McLovin'

25 Pounds, 2 ounces and 34 3/4 Inches

of Pure Lovin'!

Can you handle it?

So Long, Farewell

As we get ready to move, I have become very nostalgic about our current house. We have lived here for almost 6 1/2 years and for Max's entire life. Yet, he probably will not remember it at all. Our new house will be the one he thinks of as the house he grew up in. So I wanted to have a pictorial homage to the house where our family started. First, with Jason and I, and then with the addition of Max.

The house was built in the late 1930s and is over 70 years old. As you enter the door:

The front door is one of the things I have always loved the most about this house because it has so much character. We bought the rug in front of the door in Bolivia. Jason swore I would not be able to fit it into my suitcase to bring home, but the master packer prevailed! The front door opens into the living room:

The living room was the last room to be furnished. It was empty for quite a while! Now it includes a marble table we purchased in India that was shipped to us in a crate filled with hay, prints of Furman, family pictures, and a cabinet I found in an antique shop. To the left of the living room is the sunroom:

The sunroom is the kitties' favorite room. When you sit on the furniture, tufts of fur float into the air. Frank watches prey (squirrels) that he cannot catch and Bean is visited by Spooky, another black cat in the neighborhood. Every Monday, Max pulls the chair closer to the window for a front row seat of the garbage truck parade. Back through the living room to the right is the dining room:

We have the dining room furniture that belonged to Jason's great-grandparents. Jason grew up having Sunday dinner with his grandparents and extended family at this table. We are very fortunate that his family allowed us to have it! Most of the silver pieces belonged to my grandparents and my father's family. A butler's pantry connects the dining room to the kitchen:

We painted the kitchen my favorite shade of blue. Although it is cozy, I love the huge, original sink and white cabinets. And the "Bon Appetit" was painted by moi! Through the breakfast room, you pass the downstairs bathroom:

On your way to the den:

The den is actually a 4th bedroom, but we used it as a den/computer room/playroom. I loved having the computer in the same room as the TV because it meant we were always together no matter what activity we were engaged in. However, Max's toys have definitely overtaken the room and need a home all their own. Pictures of friends, family, and from our various travels make the room very homey. The bedrooms are all upstairs, including the large master bedroom:

The master has plenty of room. Over our bed is a framed cloth that we got in India which is made of pieces of saris and dresses of India's former royals. There is also a poem about children that my mother gave me when Max was born. You can see the small door that opens to the very narrow closet:

However, the spaces is so well utilized that we've always had plenty of room! The bathroom is also spacious with plenty of counter space (for me). The two sinks are set off to the side, which means Jason was a bit squished in the corner.

Down the hall is the guest room (aka Becker's room), which has Jason's childhood furniture. Jason's father passed away when he was young and this bedroom set was one of the last gifts he gave to Jason. It is very special to him and will be Max's one day soon!

Max's room is across the hall from the guest room and the other bath. For most of the past 2 years, we referred to it as "the nursery" as though we lived in some huge mansion :)

I wanted a reading tree painted in Max's room and then we decided that Frank and Bean also had to be included for posterity! This is the thing I am the saddest to leave behind because it symbolizes the end of Max's babyhood. I love his room with all his mural, books and animals and its special baby smell.

Back down the stairs and out the back door is the backyard and driveway. Because we live on a corner, the neighborhood kids often cut through our yard. Now that they have befriended Max, there are lots of knocks on the back door. We will miss that familiarity.

Goodbye, house.

Goodbye to the the place where:

Jason carried me over the threshold...we hosted engagement parties, baby showers, 80s and Derby parties...we discovered a stone wall underneath all the ivy...the oak tree drops nuts like shotgun blasts...neighbors clapped when we brought Max home from the NICU...we learned to be parents...Max started walking (and running)...goodbye to our home. We will miss you.

Two At Last!

Dear Max,

As we move into life as a 2 year old, I wanted to pause for a snapshot of your current life:

You are the only child I know who has had a cohesive narrative since the day you came home from the hospital. You quickly asserted yourself as the King of the Babies and began feuding with the cats. Temporary peace has reigned, but I believe that more battles will be initiated when we move into the new house. And what have we created by bowing to your demands for supremacy? A child who is in love with himself! You adore looking at your blog and want to scroll through your pictures on the computer 47 times a day. Note: As a true child of the millennium, Max is not satisfied with actual photo albums. He wants it to be digital and to control the mouse.

The Max loves his schedule. You go to bed without complaint at 7:30 pm and usually sleep until 7:30 am. You rarely ever wake up during the night, even when Frank is trapped in your room yelping. Naptime is at 12:30 and lasts for about 2 hours, except on the days that you go to ITP. On Mondays, you go visit Great Grandma and Grandpa Beau. and any additional family members who happen to be there. Tuesdays mornings are ITP and then the afternoon with Grammy. Wednesday mornings are with Grammy and the afternoons with Mommy. Thursdays are also ITP, but all day Friday is Max and Mommy time.

