Sunday, April 22, 2012

1st Birthday Party





Mom and Dad with the birthday boy!
The Cake!!
So yesterday we celebrated with friends and family. It was a great day, minus the weather not being like I wanted, but we had a wonderful time. Yesterday morning as I got up and was running errands trying to get all the last minutes things I started feeling a little emotional. I think it was finally hitting me that my baby is 1. It is still so hard to believe. It has been an AMAZING year. I started thinking about what I should say at the party and that is when I really felt the emotions coming on. At the party was friends and family, but the friends are more like family. Everyone that we invited are dear friends who had a big impact on us as we were trying to have Cole. It was there love, support, prayers, ears to listen and arms to hug that helped us to have our miracle. We missed some of our family, but understand they had other obligations. They were missed for sure. Casey and I were blessed with an amazing family. I feel so blessed to know that Cole has such great family members and role models in his life.
with my buddy Dylan
Hamming it up with KK
Nate, Janet and Nicholas
Cousin's Seth and Zane
The party was at Uncle Lincoln and Aunt Pam's house. They were the gracious host. I could not have done everything without everyone's help yesterday. I was so excited to see everything come together. We had chick-fil-a chicken nuggets, pasta salad (made my Aunt T), fruit kabobs, spinach dip (made my aunt Pam), pretzel rods dipped in white chocolate with blue sprinkles, m&m, and cake!!! The cake was made my my childhood friend, Katy Pat. She did an amazing job. We had a little photo session area where we had frames, Dr. Seuss hats and stuffed animals for everyone to take a picture. They turned out really cute! We had a fun day. Looking forward to another wonderful year!!!

Silly daddy

Lincoln and Mason

with Uncle Brad
Goofy Uncle Ben

Gracie, Luke, Jake and Sarah
Juju with Julia and Jessi


Posing with mom and dad

Ooohhh I want that!
Why are you all singing to me?
Mmmm..not bad

Uncle Craig

Aunt T
Uncle Lincoln

Let me try a little more

What? wasn't I suppose to stick my hand in it?

Mmmm...I like this stuff:)



Friday, April 13, 2012

Happy Birthday Cole!!

I can hardly believe it. Everyone said it would go fast. At first when he did not sleep I truly did not believe people when they told me that, but after 3 months, the last 9 months have gone so fast. Looking back the first three months went fast I was just so sleep deprived I couldn't even think straight :) Every month he is doing something new and changing daily before our eyes. He is such a good boy. Just a little update on where Cole is these days and what he is doing...Don't blink!
He is 27 lbs and 32 inches tall. He is beginning to walk. He has just taken off though. It is his new favorite thing to practice. He has 6 teeth with two more coming in currently. He is just now starting to eat some table food. He is very content with his bottle and baby food though. I am curious to see what the doctor tells us next week at his 12 month "well" visit. He is in sizes 18 months & 2T. He loves Mickey Mouse, bananas, peanut butter whole grain Cheerios, pickles, music, climbing stairs, playing in water and his wooby :) aka  his blanket). We are so excited about his birthday party next weekend. We are having it at Uncle Lincoln and Aunt Pam's house. The theme is Dr. Seuss in memory of Grams (Casey's mom). She loved Dr. Seuss and was a big fan of "Oh the Places You will Go". So that is the theme. Can't wait to post about the birthday party!!



