"Mini" Cooper, Albany Family Photography Part I & II

Part II Update (images taken on 6/26/11)

So a few weeks back I went to visit my buddy "Mini" Cooper...well as love and good care should have it he wasn't so mini anymore. He was just a touch under 4lb's when I saw him and guess what, he's coming home tomorrow at just around 4 1/2 lbs... I lost count of how many days Cooper and his parents have been at the NICU at Albany Med but it was well over 100 and probably closer to 120...wow, amazing that they are just  few hours away from starting their life together with Cooper at home. Please take some time and send your well wishes to Nate, Julie and "Mini" Cooper. 


Julie and Nate...I cannot imagine the feeling that is going to overcome you when you walk through your door at home together with Cooper. Stop, take a minute ...look at each other and look at Cooper, feel the love and hold on to this memory as long as possible! When Coop (my new nickname for him...) is 8 years old and has decided that the side of the house needs painting with the ugliest color paint you've ever seen, you'll need that memory to keep from chasing him down the middle of the road....  :-)  My best to all of you!!! 






Stay tuned for Part III  !!!








Part I (Images taken on 4/26/11)
Nate and I are colleagues. We see each other pretty much every day, 5 days a week and specifically we work on the same project team together so I have had the chance to observe Nate up close over the past several months.

First, the news came that he and his wife Julie, were pregnant. I immediately began to share advice and stories from my short time of being a mother. All the things that drove me crazy when I was pregnant for the first time… sorry, I guess something changes in our DNA when we have kids and we just can’t keep our big mouths shut.

As the winter started coming to an end, ok well the first end, not the third and fourth end. I noticed Nate looking a little more stressed and a little less joyful. Nate and Julie had received disheartening news about Julie’s pregnancy and their unborn child. They waded through sleepless nights, and tough decisions until March 25th, 2011 just 28 weeks and 6 days into the pregnancy their son, Cooper Eric, made his arrival through an emergency c-section at all of 1 lb 1oz., 10 1/4 inches long. Coopers original due date was June 8th. We were all with Nate and Julie in spirit, asking for constant updates, pictures, any news whatsoever.

Great news…was the headline through work, Cooper, or “Mini Cooper” as I will call him forever now, was in good health but with a tough road ahead of him.

He is now 33 weeks 3 days and weighing in at 1lb 14oz, that’s like us gaining 40lbs in a few weeks (don’t you wish you could do that and have people rooting for you!).  A few minor setbacks along the way but all of them to be expected and nothing the wonderful doctors at Albany Med NICU have not been able to handle, and when I say wonderful, I mean wonderful. These nurses are absolutely AMAZING!

Please, join me for a minute, just one minute…close your eyes, and think of Cooper,  Nate and Julie, send some love and positive thoughts their way. They have a long road ahead of them but with faith and family they are taking each day as it comes, waiting for the day Mini Cooper isn’t so mini anymore and they can take can take him home.

These pictures are minimally edited, keeping them as natural as possible. I warn everyone, I was only going to post a few but I couldn't choose, so... These images represent my almost 2 hour visit from beginning to end. 

Thank you Nate and Julie for sharing "Mini" Cooper with me for a few hours...I can't wait to see him again. You are amazing parents, I am still feeling the love!

They are in slideshow and still format for those who may have slower connections. The slideshow does contain more pictures than posted as well. Turn your sound on for the slide show.