Sunday, May 2, 2010

Flooding, tornados and more flooding - Part I

Things are pretty awful in Nashville right now, but the Cooper household is hanging in there just fine. Every area of Nashville is experiencing dramatic flooding after getting up to 15 inches of rain in the last 36 hours. Here are a couple of photos of the park that is a five minute walk from our house. The river is at 24 feet, which is a new record, I think. In the first picture, you can see the top of an SUV in the parking lot. In the second photo, the river bank is actually about 100 feet, or maybe more, from where the water is now.



There are only 3 roads still open in and out of Franklin, which is a little disconcerting since that means that over 20 roads are closed due to flooding. Toby was able to make it, however, to Home Depot this morning and buy a generator to run the sump pump in case we lose power. They were out of sump pumps, obviously, so if ours burns out we'll have to start bailing I guess.
We've lost a retaining wall in the basement, but our sump pump is holding on - so far anyway. It has run continuously for more than 24 hours, so we think there is a decent chance that it will burn out, but it has given us enough time to use the basement as a storm shelter (twice yesterday) and move important things to higher ground.

What I've learned so far -
1. Tornados used to be irritating and mildly bothersome. Tornados when you have a baby are terrifying.
2. When Toby asked me what important things need to be brought up from the basement, I couldn't think of anything - it is all just stuff.
3. They need to make miniature motorcycle helmets to put on babies during tornado warnings. I mean, if the weather people say that a motorcycle helmet is the best thing you can put on an adult's head to stay safe during a tornado, there should be a baby version.
4. I married the best man in the world, who has worked non-stop for 2 days to make sure our baby is safe.
So far we have lots of friends with completely flooded basements, our favorite jeweler (a truly nice, nice man) is under water, hundreds of people are stranded on interstates, Vanderbilt Children's Hospital is flooding and we're pretty sure that nobody in Nashville has flood insurance. Keep us all - especially the Children's Hospital - in your thoughts.

Saturday, April 24, 2010

Marathon-sized disappointment

Not even all my crossed fingers and toes could keep away the thunderstorms today, and the marathon organizers closed the course at mile 20. Toby did a fabulous job through really tough weather conditions (from 75 degrees and humid to driving rain, wind and lightning), but is so disappointed that he wasn't allowed to finish the race. There were thousands of disappointed faces at the finish area.

To make matters worse, I didn't know that the course had been closed, so I didn't know that I should have met Toby an hour earlier than expected, and he had to stand out in the driving rain for an extra hour. Ugh.

So it is a dreary, rather sad afternoon at the Cooper house. Sounds like the perfect opportunity to take a long nap...if we can get AnnaLeigh down, of course.

Thanks everybody for the encouragement all along the way - Toby really appreciated it all!

Wednesday, April 21, 2010

Keep your fingers crossed!

Toby is running his first marathon on Saturday, and the forecast is absolutely rotten. I've been so impressed by Toby's committment to the race...I can't imagine braving 20 mile training runs when you've been up all night with a newborn...and I'm really hoping for good weather for him. So send some good thoughts our way and keep your fingers crossed for cool, dry weather!

AnnaLeigh and I will be out cheering him on along the course, unless the forecasted thunderstorms arrive as scheduled, in which case we'll be cheering him on from indoors somewhere.

Sunday, April 18, 2010

Favorite photo of the moment

I'm calling this one "Superbaby in a Tutu."


Friday, April 16, 2010

AnnaLeigh's One-Month Birthday

Time flies when you're having fun!

Wednesday, April 7, 2010

AnnaLeigh's First Bath


Toby has taken on the role of official baby-washer in the Cooper house, and is very happy that AnnaLeigh can finally have "real" baths. Here are a few snaps of the her very first bath!

Things started off pretty well - warm water, quality time with Daddy...


Then Annie began to get suspicious.....

... and she was right to be suspicious, as a mohawk soon followed.


Shortly thereafter the crying began, mostly because I insisted that Toby scrub Annie's head to prevent cradle cap. She did not appreciate it at all. But all in all, the first bath was a success!

Monday, April 5, 2010