You are a singing junkie. You know the motions to "Itsy Bitsy Spider", "Twinkle, Twinkle", and the "Wheels on the Bus". You sing some of the words, but mostly hum along. Speaking is the only area we are concerned about for you. Recently, we had an evaluation done by Baby Net to assess for possible speech delays. Your comprehension (receptive) language score was very high, but there was a slight delay for your expressive language. However, the two are combined into one "communication" score and canceled each other out, so you did not qualify for services. The evaluator said you have an appropriate number of words in your vocabulary, but not enough verbs. It is hard to make sentences with only nouns! She suggested waiting a few more months to see if it improved before making any decisions about speech therapy. You certainly manage to get your point across by pulling us around by the finger to do your bidding! All other areas were fine, especially your motor skills. You have developed quite an interest in climbing lately....luckily so far, you have only tried to climb IN the crib instead of OUT of it.

We have seen some brief foreshadowing of 2 year old tantrums, but you are mostly an exceptionally happy and easygoing kid. You love to laugh and to make us laugh. Every day is full of kisses and hugs and cuddles. We are so lucky to have you!

Love, Mommy

Happy 2nd Birthday, Max!

Dear Max,

Happy 2nd Birthday, Baby! I have pledged that we will finally stop calling you "Baby" now that your infancy is officially over. And one day I may even get around to changing the blog title...but probably not soon. This will be my final monthly letter to you. I will continue to write down your stories and special memories, as well as some semi-regular letters. I will treasure these vignettes of your childhood and I hope that someday you will treasure them too.

Max, we continue to learn many lessons from you each day. Parenting is a huge and sometimes overwhelming task. Your father and I feel a duty to provide for you in physical, emotional, and spiritual ways. Yet, you are the one teaching us responsibility, patience, and the power of grace. I am in awe of what has been entrusted to us. We are unbelievably blessed. Blessed by your smiles, your laughs, your heart, and your love. We only pray that we are worthy of all these blessings. Max, I love each day with you, but I cannot wait to see the person that you grow to be!

A look back at the past year in pictures:

13 Months

14 Months

15 Months

16 Months

17 Months

18 Months

19 Months

20 Months

21 Months

22 Months

23 Months

24 Months

We love you so much, our big toddler!

Love, Mommy

Chugga Chugga Choo Choo!

Chugga Chugga Choo Choo!

Max is turning 2!

Come Ride on Down the Tracks

And Party with The Max!

Planning Max's birthday party was not an easy task this year since we were unsure what house (if any) we would be living in. It is also a little risky to try to have an outdoor party in the middle of November. However, I do not think Max could have enjoyed any party more than his train party! Beautiful weather, great friends, and a 2 year old bouncing with excitement about riding the train with everyone.

Gangsta Train Conductor

Max was thrilled to see his cousins, neighborhood friends, and toddler friends join him. He squealed and dragged them over to the fence one by one to watch the train go pass.

Little kids and big kids and grown up kids took a special train ride on

Max's Birthday Express! All Aboard!

Max had an absolutely adorable and yummy train cake and cupcakes created by the very talented Lindsey! (Click here for her cake blog)

Max continued his traditional disdain of cake, but was happy with his birthday juice boxes nevertheless.

Thank you to everyone for helping us celebrate the Max!

Happy Birthday to our favorite Big Boy!

Chaos!

We are about 1 week from the completion of our new house and total chaos has set in! Last week, there was a crisis with the tile, a problem with the lighting fixtures, issues with the paint in the dining room...just to name the major ones. I really did not think I would still be visiting the tile gallery this close to the end. Unfortunately, the chaos is not limited to only one area of life. I was also involved with court for three different cases at work last week and we did not get the outcomes we desired. Additionally, I was struggling with a grumpy toddler and trying to get our current house cleaned for several unexpected showings. Max definitely has been picking up on the stress and has had several meltdowns, which is very unlike him. This week, I had my own meltdown(s). Although I am used to juggling many different things, I have really reached my limit. I am so tired of making decisions that I just want the house to be finished and we will deal with any changes or problems later on.

Last weekend, we decided to take a step back and concentrate on family time. I believe one reason I have felt imbalanced lately is because I haven't had enough time with Max. He his my stabilizer and when we are together I have to concentrate on him, not on anything else. As Jason says, we should all live life like The Max. He goes full throttle until he falls into bed and then he sleeps peacefully. Max doesn't worry about the future or what problems the next day will bring. He lives in the moment. Why should we be any different? Perhaps that is one reason we are instructed to be like little children. It is a reminder to trust that we will be taken care of and that things will turn out alright. One way or another.