Blessing

The dress!





Carter loves Jurnee!!! She is so cute and fun!











Jurnee isn't she a cutie pie!!!


The boys playing, giving eachother horsey rides.


Brooklyn was blessed this last Sunday. We had an extremely fun weekend! Sonia Ryan and the kids came from Vegas and Brent's parents came from Canada. My sister April was able to come with Ashlyn and then my parents were able to come also. It was so much fun getting to see everyone. The weekend went by so fast that I had a little bit of a hard time Sunday evening with everyone gone. Thankfully April and Ashlyn have been with me these last few days. The blessing and dinner afterwards turned out great and the dress Brooklyn wore was absolutely beautiful! I need to send a special Thanks to Brent's mom for making the dress. She is so talented and the dress was perfect....the only thing is we had to move the buttons over because my babies grow FAST and get chubby.
Thanks to all of you who made the trip for just a couple of days. And thank you Sonia and Ryan for staying up LATE and fitting in some cards and some great chit-chat. And I must say thank you to Ryan for the great "entertainment" (wink wink). I'll remember to bring some bells for you next time.
Brent is staying busy with work and is going to be gone this weekend so I'll be traveling with April and Ashlyn to Twin to see more family and enjoy the conference weekend!
I have been trying to adjust to the everyday life of having 2 kids. Trying to get laundry, cleaning, cooking, running errands and a good schedule down for the kids. Brooklyn has become more fussy since her pooping habit is so WEIRD. Although these past few days have been great. She's pooped on her own 2 days in a row and has been so good. Now if she could just keep that up. I can certainly tell when she is uncomfortable and can't poop. On Sunday evening she was having such a hard time so we tried just some rectal stimulation and of course didn't work so we gave the suppository and boom within 5 minutes it was done. So the suppository didn't even have time dissolve. We are just going with the flow. If she doesn't go within 2 to 3 days and is uncomfortable she gets the suppository, and if she goes on her own great! She'll get it down sometime. She is smiling so much and trying to start cooing!! It's so funny to watch her as she tries to get out something. She smiles and if I stick out my tongue her tongue comes out too.
Carter is growing like crazy and talking so much. He understands so much and is memorizing how to spell his name and now can count to 10. I din't know he could count that high until we were counting and he would say the next number before I could say it. He got a little stumped at 9 and then shouted 10! He has learned that I am mom but that my name is "Amer" and that dad is "Bent" so he switches back and forth between calling us by our names. He keeps me on my toes and keeps me laughing or completely flustered as how to figure him out.
Well I better head off to bed as both kids are sleeping and I have a dr's appt. at 8:30. I can't believe it's already been 6 weeks since I had Brooklyn. Love to all!

Diaper rash cream....good for the scalp and hair

SO today was quite the crazy day. We started off to a pretty good morning. No fits and Carter was being really good as was the baby. I went into our living room to change Brooklyn and Carter started following me but stopped as he was watching "Little Einsteins". So I continued changing Brooklyn and talking to her and then decide to go get Carter and get him changed and ready for the day. When I go into the kitchen there he is with the diaper rash cream all over our floor and all over his head. He is rubbing it on his hair so good. I was so shocked I couldn't yell at him and as my mind started running as this is going to be hell to clean up I saw the camera on the bar and took a deep breath and like some of you decided to capture the moment. The camera was Carter's saving grace.....I didn't yell once. I quickly took some photos and then took him into the bathroom realizing he had a nice present in his diaper for me I layed him down on a towel changed his pants and he got a glimpse of himself in the mirror and thought he was so funny! I put him in the bath and started to look at his head. I soon became so flustered as I had no clue how to get this out. Water was the worst thing to put on it as it repels (just doing it's job and creating a barrier) I soon had a little boy with dreadlocks. I called my mom because when we were little she had to deal with some little girls rubbing vaseline all over the walls and floor and eachother I thought she'd know what to do. Well she used baby powder and a dry towel to get it out. Baby powder didn't really work for this it just made his locks even worse. So I thought when I use the cream I wipe it off with wet wipes and it comes off. So I tried it. It did a little something so I continued. THREE hours and many suckers later I was able to recognize my little boys hair. I never could have imagined that diaper cream would have been that tough to get off his scalp and hair. He was so thankful when I was done. He kept saying in the sweetest voice "all DONE mom, all done!!!" By then it was lunch time and then he went down so quickly for his nap and stayed asleep for a couple of hours. The whole ordeal must have tuckered him out. Seeing his mom fret to get his hair clean. And just a side note it was Arbonne's Diaper Rash cream...not cheap stuff and incredibly good stuff!!!! So I highly recommend it for the bum not head!




