Happy 4th of July!

Cooper does NOT like to lay back, so the bouncy seat got put away!

We started out our 4th weekend with a trip to the Marion park. Grace hurt her foot right off the bat, so the swing was the activity of choice after that! She had trouble walking on it the rest of the day, but is recovering just fine now.
Marc and Mel Curless joined us that evening for burgers and dogs, and s'mores.
We also splurged on $3 worth of fireworks to do at home rather than try and keep the kids up and out to see big ones that night. Grace loved the little poppers and the sparklers.

On Saturday we went with the Curless' to the Gas City Park and fed the animals.

We also had a wonderful picnic that Mel packed and made a dessert stop at Ivanhoes!

(And of course a quick drive through of the Taylor campus.)

Photo time!

Cooper is 3 1/2 months and Grace is 22 months.

(Tim says she is 2 years old, but she is NOT...yet)

Rollin', Rollin', Rollin' !

Cooper is three months old and doing great! He started rolling from back to front this week and is now unstopable!

Happy Father's Day!

Love...

You...

Dad!


Tim got some Oreos as part of his Father's Day gift and taught Grace how to dunk them in milk! What Fun!!

Cooper Family Swim Party
Those Coopers who could make it came for a swim party to celebrate Father's Day. It was a perfect day for a swim ... or ...
...a chance to watch others swim!


And other stuff we have been up to...

Pool Season has arrived!

Cooper found his hand this week!

Strawberry Festival Parade - Go Colts!

Uncle Bob and Aunt Mitzi were kind enough to let us show our Colt's Spirit on their float this year. Grace did a great job, waving her pom-pom and yelling "Go Colts!". She liked waving at the people and especially at those she knew! Cooper hung out with the rest of the Pilgrims along the parade route. (He also was decked out in his Colt's gear!)

Bible School - Jerusalem Market Place

At Bible School last week I was the Co-Director, Tim was the playground leader, and Grace was the village orphan. :) We were able to be outside 3 of the 5 evenings, where Grace could wander around and visit the "shops". Thanks to those who let her hang out with them for a time! Her favorites were the candy shop and the jewerly shop (where they had baskets of beads!). She also liked the Water cooler... She got into the dancing as well! It was a blessed week and she was very excited to see Jesus when he arrived on Friday night - well, until he tried to give her a hug!!

Hot Summer Days

"Gracie swaddled, too!!!"

Ok, my mom had a flash back while my dad was holding Cooper last week and went to the photo albums to recall...

This is me

This is Cooper!

FREAKY!!!

Grace's first tatoo. How fitting it would be a Pop Tart tatoo!

A favorite for breakfast on the run!

(Or "Top Part" as she calls them!)

We made a trip to Manchester to visit Aunt Margaret this week.

And stopped to visit Grandpa Gene on the way home.

Finally the pool was ready! It reached 80 degrees so Tim and Grace gave it a try. I guess she loved it and likes to hang out on the steps. (I didn't see much as I went in and took a nap while Cooper was asleep!)

Somerset Days this weekend. Our first ever parade!

Cooper liked the Lion's Club little cars that went by!

Cooper continues to do well. He gained a pound in a week according to our check up at Riley last week! This was our first regualr check up and he is doing fine. We go back in September as we now start regulating his medicine. My heart still breaks for him every time I give him his medicine, he has to have blood drawn, or we walk into Riley as I just wish I could take this away for him and have it myself, but he is such a perfect baby and joy to have around! I know he is going to be fine!

He loves to watch Grace and does NOT like to lay his head back! So we got out the Bumbo seat and exer-saucer today. He loves them!

Grace "helped" me plant our garden this week and we potted some flowers today.

We headed straight for the hose when we were finished!!

(You can't see it well, but she had rubbed the potting soil all over her belly!)
Hot Summer days

Summer is coming!

Things are moving right along here at the Drake residence! Cooper is good at explosive poops - even on the carpet! He loves to smile and talk to us. And he is surviving his sister's love. He is growing just fine - 11 pounds, 7 ounces - at his 2 month check up! He is such a good baby, now sleeping about 5 hours at night!

Grace is doing well, too. She is a talking fool! Some of our favorite sentences are: "Here you go Daddy", "Cars everywhere!", "I will hold it", "I will get him" (referring to Cooper!), and "Danger!" (When grandma drives!) She also does a really good peacock impression and can sing Jesus Loves the Little Children.

You'd think Grace is trying to teach him something here, but really she doesn't like it when he touches her face!

Cooper, in his sweater vest outfit and Colt's shoes! What a heartbreaker!

Cooper was Dedicated at church on Mother's Day.

(That is my childhood dress Grace is wearing!)

For two weeks, this was the view from our front window as they worked on the water lines!

The kleenex box was aparently too close to the crib.... (That would be an entire box in a pile of them in the corner) All you can do is laugh... right?

Oh that smile!!!

Grace has been helping Tim around the house and yard. She recently helped open the pool and is often found mearsureing things or tapping on things with a tool. And in case you were wondering...the door is "20 Inches", but so was her hand, the swing, and the gate!