Here we go!

Max is now walking. WALKING! We were just getting a handle on the crawling situation, but now the game has changed yet again. He's been practicing for awhile now, but I think the fact that he took six whole steps in a row officially puts him in the "walker" stage of babyhood (or, wait...is he a toddler now?!).

It's so adorable to watch the intense concentration on his face when he gives walking a try. He'll stand up and wobble a bit fighting gravity, and then bravely shuffle his little feet forward. This time there was less wobbling and six full, unassisted steps! Oh Max. We're so proud. Your Dad and I looked at each other like we won the lottery. Well, we kinda did... :)

This is the song we've been playing on repeat to get Max pumped up when he practices walking. I have all the words memorized now and Bill is going to lose it if he hears this song even one more time. Gotta love the '80's


Create a MySpace Music Playlist at MixPod.com

Click on the link below:

www.MurrayPartyofFour.blogspot.com

XOXO

Merry Max

Max's first Christmas was as special as we had hoped. Last year Billy and I opened presents on Christmas morning by ourselves like we had for the past 8 years. We were snowed in from the blizzard that covered Kansas City on Christmas Eve and I was wearing a Snuggie like a MuMu. We talked about the fact that it was our last Christmas just the two of us and thought how different Christmas morning was going to be the following year. We realized our baby would probably be old enough to open his or her own presents. I envisioned our little one in white and red stripped jammies in front of our tree. We wondered if we'd be buying baby dolls and dresses or toy trucks and footballs. So many things were going to happen between that day and Christmas 2010, but it was only one year away. And here we are one year later. Max wore the stripped jammies I had imagined and we had the most precious Christmas ever...

Max and Grandma Murray at Christmas Eve Mass.


We read Max's favorite Christmas book and left homemade carrot cupcakes for Santa and the reindeer.

Here's what Santa left under the tree.

Max had so much fun opening all his toys (see video below). He got a retro Radio Flyer rocket, a jack-in-the-box, lots of fun wooden toys, a BEARS football and lots more. Here in this photo he seems more interested in Oliver's Christmas present than the ones behind him.

Christmas Day at Grandma and Grandpa Murray's house. Nora and Max play so well together now. She's clearly the boss :)

Later in the day we went to Lolli and BooBo's house. Uncle Adam helped Max open his present from Annabelle.

Lolli enjoying her babies on Christmas.

The most special gift - Lolli and BooBo had this made especially for Max. It's the Murray family crest. We're looking forward to the day when Max can understand how truly meaningful this present is.

We hope you all had a happy Christmas too!

First Snow!

This past weekend technically wasn't Max's first snow. It last snowed on Valentine's Day...the day after he was born. We sat in our cozy hospital room and watched the big flakes fall. I normally can't stand snow after Christmas, but that day was an exception.

Unfortunately, he's still a little too young for his first trip to Suicide Hill. Plus, it has been frigid outside for the past couple days so he hasn't been able to have the full snow experience yet.

Instead of going out to play in the snow we stayed in and read a book about it while wearing our warm hats. Then I went outside and got a little clump of snow and let him play with it on the entryway rug. His reaction to it was so adorable...too bad I forgot to take a pic of that (I can't think of everything!)

I love to experience the newness of something through his eyes. Imagine not knowing what snow is! Seeing that look of wonder on his face over something I think of as so ordinary is priceless. To a baby everything is fascinating and confusing and it makes me appreciate the simple things in the world.

Double-Digits!

Max is the big 1-0! He's learning something new every day now. I can't believe what a little sponge he is. The other afternoon I asked him where the car was just to see what he'd do and he pointed out the front door! Could have been a fluke...so then I asked him where Oliver was and he looked around and pointed to where Oliver was laying on the window seat. I'm not sure when/how he picked up on this?? When we read books he points to everything on each page and then looks up at me waiting for me to tell him what each thing is. I feel like we're really beginning to understand each other. He seems to know a lot of simple phrases and he communicates what he wants by speaking in his own little "language"and he even signs "more" when he wants another bite. Every time I turn around he's doing something that leaves me thinking, "Holy smokes - this kid is amazing."

This weekend we celebrated his 10 month birthday by taking him to Crown Center. We had lunch at Crayola Cafe and saw Santa!

Max's reaction to hearing we were going to see Santa. :)

Having lunch at Crayola Cafe.

He loved the Mac & Cheese.

After lunch we went to see Santa and the line was ridiculously long. People at the front of the line had been waiting nearly 2 hours. So Dada got in line for us and Max and I went window shopping.

By the time we were done examining each and every store front, Dad was at the front of the line. I was so excited to see what Max's reaction to Santa would be. I have to admit, a little part of me hoped he'd freak out so I could get one of those hilarious pictures you see of kids losing it on Santa's lap. Sick, I know. But he was his normal laid back self. He really didn't have much of a reaction at all. Just starred up at him for awhile and then barely cracked a smile for the camera. A little anticlimactic :) Oh well. I guess I'm lucky to have such an easy going dude.

Baby Bumps

So I'm constantly perusing the internet to make sure that I'm not missing out on the next essential baby thing that Max NEEDS to have. Not that I can afford to buy everything that I come across. I just like to be aware of what's out there. Recently, I stumbled upon this:

What the h?

I kind of want to buy this thing just to take a picture of Max wearing it and then threaten him with the photo during his teen years. I do, however, understand why some people would purchase it. Now that Max is a crazy man and pulls up on everything he gets multiple bumps to the noggin daily. I guess I can see how this helmet would come in handy. But isn't that how they learn? From getting bumps and bruises? I'd be worried that if my kid didn't figure out that bumping his head hurts NOW that I'd have an even crazier daredevil on my hands in a few years. Just thinking ahead.

So, yes my sweet Max, Momma let's you get "owies" sometimes. You'll thank me later, though. And I hope you thank me BIG for not making you wearing an embarrassing helmet around the house.

However, one contraption I do use to control the wildebeast is the Exersaucer. Check him out in the video below...happily confined to one spot and getting ready to watch his favorite Nick Jr. show, "Yo Gabba Gabba". I only let him watch it on occassion and he gets SO excited when it starts. I have to say the show is oddly entertaining. Aunt Erin and I may have watched it by ourselves one late night after a few glasses of wine;)