So I'm finally getting around to Cohen's one year post. I've started it several times but have scratched it each time. Multiple reasons - 1) just trying to put other family things ahead of blogging 2) really wanted to devote last week to making sure people knew and could be praying for the tipping family 3) In case you haven't noticed I totally have a case of blogging writers block...
...all that said, I'm finally finding time for it, I still ask for your prayers for the Tipping family, and sorry for the lame writing...
My little baby is one year old. I mean, really, it still seems surreal to say it, 365 days later I still sometimes feel like I'm waiting for the dream to end. I spend much of his birthday week reflecting on my pregnancy with Cohen....the sheer desperation of it, the quiet peace in it, the overwhelming fear, the incredible hope, the sweet dependence, and the undeniable love we felt for our unborn son. And here we are living the nitty gritty details of life with Cohen. Sometimes, I feel like that little baby on the ultrasound pictures and videos is an entirely different child than the Cohen we hold in our hands. It felt so many times that those hour long ultrasounds were all I would ever get with my son and it sometimes hits me hard that that little wiggly baby in my belly is the same one yelling at me in the highchair for more food.
I spent much of his actual birthday thinking of how I thought we would spend his first birthday...of the mothers I have met who celebrate Happy Heaven days instead of actually first birthdays...and grateful, thankful, humbled, and undeserving, does not even begin to cover the emotions that brings up for me. We were buying balloons for the high chair and mailbox instead of releasing them, we were singing happy birthday to a little boy in said high chair(who just loved the balloons by the way), We had cake in our home instead of at a cemetary( which I still don't drive by without my heart racing a little), and I tucked him into his crib that night. I don't take these things for granted. I also spent time just reflecting on the day of his birth - it's a day that in some ways I would never want to live through again and sometimes I wish life could just slow down so I can really relish in all that God did for us that day.
Cohen's 3 days of birthday celebrations( birthday, concert, family party) were not without it's stresses and disappointments - just happens when you have 3 busy days and you want things to be perfect for something that's such a bid deal to you, but oh how sweet for those to be able to be the things that made those days hard...instead of where we could have been. It's hard to not lose sight of that sometimes, the new perspective we've been given, I pray( though sometimes relunctantly) that God will continue to give us those reminders as we need them.
The morning started with our traditional birthday morning blaring of the Beatle's, "Happy Birthday" song. Cohen quite enjoyed the three of us dancing around like we'd lost our minds to it to kick off is birthday day.
Cohen did have to go to a doctor on his birthday - I know no fun - but when you're trying to fit 7 doc appointments in - you take what you can get. Thankfully, it was just the ENT which is by far the quickest and least invasive dr. appointments we have. After that it was off to meet Chris for lunch at church and to meet with a writer for a newspaper article. It's been published but no online yet - I'll post it when it is.
We needed to keep Cohen's bday smaller to not have so many kiddos in the house as there were lots of germs going around but wanted him to have a little bit of that birthday fun. For Cohen's actually birthday, we grilled out some burgers with some friends on thursday night. The Haff's and The Burn's joined us and it was so fun to have little ones there with us to celebrate Cohen's birthday. It brought an energy to the night that was so refreshing. Cohen loved all the activity and just so special to have a LOUD, ACTIVE, birthday party for him. Again, things we don't take for granted. Cohen kept leaning up in his highchair trying too look around the half-wall between our kitchen and dining room to see the kids at the little table. His favorite part of the night was when the four older kiddos kept running up to his highchair from across the kitchen squealing at unnerving volume levels. He laughed so hard he kept choking himself!!!
laughing at the big kids...
We went with a monkey theme to go along with his monthly monkey pictures. I found these adorable little plates and matching balloons, AND very randomly this lady on Etsy who made coordinating shirts for the party supplies for a great price. ( she let me send her a shirt that would fit Cohen and customized it for me - she did a great job and has some other cute stuff - check her out!!) So Cute!!!
