very busy teaching, organizing and casting but his rehearsals haven't started yet. I love graduate school though I do have my moments of "OMG what did I get myself into?" However, overall it's been great and I love being a graduate assistant. The day to day schedule of the family is getting easier as we've all adjusted to the routine. Bruce and I need to find more time to sleep but that's hardly newsworthy. So far, it's been a great semester I just need to finish my research so I can start writing my papers. I'm writing a paper on Catherine the Great, Ramon Llull and a historiography on the French and Indian war. I'm looking forward to fall break so I can do nothing but read and write!

Happy Birthday Jack!

It's so hard to believe that Jack is turning three! It really does seem like yesterday that he was born; he's gone from a helpless little blob to a precocious and darling child of three. I didn't start to blog until Jack was almost 2 1/2 so I never shared his birth story. In honor of Jack's third birthday I will reminisce about the day he was born.

Jack's due date was August 30, 2006. We had just moved into our first house which was in Ogden, Utah. We had been in our new house for four days and I was trying like mad to get unpacked and organized. I kept telling myself and everyone else that the baby boy was going to be late; most first babies are late and I really needed the time to set up the house. On August 20 Bruce and I had done some work around the house and we cleaned our old apartment. I admit that I hadn't had nearly enough water that day and I probably did too much physical work at nine months pregnant. At 10:45 PM we were about to get ready for bed and I stood up. I paused for a second and turned to Bruce and said "hm, I think that my water just broke." I took a step and I was 99% sure that this was the case. I called my doula Joy and told her what was going on. We agreed that we would go to the hospital and call her if my water did break and she would meet us there. I took a shower and started freaking out because the house was a disaster. Boxes filled the living room from floor to ceiling; we didn't know where the car seat was and I hadn't even packed a bag. We managed to find things for me to pack and we left for the hospital. My mom was going to be coming in in a few days to help us with the new baby and I was in an absolute panic that my mom wasn't here yet. She made arrangement to leave first thing in the morning. When we got to the hospital it was around midnight and it was determined that my water had broken (and I was dehydrated) and we weren't going anywhere. I hadn't started having contractions that I could feel and I wasn't dilated very far but my doctor was willing to work with us as I wanted to avoid pitocin at all costs. Bruce and I got our stuff settled into my room and then we started walking laps in the hallway. After about an hour or so the contractions started kicking in so we went back to our room so I could concentrate on each contraction better. I labored all night and thanks to Bruce and our doula I made it through without any drugs. After over seventeen hours of labor and 2 1/2 hours of pushing Jackson Bremen Cohen was born on August 21 at 4:44 PM. He weighed 8.5 lbs and was 20.5 inches long, I thought that he was a big baby... until we had Belle! Of course Jack did give me a fourth degree tear which slowed me down considerably. Recovering from that tear was worse than the entire labor and delivery. Jack was not a natural nurser, I had to work very hard to get us synced up but it payed off and he nursed for 13 months.

While Jack and I were in the hospital we had some amazing friends come over to the house and help Bruce get it into livable shape. We still had a lot of work to do but at least when we came home as a family we could find all of the baby stuff for Jack. The last three years have flown by with our son, watching him grow and blossom has been has been a magical journey. I'm looking forward to the next three years and beyond.

You Have to Become A Parent to Understand Your Parents

Growing up you hear your parents say things to you that you can't truly understand until you become a parent like them. As a teenager and young adult, we bristle when our parents call us their baby. My mom still tells me that I will always be her baby... I finally get it. Jack and I were having a conversation where I called him my baby boy. He was very insistent that he is not a baby, he is a big boy. I told him that he would always be my baby and that he would understand someday. I've also realized that all of the cliches about falling in love with your children are true... I would do anything for them. My kids make me want to be a better person and to be a strong example for them. These are things that you hear before you become a parent, you understand them in your head... But you can't feel them until you have your first child. This is for Bruce, my Mom and Dad, MommySherry and PapaCohen. Thanks for doing a great job, being a fantastic example of what a parent is and how deep a parent's love goes. My fellow young parents, it's wonderful to know that I'm not alone on this challenging and marvelous journey.

Jack the Funny Man

This week Jack has told me that he is "going to run to Disney World all by myself." It's amazing that he still remembers everything from May! He now tells me all the time that he's going to "keep my eye on you" and today I asked him to put something away in his room and he told Belle to "keep an eye on Mommy." I guess I need supervision! Jack has also been telling me that "you don't tell me no" to which I reply "that's my job." The other day he was talking to himself in the backseat and he kept saying "I say no, that's my job." Bruce asked him what Mommy's job was and Jack said "to say no." It's very clear what I say around the house a lot! Jack is now very into the "Pirates of the Caribbean" movies, I asked him what his pirate name is and of course he said "Captain Jack." He put on his Pirate Mickey Mouse jammies before we watched the movie and his Pirate Mickey Mouse hat and during the movie he kept saying "I need my sword to fight the pirates!" So cute. I can't believe that he's going to be three in a week!



Jack is still so sweet with Belle, he loves to climb into her crib when she wakes up in the morning or from her nap. Jack also likes to take her hands and help her walk though she does very well on her own now. She laughs the whole time she's walking with him. Belle walks all the time now but she likes to walk with her hands up above her head. Kids are strange but fun.

She's Not A Bed!

Earlier this evening Bruce and I were sitting on the sofa and Bruce put his head on my shoulder. We were tired (shocking), catching up on the day and watching the kids play. Jack comes up to us and demands to his Daddy "don't lay on her!" We were surprised and Bruce asked why he shouldn't be laying on Mommy. Jack said "she's not a bed." Children are so wise.

Jack is also fascinated with Bruce going to the office or going to work. A couple of days ago Jack got some play keys and said "I have to go to work, I'm going to the office." I asked him what he did for work and he said "play with toys." Great work if you can get it.

I borrowed a great idea from a friend and picked up some squeaker shoes for Belle. The little dickens can walk but I'm hoping to motivate her to walk more, whenever she walks the shoes make a little squeak. The squeaker can be removed but I find it cute and it's nice to know where she is if I'm trying to get things done. However, I know my son and if Belle had squeaker shoes he would want some too so I went ahead and picked up a pair for him too. We have a pair of squeakers whenever we go out and both kids are entertained merely by walking!

I bought these for Belle:

And I got these ones for Jack:

I will be uploading more photos soon, it's been a very busy summer so once I get them off the camera watch out for picture overload!