A year ago...
Right before leaving for the hospital
I knew when you were coming. We do not have any great exciting birth story. Actually we probably have the most laid back one ever :) On Monday, April 11, I went in for my weekly check up only to find out I still had not done anything as far as progressing to have you. I had gotten really big and swollen really bad. At the visit today your heart rate was up and mommy's blood pressure was up. Something that had been very good the whole pregnancy. Dr. Macey had already said he was not going to induce me until after my due date, Thursday April 14th, but he changed his mind and said "Let's have this baby Wednesday". I said Dr. Macey do not mess with me I am to pregnant to be playing jokes. He said I am serious let's do this. Are you super stitous? I said no why? he said because it is the 13th, I said it's not Friday, plus my dads birthday is on the 13th. He left the room and came back with the papers telling me where to be and when. We had already discussed a c-section. He was going to check me Wednesday morning, but if I still had not done anything he felt the safest was a c-section (they thought you were 10 lbs and your head was really big :) I really did not want to have one, but only because I wanted to go through labor and deliver naturally, which daddy thought I was crazy for wanting. I decided that Dr. Macey was the doctor and  he knows best. If he thinks this is what I need to do then, I will. I was just ready to have you here and healthy. That night I packed and wondered about everything. How is it going to go? What are you going to look like? What am I going to feel like? etc... The morning came quickly as we had to be at the hospital at 5am. So we got up a little before 4am. I had daddy take a picture of me, as much as I did not want to take a picture I figured you may want to see what I looked liked the day you were born :) Everything was very smooth and easy. We got to Baptist about 4:55am, did some paperwork and then went back to a room. That is where I met nurse Bonnie, who was SO great. She prepped me and got me ready for surgery. You still had not done anything. You were in no hurry to come into the world. Daddy was with me before they wheeled me off to the operating room. I was able to see KK, Papa and Uncle Craig (Uncle Brad wasn't there yet. They moved our time up from 7:30 to 7:00). They wheeled me into the OR at 6:45 am and there were about 10 people in there. Everything was happening so quick. They gave me my spinal tap to numb me and we were off. They brought daddy in all suited up and it was game time. It was pretty funny though because I did not think I was numb. I told daddy I could still feel my legs. He was laughing at me, but then Dr. Macey assured me I was numb :) That was very weird and kind of funny to tell people about the whole experience. Having a c-section is very weird. You cannot see anything they are doing, but I could feel all the pressure and right before you came into the world I had two nurses basically jumping on my chest to help push you out. Then Dr. Macey lifted you over the curtain and said "hi mom and dad" as he was holding you up to us. I just started crying. It was so overwhelming! and truly an amazing experience. I could not believe that you were here, my little man. The one who had given me so much heartburn and made me so big. You were here, perfect and everything was wonderful.
Our first family photo


KK, Papa, Uncle Brad, Uncle Craig, Uncle Lincoln and Aunt Pam were all there waiting to see you. They got to see you in the nursery as you were getting all check out. Dr. Mishu (your pediatrician) had come in to make sure you were good and healthy. Everyone came in to tell me how beautiful you were and congratulate me. What an amazing day! My life has forever been changed and I thank God everyday for you and giving me the opportunity to be your mom. I love you Cole Bradford!! 

Welcome to the world!

Happy 1st Birthday!

Wednesday, April 11, 2012

FYI-Not a fan of birthday hats!

Oh my goodness. Today was Harold's birthday. Harold is a little boy that is in Cole's class at school. His mom Darcie and I worked together. So Harold and Cole have been hanging out since in the womb! Darcie brought some birthday hats, sunglasses and cupcakes to school today. From the pictures you can tell Cole was not a fan. Hahaha....Hope this isn't any indication of what he is going to be like at his party :)Happy 1st Birthday Harold William

Mr. party pooper
Partying with Annabelle
I hate party hats!



Sunday, April 8, 2012

Spring Break and Easter 2012

I was wondering if it was ever going to get here! it was 3 weeks later than it has been for the past 10 years of me working and then of course it flew bye. Cole and I had the whole week together. We had so much fun. We just did whatever we wanted to do and of course didn't get to everything that I had hoped :( We will have to make that up over summer break!! which is only 7 weeks away. Ok, back to Spring Break. The first morning of vacation Cole slept until 8am, which was a nice treat. That day we met up with Uncle Craig for lunch and yogurt, then mailed out my 1st birthday invitations. Later that night we went over to Uncle Brad and Ben's to do a load of laundry since we had a pipe mess up. Hopefully it will be fixed soon, but at least I am seeing all the Uncles :) Tuesday we went to get spring pictures made, see the "other" Coggin crew (Uncle Lincoln, Aunt Pam, Seth and Zane), and went to check out Opry Mills since it just re-opened. On Wednesday we walked all around TSU-ugh! (hopefully mommy FINALLY has everything completed for graduating in May!) then while mommy went to the dentist Cole hung out with KK. Thursday we went to Alabama to get our hair done and hang out with Julie. KK came along with us and got her hair done too! Friday, Good Friday we went shopping and got our things for Easter and my new shoes came in (Stride Rite tennis shoes in 5.5 DW) I am such a big boy in my tennis shoes-sniff, sniff. We had just a really good and relaxing spring break. Sunday was Easter. We went to church then to lunch with Papa, KK, and Uncle Craig and Brad. It is going to be hard to leave my little man on Monday.
Picture success for my birthday invitation
Like my new shoes?

being silly

Big boy with my tennis shoes

Posing with mommy


Relaxing with Uncle Ben
My new tooth brush!

He cracks us up walking all over the place with this-so funny!

The Easter bunny came!

Drinking my bottle

My sweet boy!
Happy Easter


Hey! Are we almost done?