A Few Things We Love...

We figured this was as good a time as any to comment on the things we love and are thankful for...especially since Thanksgiving is here. But wait, wasn't it just summer? I feel 87 years old saying this, but time really does fly! Ok...now onto the list (in keeping with our theme, ML loves making lists...lists of things to do, things to buy, what to cook for the week, quotes she likes...the list goes on...)

What I Love...

GCC: Learning more about my partner in crime every day, watching Lily fight falling asleep, Saturdays with nothing to do...Sundays with nothing to do after that Saturday with nothing to do...teaching and coaching, watching my brothers grow up, that feeling of lying down at night knowing you have had a fulfilling, full day...DVR...I know it should go further down the list...but I really really like DVR...chocolate chip muffins....chocolate chip pie....chocolate chip cookies...white chocolate mocha coffee...reading biographies and trying to figure out how that person would be in today's world....debating either side of a topic, no matter which I believe more...sitting with Boomer on the couch while he puts his head back...meeting new people that challenge your views...catching up with old friends who reaffirm your views...loud family dinners....quiet cups of coffee on the porch....finishing a project that you had no business doing, but it coming out right (only have had this once, but I anticipate more).....I really love being a husband and father. I love saying that I'm a husband and father and feel like its weird still. I love thinking about what Lily is going to be interested in, who her friends will be, and how much she is going to torture Boomer. I love Mary Lynn and how she is caring, creative, calming, and cute (had to stick with a "C"). Lastly...I love chances to tell people they are important....so thanks for reading our blog!

ML: My hub Gregory Colin, our sweet Lily-pie, soft baby clothes and blankets (really all things baby!), Boomer, our amazing family (and the best parents/grandparents anyone could ask for!), my next door neighbor and his girlfriend :), Skyline and LaRosa's only being about a minute walk away, soccer, playing soccer, watching soccer, living near Cbus to see the Crew play soccer, the summer, addictive reality shows like The Hills, the Real World, Little People Big World (I want to live on the Roloff Farm), the Challenge, Top Chef, Real Housewives of Orange County...Atlanta...(I want Nene as a friend b/c she cracks me up), my Wild Kingdom girls, my Tremor group at P&G, having time off work with Lily until June!, my friends who have had babies recently and all their amazing advice, rocking chairs, traveling anywhere and everywhere (is it too early to take Lily to Europe?), a good book, Starbuck's grande non-fat white chocolate mocha half-decaf half-reg sometimes with light whip...with a gift card, finding $20 in my jeans that I haven't worn since I was 3 months pregnant, Kenwood mall walking with my mommy friends and our strollers, looong naps even after a full night of sleep, running marathons (definitely NOT the training...more the finishing of a marathon), Thursday night television (does it get any better than Grey's, CSI Vegas and The Office??!) and then reciting memorable Office quotes with Greg - "MYTH: 3 Americans die every year from rabies...FACT: 4 Americans die every year from rabies," the iconic movie "A Christmas Story", finding old friends on FaceBook, reading old journals, writing in a journal, First Watch, goetta, getting fun mail (real postal mail...not just email), and like Greg said...the list could go on and on!

Lily: my parents, my grandparents, my aunts and uncles, Boomer giving me dog kisses, clean Pampers diapers (shhh...don't tell anyone we have a pack of Huggies too!), nap time, my swaddle, when daddy comes home from work, looking at lights and hearing my mommy and daddy's voices, "butts-er-cizes" with daddy to get rid of my tummy bubbles, all my new friends, car rides and shopping in my stroller (so far I've been to the Starbuck's drive-thru, the Container store, Baby Gap and many rides on the elevator at Kenwood mall!)

Boomer: my Kong with smooth peanut butter and treats inside, racing around at Otto Armleder park, walks, runs with Uncle Dave and crack of the morning runs with Greg, Dog Park...I mean Deer Park where every dog seems to bark at me as I walk by...but I just stare..., Harley & Bailey and Belle, sleeping on my doggy bed, chocolate chip muffins...right off the countertop!, the whipped cream on top of a french silk pie (again - they left it right on the counter top for me at the Cole's house!), sitting my butt up on the couch, car rides and my favorite new buddy in the whole world...Lily.

