Trick or Treat

Happy Halloween!

Mischievous Max

Lately, Max has been hearing the word "No" a lot...unfortunately, he seems to think that it means he is being cute. Instead of ceasing whatever activity he is engaged in, he turns around and grins at us.

Usually, I put the cat food away when Max is in the vicinity. However, he managed to find a piece on the floor and had his first taste of cat food this week. Bean told him it was a tasty treat!

Note: I've noticed that Max has on pajamas in most of the recent posts on his blog. The child does own real clothing and even occasionally wears it. 

The Great Escape

What do you do when you have a sick, unhappy baby who needs constant attention? Take him to Grammy's house, of course! 

That's right, we dropped our poor kid off with the grandparents so that we could escape for a long weekend. Bad parents, bad. In our defense, the trip was planned in advance and we were within driving distance if Max started feeling worse and we needed to come home. Minus one pitiful child, we headed out to the wilds of Georgia to spend some time together doing absolutely nothing. We stayed at The Ritz Carlton Lodge, Reynolds Plantation, which is private, luxurious, and in the middle of nowhere. Here is some of the local color we passed along the way.....

The staff kept inquiring if we were celebrating any particular event to which our answer was "Escape!" It was lovely to have long, relaxing dinners, drink wine, be pampered at the spa, drink wine, read books, and did I mention, drink wine? 

I must admit, I have been a whiney baby this year about the fact that we were not able to travel or take a big trip like we usually do. Between having Max, breastfeeding demands, our jobs, and other commitments, it was just not possible. Jason tried to convince me that going to a spot close to home would be good for us and more restful than a trip further away. And he was right! Many thanks to Grammy and Grandpa for giving us the opportunity for a brief interlude alone!

Days of Wine and Poop

Last week, Max went from happy and giggling  to a fever of 102 degrees in the period of an hour. After consulting my primary physician (my mother), we decided to call the actual doctor. The nurse appeared highly suspicious of my temperature taking abilities. "An under-arm thermometer? You really need to use a rectal one." Well, ok, but this is the one we got from the NICU. You would imagine that they know what they are doing there. "102? Did you add anything to that?" Yes, I'm so deliriously excited that my baby is sick that I want to make it as bad as possible. We were concerned because he wasn't having any other symptoms of being sick. Our family spent the rest of the afternoon curled up in Mommy and Daddy's bed, reading books, and watching Frank dance for entertainment. The next day, he still had a fever, so we headed for the doctor. (By the way, I was able to go home to get Max. take him to the doctor for a sick visit, and be back at work in under an hour...I love the efficiency of our doctor's office!) Of course, by then his fever had gone down and they could not determine a cause. We were instructed to watch for other symptoms, but it appeared that he was recovering.

A few days later, I was cleaning the kitchen while Max played on the floor. Max had just crawled past me and I could smell that he had a dirty diaper. Finishing up, I wiped the counter and bent down to pick a leaf off the floor. Ummm...not a leaf. Leaves aren't generally mushy and smelly. The other symptoms had finally caught up with him. The diarrhea had arrived. Fortunately, it was a short spell and Max seemed to be on the mend again.

Until this week. Sick day, take 2. The diarrhea returned with a vengeance and I spent most of yesterday changing diapers and outfits. It was like I had a newborn again! My poor baby would nurse, but he didn't want any solids...except cheerios. Apparently, he is going to exist on a diet of milk and cheerios. Starting tonight, Mommy will be existing on a diet of wine. I figure we both need liquids and I need something to erase the smell of poop.....

No Mommies Allowed!

Into the bathroom...

You can't come in...

Keep Out!

(What he was doing inside)

The Eleventh Hour

Dear Max,

I can already feel the sadness creeping in as I write this because I know the next letter will be in honor of your first birthday! As much as I write, I still feel inadequate at capturing all your special qualities, mannerisms, and stories.

As anyone who has viewed your photos will know, you are a champion thumb-sucker. However, you are unique in that you love BOTH of your thumbs equally. If we pull one out, you simply turn your head to poke the other one in. You can stand briefly on your own, but lose your balance when the thumb goes in. And it is in all the time lately because you are finally getting more teeth! One is sticking through on the top and two more are almost there. Which also means we can branch out to a larger variety of foods. We know we should be giving you more finger foods, but it was so hard when you couldn't chew anything up! 

Each week, we pack away more of your baby items. You have graduated to the big tub and you treat it like a giant swimming pool (even as far as peeing in it!) Max, you are having a great time with your walking and push toys, like the fire truck. You do not limit your pushing to only these toys, instead taking delight in pushing everything you encounter.... tables, plant stands, your highchair. I found the wicker table from the sunroom in our living room! 

You are also learning how to use items. You put the brush up to your hair and move it back and forth. You love to shake the lamp back and forth until I turn it on. The dishwasher has become my method for entertaining you in the kitchen because you can move the rack back and forth endlessly.  I just have to keep you away from the cat food dish, although in your defense, their food does look like your puffs! 