I made my traditional themed birthday cake for Cohen. This was super fun for me because it was one of those things I thought about a lot before he was born, especially as we celebrated Cort's birthday last year... if I would ever get to make a cake for Cohen? And I loved making it. This cake was harder for me then ones in the past because I had to adapt it from a bear pan and the chocolate butter cream icing was softer to work with for some reason.
The finished project... I was pleased enough with it...
Cort wanted to make a cake for Cohen too so I put a little batter in a mini bundt pan and let him decorate it....then we let this be Cohen's cake to dig into....
I was a little nervous about the whole cake thing, as it's sort of the monumental 1st birthday thing and Cohen doesn't really finger feed or eat a ton of table food but he had such a blast with it and it warmed my heart. I have to show it in pictures...
Singing Happy Birthday...
When we took the big cake away...
Cohen DUG into the little cake. His little hands could not have been fisting the cake any faster!! And he even put a little in his mouth at first. Somehow or another even with three of us taking pictures, we all missed a picture and video that seemed to really captured that moment!! So sad but not something I'll easily forget. Here's some good pictures and video though...
Letting mommy and Daddy feed him his cake...
Messy face....
Cohen enjoyed the tissue paper the best from opening presents!!! We got him a chair like Cort's with his name on it and some stacking cups. His friends gave sweet presents of books, balls, and coloring supplies along with a super thoughtful and very appreciated gift of money to help us join Little People Of America. My favorite were the sweet letters they wrote us to go along with. Gotta love great friends!!!
___________________________________________________________________
Oh sweet, Cohen. A whole year old!! This last month has brought with it lots of new things. You are beginning to sit for longer periods of time without support and in fact on the morning of your birthday you sat for the longest time ever up to that point.... a full minute or two.. enough for us to actually leave your side and snap a few pictures!!! We say it was his birthday present to us!!!
Your personality has come through so much more and I have to say you are a bit of a conundrum. In many ways you are very passive and laid back, when content you will sit, lay in one spot for a good while playing with a toy and just watching the environment around you. You have to be pretty strongly motivated to do things and take action. But boy, when you are motivated, there is no joking around or passivity about it. You let it be known that you want something, and you want it now. When you decide, you're passion for trying to do something that you can't do is so fun to see and makes me proud of you.( though a little sad too when you get frustrated).
As of your birthday, you were still getting 4 bottles a day. Something mommy planned on tackling after all the festivities were over. But drum roll please....
YOU ARE SLEEPING THROUGH THE NIGHT!!!
You started to do it about 2-3 weeks before your birthday. You basically just decided one night to do it and have never looked back. I love that you knew what you needed. I kept debating about rather or not to force you to drop it but with being so little I just always felt like you needed it. Without any coaxing on our part, you gave it up willingly.
At your one year check up you were...
13 lbs
23 3/4 inches long
You wear 0-3 month outfits, onesies, and pajamas, and newborn size pants. I think you are starting to get in to some 3-6 months things now.
You are much more cuddly that you used to be. At night time, you love your blanket and smile and cuddle up on my shoulder when I hand it to you. You take 2 naps a day and you are such a great napper. Both naps are usually at least 1. 5 hours and often the afternoon is between 2-3 hours.
You are getting better about solids. You still aren't a fan of picking up food, though you can when you want to, but I really think you just like to make your mommy do all the work. You've recently really found a love for fruit and yogurt. You'll gobble these two things up any time of day. You still seem to enjoy meat and your favorite vegetables are peas, carrots, and squash, I think.
You have been so interested in your toys - trying to figure out how they work more and more. You still love books and have started to enjoy it when I occasionally let you watch a video before bed with Cort. You still prefer small toys that you can hold and manipulate well but have taken more interest in larger cause and effect toys. You really seem to enjoy your Fisher Price Little rockstar toy, especially now that you are sitting up more. You tolerate your exersaucer for longer periods of time and will even turn in it now to reach other toys. You also have begun to bear a little bit of weight on you legs and will occasionally bounce or push off with one or both legs.
