Jessica Kopp

abby's true love

Two year ago Abby fell in love.

Hard.

Head over heals.

With Culver.

Culver, Indiana.

Culver Summer Camp is a Kopp family tradition. Derek's dad, siblings, aunts and uncles have been spending their summers there as campers and staff members for over the past 40 years. Derek went as a camper himself, and then spent the summer before and after his mission working as a camp counselor to 9 year old boys and teaching sailing. They all describe it as the best times of their lives. 

When we took Abby to visit 2 years ago, she was hooked. She couldn't stop talking about how amazing it is. Leaving in a cabin. Riding horses. Playing soccer. Swimming in the lake. Doing arts and crafts. Everything she loved (and more) in one place. 

This week her dream came true when she was accepted as a camper. Derek and her literally tore open the envelope and jumped up and down when they saw she had been accepted. Abby can't quit talking and smiling about it.  We immediately picked her classes and have already mailed in all of her forms. She is crossing her fingers she gets accepted to the Equitation program but is also excited about Indian Dancing, Reptiles and Amphibians and Sailing classes. 

To say she is ECSTATIC would be a huge understatement. I noticed on her calendar today that she has already started counting down the days until camp starts.

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And just so every mother that reads this doesn't think I've totally lost my mind, I need to be honest and admit I'm not completely in love with the idea of sending my little girl clear across the country for 6 weeks by herself. That is a long time and Indiana is a long ways away. But when I see the excitement in her eyes, I know we are making the right decision. Derek and I are already planning our flights so we can go and see her a couple of times. Aunt Mandy and Uncle Greg are going to be on staff this summer and have promised to keep a close eye on her. And Grandma Stout and Grandpa Kopp live super close and can help with anything she needs.

And seriously.....who didn't watch Parent Trap growing up and secretly wish you could go to a summer camp like that? I know I did. 

And now my Abby gets to.

He is Nice

Last week on Derek's birthday I asked Syd what she loved about her dad and she said, "He is nice." I told her that is great, but could she think of something more specific. Without hesitation she replied, "That is specific, because he is only nice some of the time."

Future Snowboarder

The girls thought this was the silliest thing they had ever seen. Poor Evan is everyone's favorite toy at our house.

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Evan is now the proud owner of 2 little bottom choppers (teeth). The first one started poking through last week, but last night while I was trying to get a peak, I noticed it had a little friend. Evan has been a great teether so far. He loves to drool and gnaw on everything, but that isn't anything new, he has been doing that for months.

Evan has also starting experimenting with new foods and textures this past week. We have quickly learned that he DOES NOT like fruit baby food. I thought all babies loved banana and pear baby food, but Evan just spits it out and does a hilarious full body shake after ever bite. I think it is just too sweet for him. But on the other hand, he LOVES real bananas and apples. I bought him a fresh food feeder and I just load it up and he goes to town. Usually I have to refill it several times before he is done eating. He gets so messy and I hate cleaning the thing, but Evan thinks it is fabulous. 

The big 3-4

Yesterday was Derek's birthday. The Big 3-4! The other night I told him he was getting old and he told me you don't start getting old until you are 35. So I guess he has 365 more days until the grey hairs start taking over (but if you look closely in this photo you can see the grey hairs are already on the move). 

Most people hate having a birthday so close to Christmas, Derek loves it. He says he likes to get all the stuff he wanted for Christmas but didn't get. And the stuff he didn't get, he likes to buy for himself and then have it immediately without waiting for his actual birthday. The girls don't understand why Dad never gets to open any presents on his birthday and I just laugh and shake my head. Over the past month he has gotten some nice Stephen King Dark Tower graphic novels and his gun has a shiny new case. I did promise him some new snowboarding boots, so we are headed out today to find the perfect ones.

I surprised Derek last week and invited an old college roommate and his wife to meet us for a birthday dinner. Derek was totally shocked and surprised. He hadn't seen him in almost 10 years and only recently realized he lived so close. He honestly hasn't stopped smiling about it and keeps saying "I sure missed that guy." Thanks Aaron and Hillary for a great night.

Happy Birthday! I love you!

6 month stats

Evan: 6 months

• 27 1/4 inches long (75%)

• 17 lbs. 4 oz. (50%)

• 43.25 cm head measurement (50%)

• Evan thought the crinkly paper on the exam table was wonderful. While waiting for the doctor he wiggling, smacking, kicked and grabbed at it because he loved the noise it made. He was the happiest little man, just laughing and giggling.....I felt really bad spoiling his mood with shots.

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And on a side note: I LOVE iphone apps. 