After several attempts....this is what he still looked like!!!



Finally looking so much better....still feels really weird!


I thought I'd put some of Brooklyn on here too.

Check out my Slide Show!

Carter and Brooklyn

Lately Carter has really wanted to hold Brooklyn a lot! He'll sit by me or come find me and say "baby lap" and pat his knees. So I decided today I'd get some pics of it.


Carter was talking to her in his english/giberish language.



Carter loves Brookie's binki. I'll find her binkis hidden in his little car that he rides.


I was telling Carter to give her a kiss, instead he opted to blow her a kiss.

sick days

My two kiddies are down for naps and so I thought I'd try to post a little something quickly as I have lots of other things to do, but it's nice to sometimes sit down take a breather and write about our past few days. Carter has seemed to catch a cold. I think it's a combination of teething and a cold so he's been a little grumpy lately. Brent has been hard at work with a seminar they've been doing this weekend and so he's been gone a lot making it even harder for Carter. So yesterday I decided to make some play-doh, since I didn't want to brave it going out to the store. Carter loved helping make the play-doh, I think more than he liked playing with it. Since I didn't go to the store his toys were limited with the play-doh. The cookie cutters and tupperware only lasted so long. I was in the bathroom cleaning when I hear him yelling "ooray, ready, set, GO.......ooray!" I peeked around the corner to see him rolling up little balls of play-doh and throwing them as far as his arm could throw. Being that they were balls and it was entertaining and I was getting some cleaning done I continued to just let him go for it, and not see me so that he didn't know that I was ok with it.
Today he had a real hard morning, so after helping him through lots of fits, I figured we just needed to get out of the house. So we ventured to "donalds" (McDonalds) for some "icken nuggets" and "milt". Then we were off to the park. For any of you moms or soon to be moms I highly recommend Hotslings, and the sit-and stand stroller. If you have one baby the hotslings is awesome. Brooklyn loves being in it and it keeps her completely out of the sun and allows me to help Carter, plus as she gets bigger she can stay in it for up to 30 lbs (no way I'd be packing around a 30lb kid though). As for the stoller Brooklyn's carseat just snaps right in the front or when she gets bigger she can just go right in and in the back Carter can sit or stand. I can even buckle him in if I want. He loves this!!! He totally thinks it's the coolest thing and begs to go for a "ride"! So now we are home and I'm enjoying a nice quiet afternoon.
Brooklyn is a great baby and is growing so much. She loves eating, sleeping and wetting her diaper. She's not too keen about pooping. Crazy girl....I know she knows how as she pooped inside me and then pooped like crazy her first week alive. Now she's stopped and no, she's not constipated as that means hard stools. They are soft and completely normal she just won't push them out. Our pediatrician did a rectal to make sure everything was normal and it is.....so we just have to give her a suppository every 48 hours and for the next 2 weeks keep a record of her poops and then we'll re-evaluate and see if there is something else we can do. So I just pray that she'll get it back together and start pooping on her own. Never in my life did I think I'd be so happy to see a ton of yellow mustard up my baby's back. She is actually smiling at us. Really she is...it's not gas. When I talk in a high pitched voice and she is wide awake and alert she'll give me some good smiles. It's amazing what little smiles can do for someone. Carter is wanting to hold her lots and tickle her toes and every time she sneezes or toots he says "cuse you baby.....ewe"
Well I better be going this is getting way too long. I'll try to post some recent pix of the kids a little later. Love to all.

