It was bound to happen...

I have been wanting to write a post about Cooper.  About all the fun things he is doing and saying right now.  About his love for YaYa (Ella -- although, sadly, it is sounding more and more like "Ella" everyday), baseball (Base Ball!), turtles (durt tul), how every time I ask, "Ready guys?" he throws his hands up and shouts "Ray Ray!"  How he calls himself Booper.  Every time he wants to do something by himself he says, "Booper!  Booper!"

But alas.  I have something more pressing to write about.  Today we had a tiny tragedy:

Yes, that's right.  All his beautiful blond hair hacked off in what has to be one of the world's worst haircuts.  And it was me who took him for his haircut.  I can't blame anyone else.  Before I knew it, they had swooped his bangs to the side, and CHOP.  I was pretty much stunned.  And he wiggled and we ended up with the total crazy "I cut my own hair with scissors" look above.

All I could say all day is "I don't know what to do."  Given my extreme phobia of little boy haircuts and the fear that EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED would happen, I was just asking for it.

We're trying to smooth it to the side in an attempt to keep the ridiculous-ness to a minimum.  Oh, it will be a long, long growing out period.

Zoo x 2

We may or may not have hit up the zoo twice in one week.  First, we met up with Brian's good friend Jim from the Academy.  It was so fun to see these Navy guys running around with their little ones.  Jim just started medical school here, so he and his wife Sam and son Teddy (and another on the way!) will be in the area for a while.  We look forward to spending lots of time with them!

Trip two to the zoo -- I took a rare Wednesday afternoon off and met up with some friends at the zoo.  Way more fun than work.

Kiddos checking out the lions.  Baby Alex was there too, but he didn't make it out of his stroller :)

Little Mermaid

 We're a bit behind... oops!

Anyway, Ella had ballet camp a few weeks ago, and it ended with a little recital for the parents.  She got to be a different princess every day, and this day it was Ariel -- her favorite.

Cooper was quite proud of his big sis.

Father and Son

Maybe not an exact replica, but I'm pretty sure he's not the milkman's.

Birthdays and One Seriously Cute Baby

 Well, let's start off with a picture of this goofball showing me his belly button.  And another of him trying to cook himself.  Awesome.

Anyhoo...  we celebrated Poppa's birthday last weekend, complete with Sesame Street hats.  Because what would a birthday be without wearing cookie monster on your head?

On another note -- Cooper loves baby dolls.  Loves them.  Feeds them, rocks them.  Then chucks them across the room.  And then rocks them again.

 Yesterday we went to C'Ville to celebrate Uncle David's big 3-0 -- and, importantly -- see baby Sutton!  We went to a fun brewery complete with a playground, strawberry chocolate beer and fried oreos. 

The fish pond was a big hit.

Then -- the big moment -- Ella got to hold baby Sutton.  She actually asked (quite loudly and pointedly) while we were at the brewery and everyone laughed (it was quite cute), but Ella dissolved into tears.  She couldn't quite figure out why everyone was laughing.

Even Cooper got in on the action.  I feared that his urge to destroy (complete with sound effects) would kick in.  But he basically sat there stunned into silence.  Complete with a big goofy grin on his face.  He knew something was up.

Look at this BABY!  It's, like, REAL!

 Sutton's a bit worried...

 A shirtless rendition of Happy Birthday.

 Finger food.  (Raspberries).