Conquering Daddy's rock

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I know everyone has been waiting for pictures and blog updates...so Tomo got a few pictures up for a "teaser" or preview and I thought I'd give you some quick highlights. We're at a hotel at Narita Airport getting ready to fly back to the States tomorrow. We had a wonderful trip. We we spent two days in Tokyo and visited with the Ono family. Then we went down south and spent several days enjoying the beautiful scenery and ocean views in Kushimoto and Katsura with Grandma and Grandpa Ono as well as Uncle Oota and Harold Sham!!!! After that, we took the train to Honda and spent the last several days eating wwwaaayyy to much food and spending time with all of the Annos! This picture is Cooper on top of the rock Tomo used to climb at his grandparent's house when he was a child. Just like last time, we are leaving Japan with one more suitcase then we came with. Oh well. Anyway, we promise to get the rest of the pictures and a few more blog entires up asap...but first we're spending a couple of days in Michigan for Hannah's New Year's Eve wedding!!!!

I'm SOOO Kawaii!

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Cooper is in Japan! He really enjoyed the trip on the big airplane...in fact he stayed awake almost the entire 14 hours enjoying it! Luckily that meant it was easy to get him on the new schedule. Cooper has already gotten to meet his Cousin Aira, his Aunt Yukari, his Great Grandma Ono, and his Great Aunt and Uncle Ono! He's seen the ocean, and futons and kimono's...he is just learning so much! Everyone agrees he is completely "Kawaii!" (cute)...even though the Ono family doesn't think he looks Japanese at all. Right now, we're in Wakayama prefecture where Grandma Ono grew up! We're having fun! Cooper will keep you posted as the trip continues!!!

I'm a Little Wolverine!

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Cooper finally made his first trip to Mecca...wait....I mean Michigan! Since we were flying out of Detroit to go to Japan, we obviously made a very important stop in Ann Arbor! Cooper braved the cold to walk down South University, have lunch at Pancheros, visit the Michigan Union, and of course get his picture taken in the Diag with the "M". We didn't walk on it though because we don't know if the curse starts from birth or only after Cooper starts his freshman year (the fall of 2027 or 2028)!

Love at First Sight!

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Well, at least they didn't cry when they saw each other which is close enough for now. :) Cooper finally got to meet Charlotte Ng! Her and her mommy, Shannon, we in Michigan visiting family so we got to go visit them! Everyone agreed that make a very cute couple! And they enjoy all the same things: Nursing, sleeping, pooping, sucking on their fingers..the list goes on and on! Charlotte is a younger woman. She is a whole 7 weeks younger than Cooper so we told him he has to teach her and show her the ropes. We hope it won't be long before we get to see Charlotte again because we miss her already! AND, we hope she can bring her Daddy next time too! (By the way, Happy Early Birthday, Kayu!!!)

Cooper's First Christmas!

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I suppose we should have had "Cooper's First Hannukah!" first...but unfortunately, we were so busy getting ready for Japan that even though the Menorah is sitting on the mantel...it never got lit this year! But, we did have a small Christmas before we left for Japan. Cooper wore his Christmas pajamas and Grandpa Alan, Uncle Efrem, and Susie came to have dinner. Then we opened some of the presents under the tree. Cooper got some very fun new toys! He really likes the Zoo toy that Uncle Yoshi sent!

Cooper's Uncle Brandon

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One of our best friends, Brandon, came to visit for a couple of days on his long drive from MT to CT. Little known fact, Cooper's "other name" is Brandon Junior Brady Awesome Ono, because Mommy promised to name her first born after Brandon when he did her a favor...the middle names were a result of additional favors. That's how life goes in MT. :) Cooper was very excited to meet Uncle Brandon, who he had heard lots about! Cooper has had lots of fun playing with Uncle Brandon even though Cooper has had a bit of a cold. He has been smiley, wiggly, and even showed off his rolling skills! Mommy and Daddy have loved getting to visit with Brandon...we just wish Summer and Maddi could have come along too!!!!

Cooper Rollover - Computer

Cooper Rollover - Computer, originally uploaded by tomo.ono.

Cooper learned to rollover and now we got it on video! Enjoy!

Cooper's got BIG NEWS!

