Cooper is 8!

Today is Cooper's 8th birthday!

I am not really a planner.  I oftentimes realize that a birthday is right around the corner, then I'm scrambling to plan for it.  So I don't know where this girl comes from:

She started thinking about Cooper's birthday back in June.  She wanted to buy him a bearded dragon lizard, plus all the accessories needed.  So she started planning.  She had Porter take her shopping, and she made a list of how much everything would cost.  Then she went around to the family asking for donations.  When she had all of that money together, she calculated how much more she would need, and planned a fundraiser to earn the money.  She sold Otter Pops at one of the swim meets for 25 cents each, and made quite a jar full of quarters.

At least a month or two ago she and Porter shopped and bought the lights and other accessories that we would need.  (We already had an aquarium.)  Earlier this week, she called around to the local pet stores for their availability and prices.  On Friday I took her over to look at them so she could decide which one to buy him.

Saturday, the day was here!  (His birthday was actually Sunday, but we don't shop on Sundays, so he got his gift a day early!)  She went and held all of them, and chose carefully which lizard would be Cooper's best pal for the next few years.  And she paid for it with all of her hard earned cash...and lots and lots of quarters.

We brought it home, and she presented it to him.  He was STUNNED.  He thought for sure that she was getting him a Lego set.  He was so happy that he started to cry.  He is in love with his little lizard (who is named Dust Devil, or Dusty for short).

And I am in love with the sweetness of this story.  I am so grateful to have kids that love each other so much.  And I'm so grateful that my kids are better than me!

 Dust Devil's house before it became a home.

And the sweet video of Cooper meeting Dust Devil for the first time.

Happy Birthday, Sweet Cooper!