Weekend in McCall

Last weekend we went up to McCall and spent time with my parents and Brent's parents. It was a nice to get a way and see some pretty sites. Although I have to say the drive up was so twisty and I totally forgot how twisty it was and so I had a little breakdown as I am still very emotional (dang hormones) and didn't want anything to happen to any of us on such a crazy road. Thank goodness I have such a good husband who is so patient, understanding, and can turn me crying into laughing like that.
In McCall we were able to go to the little beach and take some nice walks and eat some good food. It was nice spending time with family and Carter enjoyed his time so much. He definately is growing and talking more. My little boy is getting so BIG! It seems like just yesterday that I had him. I look at Brooklyn and realize how fast this time goes by.
We enjoyed our time with Jim and Helen! It was nice to have them here for the week. They helped out so much!!! So thank you, thank you, thank you!!!!
Carter is adjusting much better this week. He loves Brooklyn and loves to touch her. He also lets me know when he needs some attention by telling me that the baby needs to go "nigh, nigh, in bed". Brooklyn is so good and sleeps so much that this makes it nice. Then when I get her settled and come to play with Carter he asks "baby????, C'mon" taking my hand to go get her. Silly boy. Last night Brent had a work party and so we all went and Brent took Carter out to the car and he looked at the carseat and said "baby, baby" making sure Brent wouldn't forget her.
A shout out to Maddux who just turned 4 years old.....wow I can't believe it!!! Happy birthday. Good luck to Sonia and Ryan in running the 1/2 marathon at Disneyland. I'll be thinking of you!
I better get going as I have tons to do. Love to all!!!

BROOKLYN RAE COPPIETERS

We are so happy to say that we now are a family of four. This little baby decided to come early Sunday morning Aug. 19th. I was having contractions pretty much all day Saturday, I just needed them to get harder. My parents came Friday and Brent's parents got in town Saturday evening. So I was really praying that nature would take it's course and I'd really go into labor. We all stayed up talking and then decided to go to bed. I didn't really want to go to bed as most of my good contractions stop once I would sleep. I realized that I did need sleep and rest for the days to come so once we all got into bed and adjusted.....I was all propped up on my pillows, pillows between my legs and all set for sleep. Still having contractions and as soon as Brent pulled out his book to do some light night reading, well my contractions immediately got hard and soon became 3 to 5 minutes apart. Soon of course the tears came as i realized these are what it takes to get this baby here. I had an overwhelming feeling of leaving my baby and him waking up feeling abandoned. At that point the hormones kicked in I completely lost all sense of logic and told Brent that we'd just not have the baby that night and stay there. Brent being so good said no, let's just take Carter with us. Hearing him say that made no sense and I got it together. We gave Carter some benedryl.....and put him in our bed and off we were to the hospital.
I was extremely nervous as we drove there thinking that this really couldn't be happening...all my prayers answered and things were working out perfectly. I didn't want to get my hopes up and be sent home. But oh the pain. When we got there the nurse checked me and I was at a 3 1/2 to 4 and she wanted to make sure I was dialating so she said instead of having you walk lets jacuzzi it up and let you relax and let your body do the work. I thought that for sure the contractions would stop once I relaxed and then be sent home with no baby......but much to my amazement the jacuzzi totally took my contraction pain down and I dialated. I couldn't believe the nurse when she said you're a way good 5 and lets book you and get you jacuzzi-ing more. I thought she's being so nice. So I decided since I was completely relaxed and doing good with the pain lets just keep the meds away for now and not hinder anything. I kept dialating and by the time I hit 7 I was starting to think maybe I needed the epideral.....not sure if I actually wanted to feel the baby come out. With tons of encouragement as I was doing great with the contractions I fully decided not to get anything. Brent called and woke up my parents in the motel and had the come as I wanted them there for the birth, for me and for Brent. They made it there and from then everything progressed and I'll spare you all the gory details......
Brooklyn weighed in at 7 pounds 6 ounces and 19 1/2 inches long. (length exact as Carter). She just like Carter was a miconium baby so she had to be suctioned.....let me say that's the worst when you can feel everything and have to wait to push as you have half the baby out. But extremely vital as they have to suction her before she takes a breath. A little stressful at first as we had to have the respitory team there and get the dr. there before she came. It all happened so fast! Needless to say we are so glad that is over and we are all doing great.
I came home from the hospital on Monday and seriously feel so good. Carter loves the baby and is so happy to see her. He is a little clingy of mom and dad and wants us and Brooklyn all right there together. He hasn't ever gotten mad at her or wanted me to put her down he loves to us all together. Thanks to Jim and Helen for being here and being such great help!!! Thanks mom and dad for being there for the birth and being my saving grace during some stressful moments!!! I seriously have so much love for the savior and for the gospel. It all makes so much sense and I know that without my Heavenly Father I would have not made it through. We do have a higher power helping us along the way whether we know it or not. I feel so blessed to have two healthy wonderful kids and a great husband who is such a great father and takes care of me so well! I better go before I start bawling as hormones run high. Love to all and I hope everyone is doing well.

