In Just 6 Days....

I realized just yesterday how much I take each moment with Max for granted.  Jake was gone on a youth church retreat, and he didn't get to see Max from Friday to Wednesday.  He was so shocked at how much Max had grown and learned.  That is only 6 days....what can happen in 6 days?

While I was updating Jake on what Max had learned while he was gone, I realized how quickly Max has grown up and is becoming a little toddler every day:

1. Max is a blueberry and raspberry monster!  Oh my gosh, this child eats them like they are going out of style.
2. He says "oh uh", and it is the cutest thing you will ever hear.  He usually only does it if he, himself, has thrown something...so it's technically not an "uh oh", but I let it slide because he is just so CUTE!
3. He walks, and walks, and walk, and walks.  He spends the majority of his day walking instead of crawling now. 
4. He likes to feed other people when he is supposed to be feeding himself. 
5. He blows kisses....adorable!
6. He does not go to sleep as peacefully as he did just 6 short days ago.  Now, he could be asleep in your arms, but the minute you put him in his crib, he's screaming!  We used to just lay him down and he would just stare at you quietly and watch you walk out the door.
7. He LOVES building with his alphabet blocks, and he laughs so hard when he knocks them over. 
8. He doesn't mind bath time anymore.  This changes with every passing day though : - )
9. He has another tooth coming in (this one is in the back I think).
10. He is back to sleeping till 7 a.m. (I didn't even want to write this because I may jinx myself)

That was just 10 things in 6 days and I know there is more!  It is crazy how much  he grows up with each day that passes.

Max was SO HAPPY to see Jake and they got in a full hour of playing before Max was so pooped that he needed to go to bed.  We are so glad that daddy is home....we really missed him!

Blueberry man!

Walking Round and Round!

So pooped...

Happy Stinkin' Tuesday!

It is a stinkin' Tuesday alright!  The day started off normal, breakfast with Max, playing, getting ready for the day, etc.  I loaded Max up and opened the car door and WHAM...like nothing I've ever smelled before, I got slapped in the face with a smell that could knock you over.  Serious STINK people! 

I looked around and saw nothing that could be causing this smell.  I fastened Max in his carseat and drove him to school.  Once we got to school, I looked again under the seat, opened the trunk and saw nothing.  I got Max out and thought, I'll just look one more time and sure enough in the trunk was a black bag full of MEAT that had been purchased during my SUNDAY grocery shopping trip. 

Now....I know what you are thinking:
1.  Did Melissa realize that when she unloaded all the groceries that a bag was missing?
2.  Did Melissa not realize that she didn't unload any meat from her trip?
3.  Did Melissa not see the bag the FIRST time she looked?
4.  Did Melissa not see the bag the SECOND time she looked?
5.  Couldn't Melissa have overlooked the bag with the $3 graham crackers as opposed to the $30+ of meat?

No, No, No, No, and I AGREE! 

The worst part is I had bought steaks, which I never really do, and was going to surprise Jake with a really nice dinner when he got back from his high school ministry trip : - (. 

L.M. Montgomery said "we should regret our mistakes and learn from them, but never carry them forward into the future with us." Unfortunately, this mistake will live in my car for days to come : -/. Ppppp ewwww!

First Rejection....

I don't know if I'll be able to handle watching my children go through rejection....whether it is with friends, sports, school, etc.  I got my first taste of it yesterday and it was so devastating.  Max and I enjoyed some pool time yesterday and had a blast.  We were splashing and jumping and floating...it was so fun! 

I got him out after about an hour and fifteen minutes to get him a snack and we were just playing on the pool deck.  Out of the corner of his eye he saw some bigger kids playing, and you could tell all he wanted in life was to play with them.  He kept yelling over at them (if he could talk I swear he would be saying "hey guys, hey, hey, can I come play), getting louder and louder....hoping that one of them would turn around, and nothing.  He was pointing and trying to walk over there....but the big kids just kept playing.

Now, I know that they don't couldn't play with him....afterall Max is only 1 and these kids were probably 8 LOL.  But the look on Max's face.....was. devastating. He just stared over at them wishing he could play with them.

So, while this was a very small and fleeting moment of rejection....it makes me think that this is only the beginning.  Oh, how I wish I could put a fence around his heart so that it could never be broken.  I pray that he only experiences true heartbreak or rejection very few times.  I pray that Jake and I give him the love and the tools he needs to overcome these obstacles.  I pray that I (or someone) can always make him feel better during times of sadness, and I pray that Max leans on the Lord when he gets his heart hurt. 

"The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those who spirits are crushed." - Psalm 35:18

I love it when.....

• ...I pick up Max from daycare and he catches a glimpse of me out of the corner of his eye.  He SMILES from ear to ear, immediately stops what he is doing and charges at me.  His welcome hug to me at the end of the day makes me loves him 10,000,000 times more each day.
• ...He does something that doesn't quite go as he planned and instead of saying "uh ohhhhh" he just says "UH".  It is so cute.
• ...He says no, he literally shakes his whole head the farthest it can go to the right and the farthest it can go to the left.  He really means NO! :-)
• ...He plays, plays, plays and he will find me every 10 minutes or so just to hug me.  No words are spoken, no sounds, no tears....just a quick mommy hug.  Melts. My. Heart.
• ...He is going to sleep at night and he just snuggles on my shoulder. 