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Just before 7 am on Friday, December 4, 2009...Cooper Hiroto Ono....ROLLED OVER!!! That's right! All that forced Tummy Time has payed off! Daddy was practicing with Cooper while Mommy overslept and suddenly "Whoosh!" Cooper rolled all by himself! No repeats Friday or Saturday, but on Sunday morning, Cooper was a rolling machine! He rolled 4 times before his morning nap!!!! :-D

Cooper's busy social schedule

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Well, it' the holiday season and that means cold, lights, and friends! Yesterday, Cooper's school had a Winter Wonderland in the morning. We went and saw a real reindeer, visited with his teachers and friends, and made a Christmas picture frame! Then, in the evening we went to visit a friend of mine from work and his wife, Matt and Chloe. After dinner we went to a park in downtown Dayton that had carriage rides through the park that was all decorated with lights for the holidays! Cooper was a perfect gentlemen. :)

The Moment We've all been waiting for!

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My little brother was about 2 weeks old when his first Thanksgiving rolled around. So, naturally, my parents took the sweet little baby and put him right on the turkey platter. Well, the tradition stuck and since then my nephew Xander has been on the platter (at approximately 2 months of age) and this year, this year it was Cooper's turn! Of course, being well over 4 months he was pretty big on it...which completely shocked me and made me realize just how big he is getting! He also wasn't thrilled that we woke him from a nap for the occasion. Overall, Thanksgiving at Grandpa's was a lot of fun. Cooper particularly enjoyed playing with his cousin's, Emily and Xander!

Cooper's first encounter with a Puppy

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Since the Lirtzman's weren't doing Thanksgiving on Thanksgiving, we went to one of Tomo's classmate's homes for a delicious meal and some football! They had a cute little pug and Cooper was enthralled. It's great that other people have cute puppies he can play with...because the Ono's will not be adding any furry friends to the mix anytime soon. :)

First Try at Rice Cereal

First Try at Rice Cereal, originally uploaded by tomo.ono.

Cooper is a big boy now and can eat rice like mommy and daddy... well almost. Cooper tried rice cereal for the first time on Saturday and has been eating well since.

Michigan...

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Cooper did his best during the week of Ohio St. vs. Michigan. He got in his Michigan gear, practiced tackling, attempted some sprints and most of all drooled at record amounts, but all that did not help the Michigan Football team.
He told us that he will try harder next year since he is still a young team. As a true baby, he didn't do too bad.

Cooper was a Secret Identity

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We found out recently that Cooper was actually the secret identity of Cooperman!! Who knew... we thought his super drooling and hyper cries were extreme but not at the superhero level. Now if he could only talk...

Look What Cooper Can Do

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FINALLY, Cooper is able to hang out on his tummy for more than 30 sec. He has been very good at tummy time the last few days and I think he is getting the hang of it. He still gets tired of it after a few minutes and lets us know quite clearly, but it's a start!!

Serious Playtime!

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Cooper is gaining more and more strength in his neck! He is getting so good and sitting and loves to be a part of whatever is going on. The bumbo chair is an excellent opportunity for some serious playtime. Cooper's hand eye coordination is amazing! He can reach out and grip things and can manipulate objects in his hands (in this picture he is playing with his elephants, Jeffery and Belinda). He has even started to do tummy time without complaint and is pushing up on his elbows!!

Cooper's busy social calendar

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Cooper had guests Friday evening. Our friend Maya is moving to Minneapolis, so Maya, Becki, and Uncle Efrem came to visit. This was the very first time that Cooper got to meet Mommy's friend, Becki! And even though nobody was really sure how much of a "baby person" she was, Becki did very well with Cooper and seemed to be as entertained by him as he was by her. :) We're going to miss Maya!!!

Why is Mommy in that tiny box...AGAIN?!?!?

Well, I'm out of town on buisness again....but Cooper is old enough now that he clearly understood that he was "talking to Mommy" on the video chat. He was eating a bottle and was trying too look around when he heard my voice. Then when he finished he sat up and gave me lots of big smiles and coos. I miss both of my boys so much!!!!

Trunk or Treat

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Cooper went to his daycare's Trunk or Treat party. He found one of his friends, Sasha, and we all hung out together to watch all sorts of costumes. Cooper was a hit with his giraffe costume and since we found his tail, it was that much better.

We had a giraffe!

