Hi Michigan, Me Cuckoo

We made it! We survived another fun-filled, family vacation. Cooper was a total trooper and did awesome in the car as we traveled from TN-KY-IN-OH and finally MI. We were expecting the very worst as it had been quite awhile since we traveled that long in the car. The last time we drove to Michigan, Cooper was about 7 months old and it wasn’t exactly a pleasant experience, so we braced ourselves for more of the same. We even caved and purchased a portable DVD player but were reluctant to use it in fear that he would expect to watch it EVERY TIME we traveled in the car and that just wouldn’t fly. We decided to keep it as our ace in the hole in the event of a major meltdown. Luckily, we didn’t use it at all on our way there and didn’t break it out until we were about 2 ½ hours away from home on the way back. Cooper allowed us to travel home in one day. Our trip home ended up being over 12 hours thanks to major road construction. We have since removed the DVD player from our car and Coop hasn’t asked to watch it yet (knock on wood). I’m thinking this may be Coop’s way of setting us up to think all road trips are this smooth. But soon we will have the newborn dynamic to contend with as well. I think it will probably be quite awhile before we attempt another road trip.

We split the trip on the way there into 2 days: Day 1---6hrs and Day 2---4hrs. Cooper really didn’t sleep much in the car so by the time we decided to stop for the night, Cooper was overly tired and ready to partaay. We made the mistake of telling Coop that he was going to sleep in a big boy bed in the hotel and he translated that to mean jumping on the bed and the walls and doing everything BUT sleep. Oh well, I’d take a toddler hopped up on adrenaline over a toddler screaming in the car for 6hrs any day.

One of the main reasons our DVD player wasn’t necessary is because of the invention of Semi Trucks. Cooper no doubt pointed out every Biiiiiig Truuuuuuck (said in a deep roaring voice) along the way. In case you weren’t aware, there are a Gazillion trucks on the highway. Never in my life have I ever been so thrilled to follow and study the details of a semi truck. We even noticed some of the very same semi trucks on our journey home. You know you’ve paid a little too much attention to detail when you notice the exact same truck 5 days later on the road. I can’t wait for the day when Cooper flashes the international symbol for HONK-YOUR-HORN to all the truck drivers along the way. I wonder if truck drivers even honk on command these days? I didn’t dare try it as we were probably already creeping the drivers out a bit with our stares and pointing each time we passed them.

But enough with all this truck talk. This is all about our time with Grandma Mickey, Mark’s Aunt and Uncles, cousins and Grandma’s kitties. Cooper had a blast with Grandma and we kept him busy, busy, busy. He got to meet lots of second cousins (somehow I didn’t manage to get any pictures of all the cute kids together).

Before I move on to some of our pics, I just had to share the cutest thing Coop now does when we introduce him to anyone.

Mom or Dad: “Cooper, this is your cousin Nicole. Can you say hello?”
Cooper: “Hi Cold, Me Cuckoo.”

It’s very important to let it be known that you’re a little Cuckoo when introducing yourself don’t you think? Sorry Coop, I think your nickname is here to stay. Someday we’ll have to explain to you that it was all your doing and had nothing to do with your Mom and Dad.