I have totally come to understand the meaning of the statement "it's the little things in life...."

*LOVE*

It was a 'HAPPY GRAM' kind of a day...

Max went to school - just as any other day - and had a blast!  When I went to pick him up, his teacher said "happy gram day"! 

Well....you know when they say "happy gram day"....SOMETHING. BIG. HAPPENED.  And, let me tell you...they did not disappoint.  I pull out the happy gram (see below) and this is what it says:

I AM SO PROUD!  His teacher said that they were playing ball (Max's favorite pasttime) and she said "go get the ball Max".  She fully expected him to super crawl as he usually does at light speed to go get the ball, but instead he plants his hands, stand ups, and WALKS 15 STEPS (yes, she counted!), bent down, got the ball, and threw it back!  **TEAR**  He's getting so big!

Needless to say, he was pooped from all the walking....and when I turned around to get him out of his carseat on the way home, this is the tired little boy I saw:

Watching him be so proud of himself as he walks across a room is priceless.  I stumbled upon this qoute that so encompasses what I think when I see Max do something that even surprises him. "There are no seven wonders of the world in the eyes of a child.  There are seven million."  ~Walt Streightiff

One, Two, Three - Look at ME!

That's right, Max took his first steps yesterday (June 14, 2011)!  He was walking with his walker, stopped in the middle of the kitchen, looked at me, and took three steps and hugged me! 

I screamed, of course! 
Dad cheered, of course!
And, Bear (our dog) ran, of course!

You can't really see too well in this video, but you can sort of see him take step from walker to walker.  He's so cute!

Follow in his footsteps.....

I love watching Max follow Jake around the house.  He isn't quite at the age where he can fully mimick Jake, but he takes on certain things just to "be like dad". 

I am sitting in my office on this beautiful Saturday morning, looking out the window, watching Jake and some of his friends unload lawn mower after lawn mover, blower after blower, and weed eater after weed eater....there must be 10 men in my front lawn all huddled around their lawn maintanence equipment praying that the Lord guide them today to serve people who know the Lord and hopefully some that DON'T!  A small step in their faith, but a GIANT footprint hopefully on someone's life is the hope.

....so do I want my Max to follow in his dad's footsteps?  YOU BET!  I look forward to the day (hopefully) when I see even more men in my front lawn, and one of those sets of hands is my son's along side his dad. 

"My child, listen to me and do as I say,

and you will have a long, good life.

I will teach you wisdom's ways

and lead you in straight paths.

When you walk, you won't be held back;

when you run, you won't stumble.

Take hold of my instructions; don't let them go.

Guard them, for they are the key to life."

Proverbs 4: 10-13



The 5 a.m. Wake Up Call Mystery....SOLVED!

I thought of everything to explain this child's sudden 5 a.m. wake up call every day....

Teething?  nope.
Hungry?  nope.
Being needy and high maintanence?  nope.
Bored?  nope.
Going through a growth spurt?  nope.
Wet?  nope.
Poopy diaper?  nope.
Thirsty?  nope.
Scared?  nope.
Did he go to bed too late?  nope.
Did he go to bed too early?  nope.
Cold?  nope.
Hot?  nope.

....what I finally concluded was that I just needed to get used to it....my. baby. was. AN. EARLY. RISER!  Ugh. The dreaded words.

We went for his one year well visit and the pediatrician checked him from head to toe....he was great.  Except his ears....were INFECTED!  Who knew?  He sure didn't tell me by pulling on his ears, being overly fussy, sick, running a fever....NOTHING!  I felt so terrible that this little guy had been suffering.  His pediatrician asked me "has his sleep been affected?"  HELLO....heck yes, it has!

A day of antibiotics in him and he slept till 6:30 a.m. the following morning and played happily in his crib for another 30 minutes,  and again the next morning. While 6:30 a.m. isn't "late" for many.....it is MUCH better than 5 a.m..  Can I get an AMEN? 

AMEN!  That's right, I just basically high-fived myself : -)

Max's First Birthday Party!

Date: June 4, 2011
Place: Gymboree Music & Play
Time: 3:30 p.m.

Guests:  Max, Bree, Paisley, Matthew, Abby Paige, Gavin, Jaxson, and Lilly

It was a blast!  Max had a great day.....he took two great naps and ate well...so he was ready to PARTY!  I can't even describe to you how much fun it was to watch him at his very first birthday party.  He loved playing with all the balls, tunnels, and other kiddos.  I've include (far too many, I know) pictures for you to enjoy. 

Don't miss the last few of the infamous cake destruction.....needless to say....MAX. LOVES. BIRTHDAY. CAKE.  <3.  My cup runneth over <3.

 Before the party, Max had a snack after his 2 hour nap!

 So much to play with!

Cute birthday outfit!

                                                              The birthday cake!

 Max's smash cake - and boy, did he ever SMASH!

                                                                        Tunnel fun!