NO BABY YET!!!

Well I was hoping that the next time I posted it would be pictures of our new little bundle........but she's being extremely difficult as I've been having tons of contractions but nothing happens!!! The doctor was surprised to see me yesterday and said he didn't think I'd make it through the weekend.....dr's- please please they get my hopes up by saying these things and then when nothing happens I am even more devasted! Especially the saying that "oh, wow, the head is RIGHT there and you won't have a long labor at all....That's what my other dr. said with Carter and sure the head is RIGHT there but goodness if you're that positive just break my water and send me over to labor and delivery! Anyway as you can tell I'm just a little flustered. My dr. did schedule an induction for Wednesday morning if I make it till then--in my dr.'s words. Of course I'm all ancy and when people ask when is your due date of course it's actually not until the 28th but hey, when you are this big and uncomfortable a date is just a date and it seems as though my body tells me now should be the time. I'm dilating and things are all ready to go down there...trying not to give to much info.
So anyway on to more exciting things. Last night I was having contractions and lots of pain in my back and so we decided to go to the fair with our friends Russell and Collette. Where better to go and walk and eat lots of grease filled yummy food! We took the kids to see all the little animals and Carter loved the little goats. We bought some grain to feed them and of course Carter thought they'd bite him, and was completely amazed at the fact that they lick your hand to get the food. He laughed and squiled and got a little scared. So he went for their tails instead and wanted to pet only the "baby ones". There was a BIG cow and you could comb it, so Brent took him over to see this cow and at first he was in awe, then when it started "MOO-ing" at him he got a little freaked. Brent insisted he take the brush and try it and as he got closer the cow let out another big "MOO" and made carter turn and get the heck out of there. Quite fun to see kids faces light up when they see all these animals.
We enjoyed our fair food of corn on the cob, elephant ears(my favorite), corn dogs, and of course the famous Idaho ice-cream potato. I should have taken a picture of this as it really does look like a potato for all you non idahoans who have no clue what I'm talking about.
Anyway, I am still having contractions this morning and they are getting more and more painful so I must get off of here and do something. Love to all!

