Why do I love this man?

Jake and I have been married 4 years today! WOW - time is totally flying!  It has been such an awesome ride thus far, and I wouldn't change a second of it.  On this day every year, I always look back on our relationship and think about how much it has grown and evolved since we started dating in 2002. 

Why do I love this man?

• He is my forever.....the man I am supposed to be with for all my life. 
• He gave me the best gift about 11 months ago....our son, Max
• He challenges me every day to be the best examples of Christ.
• He dances when I feel like dancing, even though he hates it.
• He guides me into a room....always putting me first.
• If he gets up to get a drink, he'll always ask if I want one too.
• He always says "thanks for dinner, Pita" - even when I know he didn't like it.
• He will hug me forever, if that is how long I need to be held.
• He isn't afraid to raise his hand in church to praise the Lord.
• He races me to pick up Max when we haven't seen him in a couple hours.
• He values what I "think".....by asking me my opinion
• He is so honest.  To the point that he sweats on the top of his wrist if he fibbing or nervous. 
• He will dive in front of me at a baseball game just to protect me and my pregnant belly.
• He encourages me to go out with friends.
• He took me out on the lake during the week when there was no one on the lake, so I could get up on waterskis because he recognized that I was feeling silly in front of everyone the previous weekend.
• He wouldn't let me waterski when I was pregnant, even though I thought I was OK :-)
• He tries really hard to like American Idol like I do.
• He will always tell me the house looks nice, if he comes home and sees I had cleaned.
• He is vulnerable enough with me to share his flaws and struggles and ask for encouragement.
• I never have had to ask him to cut the grass or do yardwork.
• He tells my mom he loves her.
• He called my sister for me when I needed help nursing.
• He totally "has it covered" when I go out of town for work and enjoys Daddy and Max time.
• He has many passions in life....
• He will hold my hand whenever and wherever. 
• He will ask for help for me, because he know I wouldn't do it on my own.
• He prays with me.
• He calls my dad for advice.
• He gets upset if he doesn't get to give Max some lovin' before I take him to school.
• We can take a road trip and talk the entire way with no music.
• We can sing and dance in the car and not care how silly we look.
• He enjoys doing good deeds for others with no recognition - and seeks opportunities to serve.
• He signed up to teach k-1 bible study at church because he wanted to spend time with me and that is what I was doing. 

I can go on and on and on.  This man is incredible. 

Thank you, Jake for 4 amazing years of marriage - and 9 years together total!  I am so happy that we found each other.  "Every time I think of you, I give thanks to my God." - Philippians 1:3

Happy Anniversary to you, Jake....I love you...

promise promise.

Tell me I'm cute!

I've noticed a LOT of new things about Max lately....

• He expects you to clap and say "yayyyy" for him everytime he does something (literally anything....stand up, look at you, eat, etc).  We (errr, I) have done this consistently...so now, I 100% think he expects to be cheered on with every step he takes.  It. is. hilarious.  So no one will ever be able to say to me that my child has no self esteem....he will be the one clapping for himself in the endzone after a touchdown, or when he makes an A ;-). 
• He is VERY stubborn.....he had no hope....Jake and I are both that way.
• He knows the difference.  We got him his own set of keys (they are legitimate keys on a keyring) because he loves my keys so much.  NOPE....doesn't work....he wants mine. 
• He is a leader, but doesn't like to be alone.  He takes off and constantly looks back to make sure you are following. 
• He is a tough....BUT, he still loves mommy for sure.   
• He. is. a. boy.  Everything can be thrown (toys), tossed (keys), crinkled (papers or my grocery list), ripped (the pages of his books) or eaten (just about everything else).
• He doesn't like clothes.
• He LOVES being loved.....and when you kiss him - I swear he gives you this looks that says "tell me I'm cute" <3
• He LOVES it when you giggle at him....he will giggle back at you immediately.

It is crazy how much he is changing and how much I am learning about him every day.....

Max,

I love that you already push the limits in life.....stay true to who you are and what you believe. You are such a joy.  I see love when I look at you.  Be patient, Max.....and let the Lord guide you and love you.

"For I know the plans I have for you," says the LORD. "They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope." - Jeremiah 29:11

I love you so much, Max.

Love,
Mommy

Max - e - Moodles?

So, for the longest, Max's daycare teachers have called Max "Max - e- Moodles"....and I just thought it was a cute little nickname with no reason.  Joke's on me! 