Lily gets a Routine

I do routines. I wake up at 5am every morning, eat, exercise, go to school, practice, then come home for dinner, family time and bed. Lily, at the ripe old age of 3 weeks, has established HER routine, albeit much more simplified.

She has grown accustomed to going to bed around 10:30, waking up around 2am and then 6am (although last night she skipped the 2am...no complaints here!). Then she eats, sleeps, watches Boomer, eats, sleeps, does her exercises, eats, sleeps, and goes to bed. What am I missing...oh yea, she goes to the bathroom every hour on the hour. It's amazing.

When feeding she falls asleep. That must come from Mary Lynn's side because no one in the Cole clan has ever missed a meal or become distracted during a meal. We are a very focused family at meal time.

After eating she likes burping, but she loves her "Bubble Exercises" better. Taught to us by the Hellyers, you pump her legs into her stomach and she....makes bubbles, but not with her mouth. I am waiting for her to ask me to pull her finger, but I guess she should realize she has fingers before that happens.

When being held, she doesn't like to be on your shoulder. If you make the mistake of trying to burp her over your shoulder, she will bob her head and move until she is in the middle of your chest, every time.

She has her tummy time twice a day. Boomer is on duty to make sure she stays put. He is also great about sniffing her diaper every minute just in case she went. He hasn't realized that: 1) it only gets dirty once an hour and 2) he doesn't get to play with the old diaper after we change her.

The only other thing she does is get visitors...and she has been lucky to get plenty of those!

Lily Meets Her New Friends

Lily was so lucky and got to meet a bunch of her new friends the other day. They all came over to visit and Lily made sure to put on her pretty butterfly swaddle before meeting her guests.

Lily is a lucky little lady to already have great friends who have amazing parents! Peyton, Jimmy, Evan, Ari and Ethan (her cuz) - thanks for stopping by. We can't wait to play with you again!

What We've Learned From Lily In 2 Weeks!

Happy 2 weeks in this world, Lily! Monday, Nov. 10 marks 2 weeks since you've been born. You have brought us so much joy since you've been born - we look forward to many, many years to come with you.

Although 2 weeks may not seem like a long time, we've already learned quite a lot from you:

* Baby noises are so cute! You hiccup, sneeze (always in pairs!), blow bubbles (out of both ends), and make sweet little sighs and grunting noises while you sleep. You don't cry a whole lot (mommy and daddy are knocking on wood it stays that way!)

* Mommy and daddy no longer have a set schedule - we are on Lily time! We are still able to get things done, but much more slowly, and need to work together as "Team Cole" to take turns holding/burping/feeding/changing you.

* sleep is precious - get it while you can! Many people gave us this advice, but it's true - sleep when Lily sleeps!

* you love being swaddled, but our little Houdini loves getting her arms out and putting them above her head when she sleeps.

* you make some really funny faces - pursing your lips, furrowing your eyebrows, yawning so big it makes everyone else yawn too! We've seen you smile quite a few times too - we've been told it's just a reflex right now, but we know better - you're just a happy little baby. :)

* you love Boomer kisses. While you can't respond as much right now, Boomer loves giving you a couple doggy kisses every day and checking up on you whenever he comes in the room. One day soon you'll be chasing after him, pulling on his ears - and he'll be your buddy!

So many "Lily moments" - so much we have yet to learn about you!

Dinner at the Cole House!

We took Lily to her first dinner at the Cole house where she got to hang out with all her uncles, her 2 1/2 week old cousin Ethan, grandma and grandpa Cole as well as her great grandma and great grandpa!

After having 4 days of hospital food, Greg and I were also so excited to have a home cooked meal (momma Cole's cooking is the best!) We celebrated Greg's birthday and just had a great time (with 5 Cole brothers there's never a dull moment!)

It was a great evening and Lily enjoyed being in the arms of her great grandma Evelyn (her middle namesake!) Lily's other great grandma's name was Evelyn as well - she's a lucky gal to have the middle name of 2 amazing women.

Lily's First Halloween

Lily was lucky enough to come home right before Halloween (same day as Greg's birthday!) While we didn't go out, we got plenty of visitors....and not just trick or treaters! Grandpa and "Grand-mum" Bea and Dave & Rachel came to visit. Boomer was staying at the Bea house all week and was very excited to meet the lil' Lily pie. He was quite curious but very gentle with her.