                                                                         Playing....

Whoa, how do I get around this thing?

                                                              Paisley came to play!

                                                               Max and Abby Paige!

                                                Max's little buddy and neighbor, Matthew!

                                                                Climbing to daddy!

                                  If Max talked I feel like he'd be saying "Bring on this cake!"

                                                                Playing with Nana....

                                                     This is SO MUCH FUN, mommy!

                                                            Max's little friend, Bree!

                                                     Cake time....blow out the candles!

                                                               The first cake punch....

                                                                  Get in my belly... :-)

                                                          He was too busy to even smile!

                                                                       Cake face!

                                                                 Opening presents! 

Presents!

Max was surrounded with people who loved him on his FIRST BIRTHDAY!  We couldn't imagine it being any other way.  He played with friends, did his favorite activities, ate cake(!), and got lots of love.  Thank you to everyone who sent him birthday wishes and thoughts.  We are forever grateful. 

This. is. one. special. little. guy. <3

"How my spirit rejoices in God my Savior." -Luke 1:47

I feel so overwhelmed with love and gratitude for the Lord because He has blessed me with this family that I am eternally grateful for.  I am so not worthy....but yet, he loves me still. 

Happy Birthday, my Max. 

                                                                   "I'm pooped!"



Max is ONE YEAR OLD!

I feel like I should be playing the Pomp and Circumstance March.....it. is. that. monumental. of. a. day!

Max is ONE!  Wow, how time flies.  We had a great weekend, celebrating Max's birthday.  But how did we get here?  I look back on the past year and it's like it happened in the blink of an eye.  He was just born....we just brought him home from the hospital....and now he is ONE! 

Max:

• 21 lbs and 4 oz. (50th percentile for weight)
• 30.5 inches tall! (50th percentile for height)
• Standing on own.
• Walking/running with assistance from walker.  We really thought he'd be walking 2 months ago.  He literally runs through the house chasing bear with his walker. 
• Loves BIRTHDAY CAKE! Still likes to eat....and eats all table foods! And he prefers to feed himself.
• No more formula!  The only bottle he takes is at night....but it is 100% whole milk.
• No more passy!
• Does NOT like to be changed at all. This includes diapers and clothes.
• Sleep from 7 p.m. - 5 a.m. usually.  He has been waking up this early for about two weeks now. 
• Naps - still takes two naps.  One morning nap is usually an hour and the afternoon is usually two hours.  He doesn't nap this well at daycare though.
• He LOVES swimming in the pool.
• He runs round and round the house, but stops by me every 5 or 10 minutes to hug me and then go on his merry way.  I LOVE THIS <3.
• He is super ticklish.
• Has fits occassionally, but can usually be re-directed to something else quickly.
• Big Milestone:  facing forward in the car!!!!  It's a whole new world :-)
• Nicknames: Doodlebug, Maxers, bubzers.

Max is such a joy in our lives!  He is surrounded by so many people that love him. 

We love you more than you will ever know, Max. 

"I thank God every time I think of you." - Philippians 1:3

Max is ELEVEN months old!

This is over a month late *YIKES* in being added to the blog.  Not only is it late, I didn't even get the proper 11 month picture in the brown chair.  Who's a bad mom?  PICK ME :-(.  Anyway, on to the more important things....

Max is 11 months old!

Max's Stats:

• Loves to eat!  This child seriously loves to eat.  Favorites include: bananas, carrots, any kind of meat really, graham crackers, cheerios, goldfish, Kashi breakfast bars, green beans, pears, mandarine oranges, peaches, strawberries, mac 'n' cheese, and so much more!
• Responds to: Max, mommy, daddy, no, throw, walker, ball....and a few other things.
• Mumbles "mama" and "dada" and "baba"
• Loves to scream for joy!
• Favorite toy:  MUSICAL WALKER.  I hear rockin' robin and if you are happy and you know it in my sleep every night.
• Sleeps from 7 p.m until 6 a.m. usually.
• Naps soooooo much better at home than he does at school.  At home, he naps an 1 - 1.5 hours in the morning and 2 hours in the afternoon.  At school he naps maybe 30 minutes in the morning and 40 minutes in the afternoon.
• Loves his passy.
• Drinks a morning bottle and an evening bottle.  Half way through 11 months we dropped his  afternoon bottle (of which he was only drinking 2 ounces or so). 
• Loves playing with Bear.
• Favorite buddies at school are Drew and Reese.
• Likes bathtime and playing with his ducks.
• Seriously dislikes getting his diaper changed. 
• He stood up all by himself - unassisted, not holding onto anything, in the kitchen...stood for about 20 seconds and then plopped back down because he didn't know what to do next.
• He could totally walk on his own, but he doesn't know it yet. He zooms around with hi walker, even lifting it to turn corners at times.
• He loves giggling and is a pretty happy baby over all still.
• He does have a temper.....but can usually be re-directed fairly easy. 
• Using sippy cup really well now!
• He "takes a knee" all the time.  We think he may grow up to be a little coach :-) (See pictures below).

Max weighs 20 lbs and 3 oz. 

We love you very much, Max!