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Well, we thought we had a little boy...but it turns out we have a giraffe!!!! Aunt Alexandra got Cooper a super awesome Halloween costume! Cooper wore his costume to school on Friday and, of course, was a total hit. He seemed to be very comfortable and didn't even mind the hood! Today we'll make sure to get a good picture of his little tail on his little tushy... :) So, he's got a pumpkin, he's got a costume, we're going "trunk or treating" at school in a little bit, and he's all ready to hand out candy to the kids tonight! Yay for Halloween!!

Pumpkin Family

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This is our pumpkin family. The picture tells it all...

Bouncer Fun

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Cooper tried out his bouncer for the first time and enjoyed it for a whopping 5 min. He's still a bit small from it but he is learning very quickly how to use all the different toys he has.

Bear in the Woods

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We found a bear in a park in Dayton!! Oh, never mind, that's Cooper! It was such a warm day in the fall that we all took a nice walk at the Cox Metro Park. We went into the woods where all the leaves were yellow and Cooper had a lot of fun. He met some people on the trail and scared them because he looked like a bear. What a silly guy...

Favorite Monkey

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Cooper reached his 3-month milestone and is progressing rapidly. He's found his favorite toy that he immediately hugs and plays with every time. He's so much more aware now and is a lot of fun to play with. He is very picky and stubborn too though and will not let us put him down. He has figured out how to order us around already.
He sits up now and can hold his head up for over 15 min at a time. He still hates tummy time and screams when we put him in that position... oh well...

Cousins!!

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Mommy's cousin, Rebecca, came all the way from Arizona to meet Cooper! And Cooper's cousins, Emily and Xander came to visit too! Xander loves giving Cooper hugs, kisses, and petting him "like a kitty" while Emily is very gentle when she holds Cooper. We are also happy to pass on Rebecca's decree that 1) We kept our promise and did not give Cooper a stupid name and 2) Cooper does not look like an alien. Yes, Mommy is in her pajamas. She had to spend the day in bed with a yucky cold, but is working on feeling better so she can give Cooper a million kisses.

3 Months Old

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Cooper is three months old! It's been a wild ride so far and Cooper is growing so fast. He is now three months old, doesn't mind sitting up, plays with toys, has baby conversations with daddy and mommy, and loves Michigan Football!! He has been very popular at his "school" and has so many girls around him... what a stud.
Recently he received pictures of Maddi and Charlotte and can't wait until he gets to meet them. He's also waiting for his other friend to come anytime.

Arnold Air Force Base

So, when I was in MT, I would have gladly traveled the globe on a regular basis...but now we live in Ohio and I have a 3 month old child so traveling for work isn't ideal. But, that's ok, we'll make it work. This time I'm in Tennessee working on improving the process for testing the engine I work on. I am only here for 2 of the 4 days because I told my boss I just can't be away from Cooper for more than a night because I would probably have a breakdown. :) What did people do before video chatting?!? Looks like Daddy and Cooper are doing just fine, but apparently Cooper didn't let Daddy put him down to eat dinner. I think that's because he didn't know where Mommy went and he didn't want Daddy to go away too. Anyway...about...26 hours and I should be home snuggling with my boys! :-D

Uncle Yoshi got hitched!

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Cooper made his first out of state trip this weekend! He took an airplane all the way to Wisconsin to attend his Uncle Yoshi's wedding. He is very excited to have Aunt Mia Yia in the family now! Cooper was very curious in the airports, looking around at all the new things. He didn't have any ear problems and slept through all of the flight there and both flights back. In Wisconsin, he got to see Grandma and Grandpa Ono! That was super exciting. :) He also got to meet our family friends from Minnesota, the Van Vleets!
The wedding was quite an experience. It was a traditional Hmong wedding. It would take a long time to explain, so if you want to hear more, just ask and Cooper will explain everything. Needless to say, Cooper looked adorable...his special new outfit was a hit, and everyone there thought he was the cutest baby ever! Over all, it was a wonderful weekend!!!

Cooper's New Hat

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As if there was any doubt that Cooper is COMPLETELY ADORABLE....he got a super cool hat. Mommy and Daddy have been having a lot of fun using Cooper as a dress up doll and trying lots of cute outfits on him. Cooper has luckily been a really good sport about it. Yesterday we went in search of the perfect outfit for the upcoming nuptuals of Daddy's brother, Yoshi. Cooper will be wearing "The Children's Place" for the event. A dashing pair of khaki courdory pants, a striped, light blue, button down, collard shirt (to match his still blue eyes) with a very handsome and under started sweater vest in white with an argyle pattern on the front (totally not a Jim Tressel sweater vest.). The wedding is this Saturday in WI so we'll post pictures after that....too include Cooper's first airplane ride!!!! :-D

Pumpkin Family

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Cooper went to the Young's Dairy Farm to pick pumpkins. He went on a tractor ride to the pumpkin patch and did a thorough search to find the three perfect pumpkins to represent the family. He wore his teddy bear jacket and had a great time being outdoors.

