Pre-labor day

Claire and Dr. Cooper

Well, our extended stay at the Cooper Inn is coming to an end this weekend. We load up the truck in Madison on Saturday and unload it at our new house on Sunday. Monday night will probably be our first in the new house. I think everyone, except maybe Claire, who may go into grandma (aka "Ma") withdrawal, will be glad to be settled. I think everyone grows weary of the constant "Ma? Ma! Ma? Ma! Ma!" that occurs whenever Ma is home!

Claire and the mysterious person known in the blogosphere as "Madame X."

Claire has been growing up fast and improving her vocabulary. While she can say quite a few words here is a sample conversation that occurred recently while changing her diaper:

Dada: Do you want a clean diaper?
Claire: Yes.
Dada: Yes?
Claire: No.
Dada: No?
Claire: Yes.
Dada: No?
Claire: Yes.
Dada: Yes?
Claire: No.

It continued similarly. Between her persistence in disagreeing with her Dad and her obsession with cell phones (she walked nearly 10 blocks through downtown Dubuque carrying an old cell phone that Uncle G gave her up to her ear) it seems like she is nearing her teen years already.

Mid-August Claire picture

I can't believe it's already mid-August! I start faculty meetings next week and teaching a week from Monday! Where did the summer go?

Claire has spent the summer growing up. It seems like every day she's learning something new (frequently from her Uncle G, who is back in town for a couple weeks and teaching Claire to fist bump, to say 'Whoa!' and to learn his girlfriend's name before she arrived to visit today. ("Juz")

Speaking of Uncle G, he's competing in a 1/2 Ironman race on Sunday. (1.2 mile swim, 56 miles of biking and 13.1 miles running). Hopefully it will stay cool for the race! Oh yeah, and here's a picture of G, trying on Claire's hat and sunglasses. She offered to let him wear them:


Here is Claire this morning, nothing gets by her these days:

She is loving spending her days with her "Dada," "G," and "Ma." But Ma goes back to teaching next week too, and G will be heading back to college in a week; soon it will be just Dada for her to order around.

Don't mess with me!

Vacation: Part Two

We are now "home" in Dubuque after a great vacation. The second half of our trip was highlighted by a climb up the second highest peak in Colorado and the third highest in the lower 48 states - the appropriately named Mount Massive. We were fortunate enough to have a great guide for the hike, Kate's uncle Tim, who led us up the southwest slopes of Massive. It was a very tough climb and I think all of us (except Tim!) felt the 14,420 ft altitude at some point. We were on the trail by 6 am and hit the peak at 11 am. We were fortunate to have almost cloudless skies and spent 45 minutes on the peak looking down. Here are some pictures:



What else did we do? Well, we continued on an almost daily basis to eat the best pizza and sandwiches in the world at High Mountain Pies. (We suggest the sweet basil BBQ pizza and the spicy chicken pesto sandwich!) We watched "Boom Days" events including the "mucking" competition where Tim's wife, Vicki, shoveled a half ton of rocks in 96 seconds, good enough for 3rd place in the women's division. We also saw the burro racing and the parade.

"Pop," "Ma," Claire and "Owl" at the Boom Days parade. (They're smiling because they just got some candy... or because the Shriners just went by.)

Claire, happy at Turquoise Lake, before taking off her shoes, wading in the water and getting dirt on her feet. After doing that she was NOT happy.

Uncle Tim and Cousin Matt, making their way 1 block down Harrison Avenue in the burro ("bu-bu" according to Claire) racing. Someday maybe they'll work their way up to the full 21 mile distance.

We left Sunday evening, drove through the night and made it home by Claire's nap time Monday afternoon, tired but happy. It was a very good (and much needed) vacation for all of us.

Vacation: Part One

We are in the midst of our first "real" vacation in two years. (Trips to see family do not count.) While there is plenty of family time on this trip, it seems different when you're in a place like Leadville, CO.

Our trip began on Friday with a short trip from Dubuque to Des Moines to see Grandpa Bernie and Grandma Fran. This was followed by another short trip from Des Moines to Omaha to see Grandpa Cooper's (aka "Pop's") family at a cookout in a beautiful house on a golf course. While there Claire got her first taste of freedom by "driving" the golf cart. From there we made the scenic drive across Nebraska and eastern Colorado to Sterling, CO, where Claire enjoyed playing in a bug-filled pool at a Super 8. Monday brought us to Leadville, finally, where we stayed in a house with the Cooper clan - Brian, Ann, Andy, Josie, Ellen, and Greg. Brian and Ann had rented a house for a week with a great view! Thanks!!!!!

Claire, driving the golf cart.

Claire, with mom, grandpa and great grandpa

The view from the deck of our house in Leadville

In Leadville Claire got to go on her first "mountain" hike to Turquoise Lake where she got to play one of her favorite games. She also watched the finish of the "First Annual Cooper Boom Days Classic 5K Vacation From Your Problems Pro Am Race For the Cure Fun Run for a Better Tomorrow." Uncle Greg won in a sprint finish.

Claire enjoys "hiking" when someone else does the work

Claire demonstrates the finer points of Rock Toss to mom

Claire contemplates the number of rocks it would take to fill up Turquoise Lake

The Cooper clan pre-race. Almost everyone was providing free advertising for High Mountain Pies (best pizza in all the land!)

Claire's mom outkicks Claire's dad up the finishing hill*

*To be fair, Claire's dad had run 9 miles 2 hours earlier in the day.

The rest of the week holds an assault on a 14,000 foot peak in the area, eating more pizza, and hanging out at Boom Days in Leadville.

Claire update

We've gotten a complaint from one of our adoring fans about a recent lack of Claire pictures. So to satisfy his need to see our daughter here are some pictures...

Claire outside at her temporary home.

Claire and her dad taking time to smell the geraniums.

Claire demonstrates proper cutting technique of plastic faux-lettuce to her Grandma Julie (aka Nana)

Claire enjoys her first bite of sweet corn. Eventually she agreed to hold it herself.

Claire's first attempt at mixing pancake batter was successful.

Tomorrow we begin a long family road trip to Leadville, Colorado, home of the world's best pizza. We will be making stops in Des Moines and Omaha to see assorted family members. How will Claire handle several thousand miles of driving? Stay tuned.