A mid-summer update...

Just a few pictures and updates on the past couple weeks...

Mommy found her old Pullin' Green tractor pulling shirt and decided that Cohen needed to have it. Apparently, we almost waited too long because it's almost too small. So we got a bunch of pictures just in case we hit a growth spurt.

Cohen showing us how big he is.

4th of July picture of Cohen. He's excited.

This is Nick's excited face. He had just found out earlier this day that he got his promotion at Lowes!!! Yay! The 8th try is apparently the lucky try. Now he's in management up front, has a little desk, works MUCH better hours and is loving his new job!! Yay for answers to prayer!!

A swim at great grandma Karen's. Grandma great's pool has been such a blessing on these hot humid Indiana summer days!

Cohen really enjoys swimming, especially in some sort of floating apparatus. He's happy as long as he feels secure. Now if only we can get him to STOP DRINKING THE POOL!!

He didn't lose his arms...he's just contemplating jumping in. But aside from the no arm thing, I thought this was a pretty cute picture!

Mommy and Cohen swimming. Nick got a talking to about not taking very many picture of Cohen and I (I take all the pictures, therefore I have NONE of the two of us!) so he has started doing a much better job of catching moments of mommy and Cohen.

Cohen driving Grandpa Great's lawn tractor. It's a West family tradition.

Cohen got some gift money, so we went and got him a new trike. I've got the cutest video of this morning...as soon as I can get it shortened, I'll get it up here for you all!

My sister thought that the other "sick" pictures of Cohen were so cute, so I had to put this one up for her. Cohen had a sick day or two a few days ago. He spent most of the evening in his chair, in front of his little TV, watching Wonder Pets, with his gatorade, his blankie, his paci and his Mickey. He was a pretty sad little guy. But he's tough, he prevailed.

Sorry to end on a sad picture...coming soon...more zoo pics!

Indiana Vacation

I know, I know, we live in Indiana, how can we take an Indiana vacation? The Florida Daugherty family took 2 weeks off and came up to Indiana to spend some time up here for an Indiana summer vacation. They started and ended at mom and dads but spent all the time in between up at Lake James. Here are a *few* (sorry, there really are a lot of) pictures from their trip:

Cailin and Cohen in the wagon headed down to the pond at Grandma and Grandpa Slushers.

The boat ride over to the beach wore Cohen out so he slept nearly the whole time in the shade.

Cailin playing at the beach.

Cohen finally woke up and was able to play on the beach for a little while before we had to race back across the lake to beat the storm- it certainly was not a boring day.

Cohen and Cailin playing at the cottage.

The Daugherty kids

Cohen was so excited to finally have someone his size to wrestle with....

.....and snuggle up on the chair with when he was tired.

or someone else to snuggle up with. Cohen likes to hug a lot, and one of the million times he was hugging Carson, Carson looked at me with this false-pained look and said

"Why won't he leave me alone?"

And I said, "He likes you, he thinks that you are pretty cool!"

Carson- "He does? Why?"

Me- "Because you are his older cousin and that makes you cool!"

And that was enough of an explaination for Carson, after that he didn't seem to mind having Cohen around, whether he was hugging him or not.

Cailin, Cohen and I out on the dock.

Cohen out at the campfire.

Cailin on her mom's old bike. She's just so darn cute!

and if you are going to take a picture of one of them...

...you have to take a picture of all three.

Grandpa and all the grandkids down at Grandpa's pond.

You would act like this too if you had two older brothers who drove you crazy!

Cailin being her usual "mom" self and taking care of Cohen.

And one last shot of Grandpa and the boys fishing. I seem to like ending my posts on a sunset picture. Seems fitting doesn't it.

Another Mommy and Cohen walk...

I love warm summer nights!!

I don't know what it is with putting his hands in his pockets...he's started doing that and it's just too darn cute!

He's also a big fan of the close ups....

my camera lens is a little smudgy from the warm breath and fingerprints...

Still obsessed with the storm drain...

oh the exciting things one can find in downtown Liberty Center...

He's just so darn cute!! Who are this kid's parents?? It can't be us!

After a quick jaunt back to the house to get some sleeves (it was a little breezy and chilly!) it was back to the old rusty farm machinery...like grandfather- like grandson...at least it's green!

Over one way and then back over the other way...only about 20 times...

See...still going...

He has also recently discovered the big kids park equipment. He LOVES the big slide, but let's be honest, I don't even really like it cause it's too high for me and I feel unsafe because I am clearly too big to be on a park slide. So I tough it out for a time or two and then try to drag him to something that mommy feels safer about! Like the jungle gym! As much as he likes to climb over and under and through and in....luckily it's a good substitute for the giant slide...

One last cute closing shot with the sun setting...

this really is what being a mom is all about, isn't it!?!

Til next time...

love- the Millers :)

I've got so much catching up to do...

So it's been forever since I've posted...I know, I know...I'm slacking. So I'm gonna try to catch up all in one night, in however many posts it may possibly take me.


I don't remember when this was (must have been late May / early June), or what it was for, but they are both just so cute that I couldn't resist adding it- even though I have no better caption for it than that!

Friday June 6, Nick and I were both off so we decided to take Cohen to the zoo. One of our GREATEST Christmas presents this year was a family pass to the zoo. This means we can go up, whenever we want, for free (other than the millions of $ it costs in gas) and if Cohen gets hot, cranky, sleepy or whatever, we can just pack up and go back home because we haven't paid the $20 plus bucks to get in! It's awesome. So this particular Friday, it was like 95 degrees and like 90% humidity, with no clouds and no breeze....I know, we're great parents aren't we? But we waited until like 2pm, took the stroller with the canopy for shade, gallons of ice water, and slathered ourselves in SPF 50. We may look sweaty, but really it's just all the SPF we were covered in. And I'm pleased to report no burns or heat stroke for any of us! We had a great(short) day and we left just left when we felt Cohen was getting done. Ah the beauty of the free pass!

Nick and Cohen outside the orangutans. This is mommy's favorite- both the orangutans and this picture of these two!

This was attempt number 4 to get a good picture of Cohen and I. But something was far too facinating/hilarious about mommy's face and we couldn't get Cohen to stop looking at me and look at the camera. And again, he looks wicked sweaty, but this was like nearly the first stop of the day and I assure you, his hair only looks wet because of all the sunscreen that was all over his face!

Mommy and Cohen on the giant lizard....komodo dragon? I don't know, dragons are daddy's department....

Shortly after a big fall next to the penguins and being attacked by a goose (all daddy's fault really), we decided to try and successfully end our zoo trip with some fish-feeding. Luckily, it went as planned. Cohen LOVED feeding the ducks/fish and we were able to cheer him back up after his possible zoo-scarring events. He left smiling and hasn't had awful war flashbacks any of the times we've been back since. However, he does keep his distance from those geese.....