You continue to babble a lot and have added t's and c's to your list of sounds. You've started to indicate more about what you want, mainly by fussing(we're working on that :)) or using eye gaze for specific toys, foods, etc.
You love going outside and you love your baths.
You've been a bit or a mommy's boy but recently have taken a liking to Daddy a little more. You still adore Cort and as you grow older it has been such a blessing to see how Cort takes care of you and cheers you on.
Your smile lights up your whole face and I love sometimes how your face will smile without your lips smiling.
The older you get, the more questions I get about your size and age. I pray I tell your story in a way that makes you feel loved. I pray as you get older, that you will be strong in where your identity truly lies and that you will be proud of how God made you. Your story is an amazing one, little monkey, and we look forward to the day you are old enough to hear it..... to know exactly how God began a work in you and that you will one day continue to live out that work by choosing to follow Him.
We love you. You are truly a blessing in our life!!! Can't wait for the next minutes, hours, days, weeks, months, and year with you!!!
_____________________________________________________________________________
Concert, monkey pictures through the year, and Doctor updates coming soon... I think!!! :)
I spent much of his actual birthday thinking of how I thought we would spend his first birthday...of the mothers I have met who celebrate Happy Heaven days instead of actually first birthdays...and grateful, thankful, humbled, and undeserving, does not even begin to cover the emotions that brings up for me. We were buying balloons for the high chair and mailbox instead of releasing them, we were singing happy birthday to a little boy in said high chair(who just loved the balloons by the way), We had cake in our home instead of at a cemetary( which I still don't drive by without my heart racing a little), and I tucked him into his crib that night. I don't take these things for granted. I also spent time just reflecting on the day of his birth - it's a day that in some ways I would never want to live through again and sometimes I wish life could just slow down so I can really relish in all that God did for us that day.
Cohen's 3 days of birthday celebrations( birthday, concert, family party) were not without it's stresses and disappointments - just happens when you have 3 busy days and you want things to be perfect for something that's such a bid deal to you, but oh how sweet for those to be able to be the things that made those days hard...instead of where we could have been. It's hard to not lose sight of that sometimes, the new perspective we've been given, I pray( though sometimes relunctantly) that God will continue to give us those reminders as we need them.
The morning started with our traditional birthday morning blaring of the Beatle's, "Happy Birthday" song. Cohen quite enjoyed the three of us dancing around like we'd lost our minds to it to kick off is birthday day.
Cohen did have to go to a doctor on his birthday - I know no fun - but when you're trying to fit 7 doc appointments in - you take what you can get. Thankfully, it was just the ENT which is by far the quickest and least invasive dr. appointments we have. After that it was off to meet Chris for lunch at church and to meet with a writer for a newspaper article. It's been published but no online yet - I'll post it when it is.
We needed to keep Cohen's bday smaller to not have so many kiddos in the house as there were lots of germs going around but wanted him to have a little bit of that birthday fun. For Cohen's actually birthday, we grilled out some burgers with some friends on thursday night. The Haff's and The Burn's joined us and it was so fun to have little ones there with us to celebrate Cohen's birthday. It brought an energy to the night that was so refreshing. Cohen loved all the activity and just so special to have a LOUD, ACTIVE, birthday party for him. Again, things we don't take for granted. Cohen kept leaning up in his highchair trying too look around the half-wall between our kitchen and dining room to see the kids at the little table. His favorite part of the night was when the four older kiddos kept running up to his highchair from across the kitchen squealing at unnerving volume levels. He laughed so hard he kept choking himself!!!
laughing at the big kids...
We went with a monkey theme to go along with his monthly monkey pictures. I found these adorable little plates and matching balloons, AND very randomly this lady on Etsy who made coordinating shirts for the party supplies for a great price. ( she let me send her a shirt that would fit Cohen and customized it for me - she did a great job and has some other cute stuff - check her out!!) So Cute!!!
I made my traditional themed birthday cake for Cohen. This was super fun for me because it was one of those things I thought about a lot before he was born, especially as we celebrated Cort's birthday last year... if I would ever get to make a cake for Cohen? And I loved making it. This cake was harder for me then ones in the past because I had to adapt it from a bear pan and the chocolate butter cream icing was softer to work with for some reason.