 

Baby Max, I don't know if I can stop calling you "Baby" after next month. Although you know your name, you definitely respond to Baby also. You've said both "Mama" and "Dada" to us, and those are beautiful sounds. You also have a sound you make for "cat" when you see Frank and Bean, but it doesn't sound anything like the word "cat". We are working on sign language and you have developed your own sign for "more" that looks like a backward wave. At least you are getting the idea. I cannot write enough about all the wonderful discoveries you make each day, and us too, as we get to discover more of who you are. 

We love you, Baby!

Love, Mommy

Harvest Time

I've always had a difficult time naming my favorite season. I adore the first warm days of Spring, when it feels as though you are coming out of hibernation. I relish driving through our neighborhood, which is full of old oak trees, and seeing the bare areas fill in with leaves and the azaleas make the streets bright with color. Yet, as a true Southern girl, I crave the heat of summer. I can literally feel it soaking into my skin, making me tingle. You can find me luxuriating in some type of body of water, be it pool, lake, or ocean for most of the season. But Fall is special too. The leaves crunching underfoot, the slight chill in the air, and the sounds of bands and football make me long for the days of school. (Winter, however, is not a contender. I consider the milder winters to be a positive benefit of global warming.) Sappy as it may seem, every season has seemed sharper and more enjoyable this year with Max. To pass along that joy, here is a little taste of Max in Fall......

"Outstanding" Furman Homecoming

Homecoming is always one of the highlights of Fall, but it was even more special this year because Jason was chosen as the recipient of the Outstanding Young Alumni Award. Since Furman has created many outstanding alumni, it was a big honor that was well deserved. And naturally went straight to his head. Henceforth, Jason will be referred to as the "Award Winner".

The award was presented at the Alumni Breakfast, a brutally early event that punishes those alumni foolish enough to participate in the revelry on the mall the night before. Needless to say, we have never made it to the breakfast until now. Max (clad in his Class of 2030 ensemble) accompanied us, and I was a wee bit concerned about his ability to handle sitting at a table in the front of a room with several hundred people during what is usually his nap time. However, he was content to watch and destroy his pop-up book until his Daddy got up to speak. Then he stood on my lap, waving his arms at the Award Winner to show his pride!

Many, many wonderful statements were made to describe my husband, the Award Winner, and they were all true. I'm glad that others realize what a remarkable person he is. Just remember Furman, I found him first! By the time he finished his acceptance speech, we watched the picture dvd of Furman sights and people, and sang Brown Eyes, I was wiping away tears.

After the breakfast, it was on to the parade! I use the term "parade" loosely because there were approximately six cars and fifteen spectators, counting myself, Rebecca, and Stephanie. Noting our large sign, the driver of the car asked, "Is that your wife?" I know it is confusing because Beckers and I do look like two hot college coeds trying to get the big stud's attention.

The Award Winner did not allow the low turnout to dampen his spirits as he grinned cheerfully from the convertible. He did have to be instructed by one vocal bystander to "Wave!" (Sidenote: The Award Winner must have had too many pastries for breakfast because he managed to crack the back of the car....oops.)

Later, The Award Winner made an appearance at the tailgate prior to the game. Tailgating has certainly changed this year with the addition of Max, as well as the children of our friends. We could have formed our own Junior Paladin Club!

Max enjoyed clapping for the football team again and appears to be showing signs of being a natural cheerleader. He kept everyone around us entertained with his giggles and smiles! He was too sleepy to make it through the game, so I took him home while the Award Winner joined the Other Award Winners in the President's Box. The team must have sensed the presence of so much greatness and were able to pull out a win to complete the weekend!

We are very, very proud of our Award Winning Daddy!

Breakthrough

Top teeth, at last! 

Max chewing on the Orajel...

Please, may I have some more?

Parting Is Such Sweet Sorrow

Separation anxiety has blossomed over the past few weeks, and I now have a twenty pound growth permanently attached to my leg. From the front it probably appears as though I have developed a strange limp, until I turn slightly sideways, and surprise! There's a baby being dragged along! Daily activities are a bit more complicated with a squirmy shadow trailing behind and underfoot. Although I adore watching Max race across the floor, beaming with happiness, to crawl into my lap, it is hard to convince him to allow me to leave the room. And that is necessary. Even mommies have to use the bathroom.

The past two times at ITP, I've seen that adorable face pucker up as I headed for the door and watched him swiftly drop down to his knees to follow me. His sweet teachers snatch him up, comfort him, and hand him his tiger pelt, but the wails follow me down the hallway. Is there any sound that makes you feel more horrible? How could I ever have (secretly) imagined that I would enjoy being the favorite parent and having Max constantly want to be only with me? Of course, it is all a ploy. Two minutes after I'm gone, he is fine and has moved on to something else. Out of sight, out of mind.

Is it possible to feel badly when he does want you to stay AND badly when he doesn't care that you are gone? Oh, irony...you are a bitter pill.

Narcissus Lives

Someone has fallen in love with his own image..........

and is kissing his reflection wherever he finds it!