Happy Spring...

Here in West Michigan, slowly the weather is feeling more like Spring. It hasn't been particularly warm, but the sun has been shining and it is a reminder that warmer temperatures are on the way.

As a family, we are trying to make use of the nicer weather, and we are feeling how nice it is to be back outside. The thing we are most looking forward to are walks which we hope to incorporate into our weekly schedule.

Here are few picks of your favorite Miles from the last week:

I believe we mentioned this before, but Miles has really gotten good at reaching out and touching a target. Here is a picture of Miles touching Mama's face while eating and reaching out to touch the mirror on his play mat.

These picture are from a bathtime. Miles continues to enjoy the bath. The first pic is an action shot (note the kicking foot) as Mama goes in to wash the little hair Miles has. The second is Miles' concerned look... he has been working on it.

This will probably be our last post for a couple of weeks. We are traveling to Florida next week in what will be Miles' first road trip. Say goodbye Miles...

Good Day

Today has been a REALLY good day. I have been waiting for a day like this, and here it is. What makes it so good? Not the weather, not what I did or didn't do, not because of any external factors. The Holy Spirit prompted my heart this morning with a hopeful and peace-giving word. Although not a new thought, it is revolutionary every time I re-learn it.

God is the only water that I thirst for.

There is so much more I could say about that, but the words just don't seem to give justice to the complex thoughts that dash across and through my consciousness. Have you ever dwelt on a confusing physics problem, sitting to think about it for a long time, and experienced a milli-second glimpse of it all making sense...only to have it slip away into confusion again? I can feel this slipping already, as I slip back into my week of routines. I treasure a day like today, however, where it all seems to make sense. I thank God for the reminder, and for being an always-available well-spring.

I pray that Miles will someday hear and respond to the promptings of the Holy Spirit. It is an honor to take care of this gift that God has given us...

Here's his hard-to-catch-on-video laugh:

And here he is eating carrots...finally a food that he loves!

Thanks for letting me ramble a bit. And thanks for checking in on our little family.

It's March!?!

Well, the streak had to come to an end. Like Megan mentioned in the last post, the month of February is a busy one and I am glad we are on the other end. Before I get to our Miles update, some updates on our life.

At the beginning of this week, I along with a few of my colleagues traveled out to Seattle for a Student Affairs conference. The conference was great and I felt that I learned a lot. It also wasn't too bad spending a few days in Seattle. This was my first time there and I really enjoyed it. We spent time with good friends, enjoyed some good food, and got to check out some neat sites like the Pike Market and the Seattle Library, both very cool destinations. Thanks to Joe and Rachel who played the role of innkeepers. You guys are awesome! All in all a very good trip.

The Pike Place Market in Downtown Seattle

Megan and Miles during my time away traveled to another great city, Tinley Park Illinois, and visited with the fam. Seemed like this was a nice get-away for those two as well. I think for all three of us, however, it is nice to be home all together!

Where is Tinley Park you ask?

So, since I have 6 weeks or so to cover, I really have my choice of "Miles-Tones". Needless to say, this was a very busy and exciting time here in our little apartment. In no particular order:

Miles Speaks:
It's true. Now, he has no idea what he is saying, but Miles has gotten a lot more "chatty" over the last month or so. He always has made various noises, but they seemed like either a) mistake noises or b) screeches. Now his noises are more deliberate and under control. Even his cries seem more calculated. Common Noises: Bah Bah, Dah Dah, Mah Mah, Bwah, Ike, pbth, owewa, etc... Words we thought he came close to saying: window, thank you, itchy, yeah, no, mama and dada, neuroplacisity (well, maybe not that last one).

Miles Eats:
Well, this title is also a little misleading... it should read "Miles eats solids" or even better "We put food in Miles' mouth and some of it he swallows". I am joking actually, Miles, while messy, actually is a pretty decent eater these past few days. He has his favorites - sweet potatoes, prune juice and oatmeal - but he is pretty open to anything. It is very fun to feed him and he gets a kick out of "sitting" with us at the dinner table.

Below is a video that shows both of these talents. This is a few weeks old (2/28), but shows him enjoying food (somewhat) and saying "Bah Bah Bah". Note: this is a longer video. If you want to skip to him talking, it is later in the video


Miles Eating and Talking from Matt Cooke on Vimeo.

Miles Sits:
This is still a work in progress, but Miles has been working really hard on sitting upright. Usually you have to distract him while he is sitting or he will get bored and will fall over. Below is a picture displaying this very challenging skill.



Miles has also started doing other things: rolling over front to back almost automatically (he still hasn't quiiiiitttteeee figured out back to front but he is close), reaching out for faces, toys, and other things I am sure I am missing.

Here is Miles hanging out with dad as they check on their fantasy basketball team

Miles chilling on a bench on a day out with mom.

Miles and mom from that same day. Like above, Miles is dressed like a bear. Scary.

Well, that is all for now. Enjoy this very cute picture as Miles wishes you a happy St. Patrick's Day (remember, he is 1/8th Irish).