The finished project... I was pleased enough with it...
Cort wanted to make a cake for Cohen too so I put a little batter in a mini bundt pan and let him decorate it....then we let this be Cohen's cake to dig into....
I was a little nervous about the whole cake thing, as it's sort of the monumental 1st birthday thing and Cohen doesn't really finger feed or eat a ton of table food but he had such a blast with it and it warmed my heart. I have to show it in pictures...
Singing Happy Birthday...
When we took the big cake away...
Cohen DUG into the little cake. His little hands could not have been fisting the cake any faster!! And he even put a little in his mouth at first. Somehow or another even with three of us taking pictures, we all missed a picture and video that seemed to really captured that moment!! So sad but not something I'll easily forget. Here's some good pictures and video though...
Letting mommy and Daddy feed him his cake...
Messy face....
Cohen enjoyed the tissue paper the best from opening presents!!! We got him a chair like Cort's with his name on it and some stacking cups. His friends gave sweet presents of books, balls, and coloring supplies along with a super thoughtful and very appreciated gift of money to help us join Little People Of America. My favorite were the sweet letters they wrote us to go along with. Gotta love great friends!!!
___________________________________________________________________
Oh sweet, Cohen. A whole year old!! This last month has brought with it lots of new things. You are beginning to sit for longer periods of time without support and in fact on the morning of your birthday you sat for the longest time ever up to that point.... a full minute or two.. enough for us to actually leave your side and snap a few pictures!!! We say it was his birthday present to us!!!
Your personality has come through so much more and I have to say you are a bit of a conundrum. In many ways you are very passive and laid back, when content you will sit, lay in one spot for a good while playing with a toy and just watching the environment around you. You have to be pretty strongly motivated to do things and take action. But boy, when you are motivated, there is no joking around or passivity about it. You let it be known that you want something, and you want it now. When you decide, you're passion for trying to do something that you can't do is so fun to see and makes me proud of you.( though a little sad too when you get frustrated).
As of your birthday, you were still getting 4 bottles a day. Something mommy planned on tackling after all the festivities were over. But drum roll please....
YOU ARE SLEEPING THROUGH THE NIGHT!!!
You started to do it about 2-3 weeks before your birthday. You basically just decided one night to do it and have never looked back. I love that you knew what you needed. I kept debating about rather or not to force you to drop it but with being so little I just always felt like you needed it. Without any coaxing on our part, you gave it up willingly.
At your one year check up you were...
13 lbs
23 3/4 inches long
You wear 0-3 month outfits, onesies, and pajamas, and newborn size pants. I think you are starting to get in to some 3-6 months things now.
You are much more cuddly that you used to be. At night time, you love your blanket and smile and cuddle up on my shoulder when I hand it to you. You take 2 naps a day and you are such a great napper. Both naps are usually at least 1. 5 hours and often the afternoon is between 2-3 hours.
You are getting better about solids. You still aren't a fan of picking up food, though you can when you want to, but I really think you just like to make your mommy do all the work. You've recently really found a love for fruit and yogurt. You'll gobble these two things up any time of day. You still seem to enjoy meat and your favorite vegetables are peas, carrots, and squash, I think.
You have been so interested in your toys - trying to figure out how they work more and more. You still love books and have started to enjoy it when I occasionally let you watch a video before bed with Cort. You still prefer small toys that you can hold and manipulate well but have taken more interest in larger cause and effect toys. You really seem to enjoy your Fisher Price Little rockstar toy, especially now that you are sitting up more. You tolerate your exersaucer for longer periods of time and will even turn in it now to reach other toys. You also have begun to bear a little bit of weight on you legs and will occasionally bounce or push off with one or both legs.
You continue to babble a lot and have added t's and c's to your list of sounds. You've started to indicate more about what you want, mainly by fussing(we're working on that :)) or using eye gaze for specific toys, foods, etc.
