Father's Day

Happy Father's Day to the best dad we know!

 

Thanks for everything you do for our family - from washing dishes to playing with Max when you get home after a long day, from taking care of the house to taking care of us. Thanks for always striving to be a better dad/husband/man and inspiring me to be a better mom/wife/woman. 

We love you!

Joy

My mom recently said we should change Max's middle name to "Joy". While I don't think it quite fits with "Max", it is definitely his personality. He gets joy out of everything. It is so fun to watch him experience new things because he gets so excited. But he also is just as happy playing at home with the toys he plays with every day. I can't help but smile when I see that smile, whether he's running around the house with his lawnmower or enjoying his first time at the beach. Almost every time we pick him from the church nursery, they say how happy he is. We've gone to a Play and Learn class at Gymboree twice and today the teacher commented that he always has a smile on his face. One of the church volunteers asked "Is he always that content?". Yes, he is. Not to say that he doesn't have his share of fits or that he is a perfect child, but we know that we are blessed to have such an easy-going boy. We are also blessed by his happiness and joy, as are others. He shares it with everyone, and I hope that when he smiles and waves at a stranger in the grocery store, it brightens her day and blesses her also. I also hope that we can nurture his joy as he grows so that it continues to affect those around him.

Joy is very infectious; therefore, be always full of joy. -Mother Teresa

Haircut

Max had his first haircut on Friday. It was bittersweet. The mullet had to go but he had a few little curls back there that I really liked! And now he looks even older... 

Before

 

 After

He was very good for Ms. Crystal - no crying or screaming, just a little squirming which was pretty easily averted with a cell phone. Works every time!

Another milestone to cross off the list and put in the baby book.

Ow!

One of Max's new favorite words is "ow". The other day he started pinching my shoulder and saying "ow! ow!".  Ironically, over the weekend, he got his biggest "owie" yet when he faceplanted on the patio. 

He had a nice circle of road rash right in the middle of his forehead. 

"Ow" was not enough to express his pain for this one.

I like this picture because you can see all of Max's teeth. Yes, all 3 of our 16 1/2  month old's teeth. How does the boy eat!? How does he bite into his grilled cheese!?

His other top one is coming in too, and it looks like a couple of the side ones might be close. 

But at this rate, he'll be 2 before he gets them!

Camping

We went camping at Lake Livingston for Mother's Day weekend. The weather ended up being really nice - we were afraid we had waited too long and it would be so hot but it turned out great. Max had fun. All he really wants to do right now is walk around so we kind of had to just follow him around the campsite. 

Of course he's also at the stage where he wants to go where he wants to go so it's a problem if you try to change his direction. But he is very easily redirected most of the time - his little tantrums only last a few seconds. 

Back to camping - we went on a nature walk with a ranger and walked some of the other trails too. 

We went down by the lake and met a squirrel who was too friendly for me. He ate from Matt's hand and almost climbed in my lap! 

We also took Max's picture on a tree that Matt's parents had taken Matt and his sister's picture on when they were kids. I tried to convince Matt to sit on the tree with Max but he wouldn't. 

So it was a fun weekend and we're already looking forward to our next camping trip (which won't be until fall unless we go north!). It will be fun to see what Max is doing next time. 

Another great part of the weekend was that when we got back Sunday, I got to go get a pedicure for Mother's Day and came home to flowers and a James Avery ring with Max's birthstone. It was a perfect Mother's Day! Thanks Matt and Max!

Son, Don't Eat the Bluebonnets

The End

What a Difference A Year Makes