And he turned two...

 Balloon filled kitchen after nap today, may it always be this easy to bring a smile to his face!

 Dancin' machine!

 Coop and daddy before daddy's first work day.

 Really, do I need the hat mom?!?!?  But the b-day pizza is good!

 Three train decorated peroshkies...mini b-day cakes.

We do LOVE to color.

 Yes, mom you have to let me grow up!

Where does the time go, we remember taking this precious little boy home from the hospital thinking, what a wonderful adventure this will be, and it has been amazing.  What a gift Cooper is to our little family, not to mention his grandparents, cousins, aunties, uncles, and friends.  He has brought us so much joy these past 2 years and we know the best is yet to come!  Here he is celebrating his 2nd year with mom and dad.  We can not help but think this is exacly where we are suppose to be in life.  As Cooper says, Oh, Happy Day!

Snakey sees the city!

 Mom and I on the METRO, like we have been doing it all along!

 I got real tired, real fast.  Needed to jump into a McDs for a lil taste o'home, nothing like a 6 pack of nuggets with the weird Ukrainian sweet sauce.... Delicious.

 My elevator, I see Cooper!  Wookit!

 Cold weather, walking, trains, and cranes, really takes its toll on a guy, nap time in my new bed.  

 Guy stuff with dad, you know, scratchin' burpin' pants optional kinda stuff. 

New hiding places from mom and dad.

Coop and Mom + Dad = AAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

 Me and my daddy, finally!

 Mom is here, too...YES!

 Bedtime in Kiev!

But not before Mickey Mouse...

Life with my host family

 My upload stopped early.  Only a few pics made it.  This is my host family.  They were awesome!  Probably the best part of my experience in Kiev.  They showed me around, gave me lessons on cultural situations, we watched soccer games, the news, movies and talked about all topics that I could find the words for.  From the left, Anna, Vladimir, and Igor.  A great family.  I will definitely stay in touch with them.   Hopefully it will get easier as my language improves.  I can't say enough nice things about them.   Great people.

 Kate a pic for you, this is a typical staircase into the Metro or under a busy street.  This is accessible in Lviv.

 The main square and the opera house in Lviv, a western city that has a Western European flavor. 

My birthday came early!

Thank you Gwandma Judy, Auntie Rita and LIzzie!  Love you, Cooper

Beach Trip ~ Canary Island Style

 What?  Our flight has a 2 hour delay?  No worries mom, we are cool...

 So over the delay thing.

 And I want out...

 Ahh, the sun, where have you been?

 Me and my shades...

 and my mom.

 View from our room, we stayed in Puerto Rico, Gran Canaria, in a nice hotel that was kid-friendly.

 Sharing my chips and my styling techniques, I put the hat on myself.

 Chilling in the sun, Coop is now so over pictures.

 But not over sharing chips!

 The sand was so nice to throw, even if mom asked me not to.

 The water was very warm.

 So I tried to drink a little, and managed to throw yet some more sand.

 Cheese!

 I can still do headstands in the sand!

 and play trains on the lobby floor, mom would be freaking out about the germs but apparently vacationing with 2 two year olds is not as much fun for the moms...hmmmm

 Me and my girl, well, besides mom that is!

 And listening to a country music singer in the main lobby, so first date style!

They were wonderful, and I had a great time!

Museums here are amazing

 From the Chernobyl Museum, This sign says that all tragedies have boundries, but anxiety does not.   Kind of an amazing thing to see. 

 Pictures from the air immediately following the meltdown.

 A diarama that does through time lapse.  Before.

 After, with a night time burning scene I couldn't film, and then current.

 The walls around it.

The villages destroyed.