Cooper is Seven!

Last Sunday Cooper turned SEVEN years old!  This big guy needs to stop growing because it is hard to wrap our heads around the idea that we have such a big kid in our midst!  I know I think this every year, but really so far this is my new favorite age of his.  He is still the sweet, sensitive guy he has always been but now he is really just so fun!  He is such a happy soul and is always having fun and just plain glad to be there.  He is willing to try anything (except for new foods) and seems to enjoy everything!  Just going for a drive in the car seems like an adventure if Coop is with you. He asks lots of questions and comes up with all kinds of ideas.  (Hmm, reminds me of somebody...Can we say his Daddy??) Its so amusing and cute to have a conversation with him because we are always so impressed with the things he can come up with and the things he thinks to ask.  

Coop is in first grade and is doing great!  Now that this is his second year at his elementary school, he is much more comfortable and confident.  I just recently had a conference with his teacher and she had such glowing things to say.  He is very good about doing his work and doing it well.  I was also told how helpful he is in the classroom.  If he sees another classmate struggling with something he takes it upon himself to go and help them!  This news just makes us that much more proud of him!  

Cooper has many interests.  He is STILL the train nut that he has been since he was a toddler and we think that is so cool that he likes something that much.  He can be found playing with his trains just about any time.  Recently it seems he has caught the college football bug from Mama and Daddy.  Last year when we would turn it on, he would complain.  This year he watches with us.  (Its all fun and games until the kid actually wants to PLAY football and this Mama becomes a nervous wreck!) Coop also likes the outdoors and loves to swim, ride his bike or scooter, play soccer, and just "do stuff" around the yard.  We are on soccer hiatus this fall which has given us the chance to let Cooper try some different activities.  So far, he LOVES golf and has a blast at cub scouts.  Of course, it helps that Daddy is the den leader!  He often talks about things that you can "exploded" and recently was amazed when a neighbor took him to shoot off rockets at the park.   He is always asking to do science experiments, usually redoing ones that they did at school.  He is just so intrigued by how things work!  Just this morning on the way to school he had Daddy explain how and why the turn signals on the car work.  (I'm pretty sure I never once as a child even thought to ask that.) 

Cooper is also such a good big brother!  Even though he has figured out how to push Penny's buttons and how much fun it is, they are still the best of friends.  When I pick them up from school, they are usually holding hands and he sort of leads her to the car.  During Penny's first week of school, Cooper took it as his duty to make sure she knew where to sit in the cafeteria before the bell rang.  It is a big ease on my mind to know that he looks out for her!  Cooper also is patient and kind with Ellie. (Most of the time.)  Quite often he plays with her, carries her around, and sits by her on the couch.  So cute!  All in all, we have one awesome, special now SEVEN year old on our hands and we couldn't be more happy about it!

For Coop's birthday this year we celebrated with a joint birthday party with Penny a week before his actual birthday and with a weekend trip with Ma-mas, Pa-Pa and Uncle Clint to the ranch.  The kid couldn't have been happier as he adores being at the ranch.  All that running around, driving the little jeep, doing tasks around the ranch with Daddy, and riding in the tractor with Pa-Pa is just the perfect setting for this active boy. Since we got home from the ranch on Sunday, Mama didn't have a chance to make a cake as usual.  But he did get to take cupcakes to school on the Friday before to share with his class.  We also went out to eat and for frozen yogurt to help him feel special on his day.  I think he did, because he went wild over the new train set he got!

Ranch kid climbing all over the place.

Coop gives rides!  Ellie demands rides!

Ok, so frozen yogurt AND a cookie for this birthday boy!