You love going outside and you love your baths.
You've been a bit or a mommy's boy but recently have taken a liking to Daddy a little more. You still adore Cort and as you grow older it has been such a blessing to see how Cort takes care of you and cheers you on.
Your smile lights up your whole face and I love sometimes how your face will smile without your lips smiling.
The older you get, the more questions I get about your size and age. I pray I tell your story in a way that makes you feel loved. I pray as you get older, that you will be strong in where your identity truly lies and that you will be proud of how God made you. Your story is an amazing one, little monkey, and we look forward to the day you are old enough to hear it..... to know exactly how God began a work in you and that you will one day continue to live out that work by choosing to follow Him.We love you. You are truly a blessing in our life!!! Can't wait for the next minutes, hours, days, weeks, months, and year with you!!!
_____________________________________________________________________________
Concert, monkey pictures through the year, and Doctor updates coming soon... I think!!! :)
13 comments:
oh emily, he's beautiful. i want to squeeze him! i think he's looking more and more like you. (and i know i don't even know you in real life--but he looks like your pics at least! :)
chrys
What a grand celebration for Cohen. He is just adorable in each and every picture. Love the cake eating video and all the little kids voices in the background. One of them saying they remember doing that when they were one:)! Too cute. Yes Emily, Cohen's first year of life has been a blessing for sure. He truly is a miracle and I just love how precious he is. And I know how thankful you are for celebrating him being here for his first. I continue praying for the Tippings, it just breaks my heart for them. I am so glad you posted for prayers. Asking God to help them deal with the enormity of their tragedy. Thank you for sharing and enjoy that boy of yours as he continues to be a blessing each day.
Love and Hugs, Laurie
OH how I have followed your blog from the very first concert for Cohen. I got your link in a round about way from Geoff & Brenna. We have many friends in common. I want to let you know that I rejoice with you over Cohen and his first birthday.
** I also saw that monkey theme for our little monkey who will turn 1 in June. Love the matching shirt. ****
YOU are a great writer and your passion is overwhelming sometimes.
I am NOT kidding you...your little one has gripped my heart!
He is so beautiful and perfect and miraculous. *you two make the cutest kids* :0)
Don't apologize for making it about the babies last week...my heart is broken for that sweet family.
Happy Birthday...sweet baby! xoxo
BTW...I LOVE the monkey stuff. :0)
Well, I would say you did a great job for having a case of writers block. :) I really enjoyed reading this post. I love to hear about Cohen's mile stones and stats.
I appreciate how every moment is precious to you and it has challenged me in my parenting to not take so much for granted. You have a very special family and we will continue to pray for you.
Maggie is always happy to see Cohen on the screen. We looked through the pictures together and she just smiled and waved... she knows her friend.
I have been following your blog since Cohen was born, but haven't commented before. Just wanted to say how blessed I have been by God's faithfulness and the miracle of Cohen! Happy Birthday Cohen!!!
Is it just me or does that monkey seem a whole lot smaller? The PT inside of me is loving seeing him sit up!!! He looks adorable!!! Happy Birthday to Cohen!
Oh Cohen you are a sweet boy and so is big brother!! Looks like your birthday was great fun!! Have a great weekend!! You are such a miracle a special one at that :)
He is such a sweet baby! I LOVE that you did the monkey theme for his party and I adore the second to last photo with him and his monkey. BTW...I think the video was wonderful! So sweet. Happy birthday Cohen!!!
I giggle each time I see pictures of Cohen! He is absolutely precious!!! I know you know that already. :) Perhaps there can be a new phrase inspired by Cohen, "A TRILLION DOLLAR SMILE!"
He is so stinkin cute!!
I don't think I'd call that lame writing at all! Happy Birthday, Cohen. Thanks for letting us celebrate with you. Love you!
that is such a sweet and heart felt journaling of your little miracle baby. it is truly hard to believe that one year has gone by since he was born. i know that God has amazing plans for Cohen and the lives that he will touch and the lives that he already has.
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