For Billy...

This is a thank you for taking Max on a walk in the early AM so I could go back to sleep on Saturday. This is a thank you for getting Max's bath ready while I feed him dinner and then fixing me dinner while I'm giving him his bath every evening. This is a thank you for picking up behind me as I leave little trails of baby stuff all over the house when I'm in tornado-mom mode.

I just want to thank you for your patience, your sweet gentleness and for keeping my burdens light. You are always there, to be whatever we need whenever we need it and I want to document it here so Max knows what a wonderful man he has for a father. I hope he follows in your footsteps...

Baby Chatter Alarm Clock

I have to admit...one thing that worried me about becoming a mom is the lack of sleep you hear so much about. I love to sleep and as soon as I became pregnant I knew my restful days were numbered. However, it turns out Max is a pretty solid sleeper - 7:30PM to 7:30AM most nights. Even still, I never thought I'd actually like being woken up at 7:30 in the morning. In fact I have been through multiple alarm clocks over the years trying to find one with the least offensive sound to startle me out of a deep sleep (Mom: remember the "sunrise" alarm clock I got for Christmas one year??).

Now I have a fantastic alternative. Max's baby chatter. It's the best possible way to wake up. It generally starts with a very convincing monologue on something (although we're not sure what the topic is) the moment he wakes up. He babbles, squeals and throws in a few razzberries for effect. He's quite passionate about whatever it is he's talking about. After awhile Billy will go in and bring Max into bed with us. Max will continue his little lecture (complete with hilarious facial expressions) and Billy and I nod in interest at everything he says. This goes on until he realizes he's hungry. Then the conversation quickly turns into a demand for breakfast.

It's nice to go to bed alone as a couple and wake up as parents with a chubby baby in between us. I was never a morning person but now it's my absolute favorite part of the day.

7 months...

So this month's photoshoot was MUCH more difficult than in past months. Generally, I place him in the crib, set the sign next to him and he smiles cooperatively. I take a few pictures - done.

This time it was like trying to corral a wild beast. Max is starting to become mobile and he's loving his new found freedom. No matter where I placed him, he wanted to be somewhere else and would scooch, roll and frog-hop where he wanted to go...all within a matter of seconds. He hasn't learned to actually crawl yet, though, and for that I am thankful. :)

Max vs. Mom and the Camera - Round 1



Ok. Remove distraction (in this case, RiffRaff the Giraffe)

Max vs. Mom and the Camera - Round 2

Ok. So clearly everything is a distraction.

Let's try a new location...

Gotcha! One decent pic out of 37.

Of course his attention immediately turned to the tempting sign behind him and all focus was lost. I gave up at this point!

Labor Day Weekend, Etc.

We had a great Labor Day weekend! Below are some highlights...

We did Irish Fest in two parts on Sunday: spent the afternoon listening to the folk singers and letting Max watch the Irish dancers and then returned in the evening (after naps and bathtime) so we could see the Red Hot Chili Pipers and the Elders. Max loved strolling through the crowds where he found hundreds of faces to smile at.

Irish Fest Part I:

Picnic lunch!

Irish Fest Part II:

Dancing to the Pipers

Pulling up fistfulls of grass for close inspection.

Billy: handsome Super-Dad

Max got to play with some of his cousins on Monday. He's so facinated by all of them and they're so sweet to their baby cousin! Such good boys. Nora did a great job too. She shared her yummy puffs with Max...she seemed to know that the way to his heart is food. :)

Also, just wanted to share some pics that my mom took of our little jaunt to the park a couple weeks ago. Max adores his Grama Lolli! It's a wonderful thing to see my mom with my baby. I appreciate her a million times more now that I'm a momma myself.

More pickle-time!