While, I've known that Max definitely has a streak of temper in him - I would NEVER say he is an ill-mannered child or moody.  For the most part, he is so happy and giggling.  Today, I dropped Max off at school and was chatting with his teacher.....it was then right before my eyes that Max throws his toy (his new favorite thing to do), grabs ahold of the chair, gets on his tippy toes and shrieks at the top of his lungs....all because I took my keys out of his hands.

I've seen him do this every now and then....expecially when he is teething - it is like he's saying "I can't take this anymore!" Miss Lewis picked him up and proceeded to say "ohhhh there is my Max - e - MOODles".....and it clicked.....yes, I know....I'm slow :-). 

Could it be that my sweet little Max may not always be so sweet?  Or perhaps, even crazier...is he already turning into a little boy that knows when a toy is taken away, knows what he wants and when he wants it, know that he will get a reaction or wants his way NOW?  Oh my goodness....I think I have a toddler on my hands....where has time gone?

Max is TEN months old!

Oh my goodness....we are creeping up on one year old so quickly!  I seriously cannot believe that Max is 10 months old already. 

Max is more and more fun each day.  I was gone on his actual 10 month day - so these pictures are taken 3 days after, but still great nonetheless.  I propped him up on the brown chair (as usual) and Max was having a blast. 

My Favorite - so happy :-)

 

Some of Max's Stats:

• Favorite little buddy at school is Drew
• Max's girlfriend at school is Miss Reese <3
• Favorite toy is the tower of rings (old school)
• Loves being outdoors!
• Nicknames: Maxers, Doodlebug, Booboo, Bubsy
• Max eats all sorts of table food now!
• Favorite foods:  carrots (sliced), ham and cheese, oatmeal, bananas, yogurt, graham crackers, applesauce, goldfish, and more!
• Max loves to scream for joy!
• Babbling ma ma ma, da da da, ba, ba, ba
• Crawling so fast, pulling up on everything and walking with assistance ;-)
• Has 4 teeth on top and 2 on bottom
• Sleeping 7:30 - 6:30/7 ish usually
• Still taking two naps (one super short morning nap and a longer afternoon nap)
• Loves playing with Bear, doorstops, remotes, phones, etc
• Still uses a passy
• Loves clapping for himself, and when other do the same
• Has a ton of fun at bath time

And...as you can see below....Max LOVES to giggle!

We love you very much Maxers!

"I am leaving you with a gift - peace of mind and heart." John 14:27

Missing home...

I am away from home this week....working in Boca Raton, FL.  So how you ask could I be "missing home" when I get a break from:

• daily responsibility
• interrupted sleep because of the thought that I might be awakened at night
• eating cold meals due to feeding the baby first
• interrupted phone calls because of a wet diaper or crying
• cold weather (it is 90 degrees and beautiful today)
• making the bed
• making dinner
• cleaning up the house
• doing laundry
• etc, etc, etc

.....for a whole 4 days.

All I can say is that I do, I miss home....and when I say "home"....I mean these two:

"Always be full of joy in the Lord.  I say it again - rejoice!" Philippians 4:4

I will rejoice and be joyful to be home with these two blessings - and try my hardest to remember this feeling of wanting to be home when I'm participating in the very activities listed above - feeling frustrated and wanting a "break". 

"And whatever you do, in word or in deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him." Colossians 3:17

**BE THANKFUL**

Window Kisses!

I've posted many times that the similarities between Max and Jake are uncanny.  Not only in the way that they look, but also in their mannerisms.  It really is unreal!  Max loves his dad, that's for sure. 

This past Sunday afternoon was awesome.  We went on a family walk, had beautiful weather, swung outside, played and played some more.  Towards the end of the day, I was in the kitchen cleaning up, Jake was outside doing yardwork and Max was walking around and around the kitchen table (one of his favorite pasttimes LOL)....Max caught a glimpse of daddy outside and was kissing him through the glass....so precious.

I would clean the glass 100 times a day for this <3

The Curiousity of the D's

Max does have an entire toy box (actually 2 toy boxes) with toys to play with but it is the most recent curiousity of....

THE DOORSTOP













and....

THE DOG BOWL

...that occupies our little doodle bug's time.  He can sit there for an hour just flicking the doorstop.  It is so stinkin' cute too because you can tell from his face that he is thinking "whoaaaa, how am I making this noise with this thing!" 

The dog bowl, an obsession that I've heard many babes have, is a constant "no, no max...that's icky".  The look on his face with both activities is just priceless - and the laugh, the sweet giggle, just makes me want to buy him the biggest dog bowl and a million door stops to play with. 

Bo - OING! he he he.....my favorite noise today!