This last weekend we went to Twin for the last time before I have this baby. We had a lot of fun and even got to take Carter to the drive-in movie. He's never been to one and he was in awe. We went with my 2 brothers and their families and my parents and Carter couldn't get enough of all of them. He kept talking to my nieces Tiana and Andrea telling them all about the stars and the moon and pointing to the big screen, then he'd climb in our car and see that there was a big bed in the back and he thought it was great. I tried and tried to get him to sleep but it just wasn't happening and so he cuddled up with my mom and little did he know once he got so cumfy he couldn't fight it any longer and he was out!
We were able to drive past the temple sight in Twin and the temple is absolutely beautiful. This time we took some pictures. It's amazing to see the progress and how everything comes together. I can already feel the spirit so strongly just by driving around the temple. It really is such a peaceful place.
A shout out to Jim whose birthday was on the first and a shout out to my mom whose birthday is tomorrow. Love you guys lots and hope your birthday is/was great!!!
I am missing going to Sun Valley with my whole family this weekend. Everyone is going to the ice-show and all you can eat buffet that is absolutely amazing food......due to the fact that I am almost 37 weeks and having some contractions it's best that I stay here. I know that because I'm staying the baby won't come, but if I were to go, with my luck I'd have it. That's just the way the cookie crumbles. So to my family.... have fun and eat lots of shrimp for me and lots of chocolate covered strawberries and white cake.
Carter is keeping us laughing. He's become a little parrot and copies everything we say. He's starting to sing lots of songs too, like his ABC's, church songs, and of course ELMO. It's so fun when I sing he actually sings the words with me. So being that he's able to talk more and express himself, he never stops talking and along with good nice things to say he also has some attitude! His immagination has really started to come out and it is so funny. He entertains me all day long. Carter is still quite interested in the potty. He's always late though, he says wet, wet and then runs to the bathroom taking off his diaper or he poops and says stinky, stinky and goes to the potty wanting to sit on it. One day he'll get it.
Anyway, I better go and get things done around here. I hope everyone is doing well and having a great summer. Take care to all and please everyone pray that I can have this baby sometime soon!!! Love to all

Staying busy

So Carter is keeping me running. He has recently become quite interested with the potty. He has learned how to take off his diaper and so he goes and sits on the potty many times throughout the day. He has yet to do anything on there but he loves sitting there and pushes and pushes trying so hard and then of course he has to wipe. And then get off and say bye, bye as he flushes the toliet. Yesterday he pooped in his diaper and then went to the potty trying to pry off his diaper to get on. A little late but oh well. I really am not into potty training. I've never done this and am trying to get ready for a baby rather than start a whole new process for Carter. But hey if he's interested I'll just play into it and let him sit on there. It's probably just a phase and the moment I push for him to do it then it'll back fire so I'm not actually going to push for this quite yet, just let him explore his interests and let him sit on there and pretend.
I've been having some contractions that actually hurt......I guess it's preparing me for the real deal. The moment these things get painful I start to panic thinking holy cow I really am not ready for this and how did I ever make it through having Carter. Hopefully I can be as lucky as my friend Collette and only have a 3 hour labour.....I highly doubt it but hey wishful thinking never hurts. Other than having contractions and getting huge I actually feel pretty good. We are all anxiously awaiting the day when this baby will arrive. I washed all the baby stuff like car seat, bassinet, bouncy seat, clothes and Carter was so excited!!!! I don't know if he actually understands but the whole time he was saying baby baby. Oh shh... shhh.. and the clothes he even holds up and says in this high pitched voice "oh coot, coot" (cute). What have I done to him. He keeps us laughing and on our toes.


Carter thinking he can play the piano so well.



Swinging with Brent and he's got his little beeny baby that he loves to play with and pretend.

Sprinkler Time

Yesterday was quite the hot day but Carter so badly wanted to go out and play. We have an apple tree that needs some major pruning so it doesn't produce nice plump apples instead it drops tons of little ones and they start to rot, so that was my job to pick up the apples. Carter helped for a while and had fun making baskets in my bag and pretending to eat the apples scaring me to death as they are pretty gross. He thought it was funny. Once Carter saw that I turned on the sprinkler he wouldn't stay out of it. He loved running through and getting drinks and then decided to put his head in. He loved getting his head wet and running after me trying to get me wet too. Brent got home in time to help me finish up the apples and then took carter for a barrell ride. He loved it! Any time Brent would stop he'd yell "ride, ride"!
Brent and I are staying busy. I'm staying HUGE and getting bigger as we speak. I just pray that I can go a couple weeks early!!! But I'm not getting my hopes up, with Carter I had it totally set in my mind that I was going to go 2 weeks early and after I was 38 weeks I hated life!!! So I'm not getting my hopes up. There's so many things going on the end of August that it would really work out PERFECT if I could go early, that's the one great thing about babies......they'll come on their own time. Anyway, for now I'll just try to enjoy being huge!!! Love to all and I hope everyone is doing great!!!