While at the doctor I snapped these 2 photos in my new favorite app ShakeItPhoto. Basically it turns my camera into a polaroid camera. It is so cool. I get to watch the photo being developed and if I shake my camera it will develop even fast. Just like the real thing. 

Best $.99 I spent on my iphone (after Klondike Deal of course!)

Any apps you can't live without?

Super Star Abby

Abby is the 4th Grade Super Star this week. This is the poster we made for her to display in her classroom. She was really excited about the way it turned out and to show it off to her teacher and all of her friends. It was a fun project to work on with her. She had very specific ideas about what pictures, colors and fonts she did and did not want to use. 

Here is the text:

Abby is a snowboarding, soccer playing, zip lining, cave exploring, rock climbing super girl.

If it seems adventurous, dangerous, or even just a little bit fun, Abby will be the first in line to do it.

 She loves Harry Potter and has seen every movie a dozen times.  She loves animals, especially her dog Lucky and wants to be a vet when she grows up.

 She’s the funnest, craziest bravest, smiliest little girl you’ll ever meet.

what the.....

 

I was very confused when I downloaded the pictures off my camera and found over 15 shots just like these ones. I couldn't figure out what I was looking at. Usually when the girls "borrow" my camera I have pictures of blurry and silly faces, but this didn't make any sense. Then I realized this wasn't the girls at all, it was Derek. This is the super hi-tech way he found to hook up his new PS3. He took pictures of the back of the television so he could see all the ports and how everything was connected. I don't get it, but it must have worked because the games are up and running. 

 

My baby is getting so big

My baby is 6 months old. I can't believe it. I know they grow up fast, but this is out of control. He is supposed to stay little for a least a little longer, not grow up, roll over, sit up and eat solid food.

This last month he had totally changed. He wants to be a big kid. He wants to do big kid stuff. 

Here is a run down of some of his latest tricks and milestones:

• Wants to put his hand on everything he can see and wants to put his mouth on everything he can touch. He is constantly grabbing and grabbing. Last week he got a hold of a glass of milk and spilled it all over the table.

• I tried to give Evan cereal a couple of times over the past month to get him used to it and every time he just spit it out. He hated it. Last week I made chicken noodle soup and mashed up a couple of carrots from the soup and he was in heaven. It was hilarious. After every bite he would stick his tongue in and out and in and out, over and over again. He even started reaching for the spoon because he realized it was full of tasty stuff. Now every time we eat, he thinks he needs to be eating something too. My favorite part is every time I take a bite, he thinks the spoonful is for him and opens his mouth. Poor guy gets very angry, very quickly when we aren't sharing.

• The first time Evan rolled over was to get a better look at the television. He laid on the floor rolling front to back several times. The girls and I were so excited. Derek was bummed he missed it and then Evan was a stinker and wouldn't roll over when Derek was around for at least another week.

• We have a schedule. YEAH. Evan is my only baby that has had a set schedule and I really like it. If I stick to the plan, he sleeps great, it happy when he's awake and keeps the fusing to a minimum. He likes to nap from 11-1ish and then from 4-5:30.

• Does NOT like to be rocked to sleep. Actually he doesn't like to be touched when he goes to sleep. He will fuss and stretch and arch his back until you wrap him in a blanket and put him in his bed. And once he is in his bed, he is out immediately.

• Loves the musical glow worm Abby and Syd gave him for Christmas. He hasn't figured out how to get it to start glowing and singing, but can't take his eyes off it once it starts. I sure wish it had longer songs, because giving it a squeeze ever 15 seconds can get old fast.

• Loves to watch his sisters. He is completely fascinated with them. They are great big sisters and love to put him in his bumbo chair and include him in whatever they are doing or playing. 

• Evan can sit up for a couple of minutes all by himself if he is really thinking about it. But as soon as he finds a toy and starts chewing, he starts leaning and is soon flat on his face with arms flaring.

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Evan goes to the doctor tomorrow for his 6 month check-up and I'll post his stats when we get home.

 

275 HOURS

Last week I won my 1111th game of Klondike Deal (aka Solitaire) on my iphone. I was pretty proud of myself, but then I looked at my stats and realized my Total Time Played was 275 HOURS!! Can you believe it??!!? I think I might be addicted.

 

The Skinny Club

Last week I was in the closet hanging up some clothes when I heard Sydney talking to Evan on the bed. At first I couldn't hear exactly what she was saying, but as I edged closer this is what I heard.

Evan you are skinny. Super skinny. You fit right into our family. Everyone in our family is skinny.......(thinking) well all the kids in our family are skinny. I am skinny. Abby is skinny and now you are skinny.

How rude. I want to be in the skinny club. Thanks Syd for helping me set my first New Years Resolutions.