Cousin Xander's Birthday

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Cooper went to his cousin Xander's 3rd birthday party. He was so engaged at everything and especially enjoyed the gift opening part. He got to meet so many people and had a lot of fun with his relatives.

Check out more pictures of the party at the Flickr site.
(http://www.flickr.com/photos/tomo_ono/sets/72157622344909689/)

Michigan vs. Indiana Game

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Cooper finally fit into his dream Michigan attire. This was one that Mommy and Daddy gave to Cooper's cousin Alexander but had to take it back cause they don't make it anymore. Looks pretty good on him!

He slept through the entire first half of the game and Michigan was playing pretty poorly, but then Cooper woke up, stared intently at the TV and Michigan came back to win the game.

Michigan needs to thank Cooper with a scholarship or something.

Cooper Being Cute

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Cooper is fitting into more and more clothes and Mom and Dad are enjoying every day of putting something cute on him. Cooper had his two month check up and is moving along the growth curve perfectly. He is on the smaller side but still doing well. His stats were:

Weight: 11 lbs 5 oz
Height: 22.5 in

He had his first set of shots, which he did not like... but who does? Thanks to everyone who's been keeping up on Cooper and wishing him the best.

USAF Marathon

Tomo ran in the 10K race at the 2009 USAF Marathon. Cooper got to go out and see his dad come in through the finish line. He made it through the entire event, mostly asleep and in his carrier. I think he was proud of dad's time despite the old man's age.

Never Too Far Away

Sometimes I think technology is going too far...but not when I'm in CT and desperate to see my boys! I am in Hartford, CT for a meeting. I came in Wednesday evening and will go home Thursday night, but by the time I got to my hotel, all I wanted to do was get hooked up to the internet and see Tomo and Cooper! It's hard to be far away, but it helps a lot to be able to "chat."

Notre Dame Game!!

Week two of the football season. Cooper watched a little of it and he was sleep most of the game. But yet again, thanks to Cooper, the Wolverines have grasped a win. We tried a family picture but Cooper was more interested in the game, 'atta boy!!

Something New We Didn't Know

Abigail, Cooper and I were at a restaurant yesterday when I noticed that there was something weird going on with Cooper's head...

What a surprise this was to both of us. No one ever tells parents about these important things.

CRAZY...!

Cooper's First Michigan Football Game!

Today was Cooper's first time watching the Michigan Wolverine's play. He woke up, got in his Michigan attire and watched the game intently with Mommy and Daddy. In the end, thanks to Cooper's cheering, Michigan won the game!! It was a surprise to all of us...

First Day of School!

Today was Cooper's first day of school. Mommy and Daddy both went to drop him off in the morning and to pick him up in the evening. Abigail checked on him throughout the day and kept getting the same report, "He's doing great!" He took good naps, ate full 4 oz bottles, and was just a really good boy! We knew he would be. We missed him more and more as the day went on though and driving from base to the school felt like it took an eternity! Cooper is the star of the class. Everyone wants to hold him, they think he's adorable, and they were extremely impressed by his burping abilities (which he gets from his Uncle Efrem). I suppose we'll let him go back again tomorrow...

Day at Cox Arboretum & Metropark

Cooper, Abigail, and Tomo went to the Cox Arboretum & Metropark for the day. This was the first time Cooper went to a park and got out of the stroller. He was really quiet until he got out at which point he realized that he needed a diaper change as well as milk. We all had a great time though getting fresh air and experiencing the goodness Dayton, OH has to offer.

Cooper's Story Time

It's another Cooper movie. He's been looking around a lot more recently and would sit through at least 5 min listening to stories from Mommy and Daddy. He is 10+ lbs and over 21 inches long. He's still unpredictable and changes patterns daily so he keeps us on our toes.

Transferring to the New Blog

The blog for Cooper's life is here at its new location. This is easier to update, you can add comments and both Abigail and Tomo can edit from anywhere in the world. Cooper agrees that the old one wasn't easy to update and he cried...