Dear Max,
I love to peek at you when you're sleeping and the house is quiet. It brings so much peace to my heart to see you tucked in safe and sound.
I snuck in this night to stroke your hair and cup your chubby little cheeks in my hands knowing that there are only a few more weeks of you being my one and only little guy. There have been so many changes for you in the past few months...moving, giving up your bottle, giving up your pacifier (except for night-night), traveling, getting a new bed...you have made each transition effortlessly and I could not be more proud of you.
I'd stressed for weeks about how you were going to cope with each change. Planning the perfect strategy to make it as easy as possible on you. Each time I didn't even have a chance to follow my plan because you adapted so quickly. I know you're going to be the same way when your brother arrives. I'm so blessed to be your mom and I love the little person I see you becoming.
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Sweet Dreams
I used to always say that morning was the most precious part of our day together, but lately it has been beat out by night time. Your Dad and I have already worked out a plan so I can keep our most special part of the day the same even after Sullivan arrives. Our night-night routine is something so important to me and I can tell you feel the same way.
As soon as dinner is done you ask me "Baff?! Baff?!" enthusiastically. You LOVE bathtime and definitely do not let me forget that it's next on the agenda after dinner.
After your bath you run naked down the hall to your room and immediately start pulling books off your bookshelf. I annoy you with the tedious process of putting on pj's. Then comes the best part...we read books and cuddle on your big comfy chair and give eskimo kisses and laugh. You point out my eyes and my ears and my nose. Then I go through and list all of the people who love you. This list is long but you just lay in my arms and listen to everyone's name that I count off.
Then I whisper in your ear "It's night-night time. I love you" as I lay you down and cover you up. Sometimes you turn over and close your eyes right away and sometimes you hold out your hand so I can do "Little Boat"...a little poem that I say while drawing circles in the palm of your hand. I cherish every moment of this part of our day when you're my calm, sleepy little boy.
I will do this every night for as long as you'll let me.
My whole heart,
Momma
This particular night, you felt really attached to this book. You wouldn't let me put it back on the shelf so I tucked you in with it. Hours later when this picture was taken you still had a pretty good grip on it :)
Saturday it rained.
It was one of those drizzly rains where you're not sure what speed to turn the windshield wipers on in the car or whether you should bother with an umbrella.
This put a serious cramp in our AM plans. Max has been loving his new backyard and to tell him he couldn't go out to play was devastating news.
This put a serious cramp in our AM plans. Max has been loving his new backyard and to tell him he couldn't go out to play was devastating news.
Instead we got out the Play Dough. This distraction worked for a little bit. I can't believe I only had to tell him one time that it wasn't food to eat.
Once he was bored with that activity the FedEx guy arrived just in time to drop off a new toy for Max. We tried to put it together for him but he just wanted to sit in it and eat his snack.
Note the picture on the front of the box...Max kept looking inside the box for the puppies that are pictured on the front. He'd turn the box over, shake it and then look at me with a frown and say "woof woof??" Max's first experience with false advertising :)
Once he was bored with that activity the FedEx guy arrived just in time to drop off a new toy for Max. We tried to put it together for him but he just wanted to sit in it and eat his snack.
Note the picture on the front of the box...Max kept looking inside the box for the puppies that are pictured on the front. He'd turn the box over, shake it and then look at me with a frown and say "woof woof??" Max's first experience with false advertising :)
Finally I gave in and let him go outside. There was no thunder or lightening, so I figured if he wanted go get wet I wasn't going to stop him.
I just stayed in the dining room and watched him splash in the puddles. He was in heaven.
Saturday, June 25, 2011
Li'l Stinkbomb
I've called Max "the stinkbomb" since he was just a few days old. I don't know where it came from, but it just seemed to fit him. I'm guessing it originated from the explosive newborn diapers that he was famous for.
I say it in an endearing way and most of the time I don't even realize it when it comes out of my mouth. However, a few weeks ago a lady at Target frowned at me when I said to Max: "STINKBOMB...you don't always get everything you want" (as he was trying to catapult himself out of the shopping cart when I took a toy away).
What was with the disapproving look? Is "stinkbomb" inappropriate or maybe just a weird thing to call your kid? Or maybe she was reacting to his fit. Either way, I got a little self conscious.
So that evening I asked Bill if it was normal to call your child a stinkbomb. Most kids have cute nicknames ending in "bear" (as I side note...I've already taken to calling Sullivan "Sully-Bear", which might be worse than stinkbomb from a little boy's perspective). Billy reassured me matter-of-factly that it was fine to call Max a stinkbomb since it was true. That response made me smile. Max IS a stinkbomb so why not call him that.
It turns out that I didn't invent the nickname and finding this t-shirt made me feel better....
It has to be normal if they print it on a t-shirt, right? I probably shouldn't follow that logic, but if there is a demand for tiny stinkbomb t-shirts I'm not the only weird parent who has given their kid a gross nickname.
Max is wearing his new shirt proudly...
I say it in an endearing way and most of the time I don't even realize it when it comes out of my mouth. However, a few weeks ago a lady at Target frowned at me when I said to Max: "STINKBOMB...you don't always get everything you want" (as he was trying to catapult himself out of the shopping cart when I took a toy away).
What was with the disapproving look? Is "stinkbomb" inappropriate or maybe just a weird thing to call your kid? Or maybe she was reacting to his fit. Either way, I got a little self conscious.
So that evening I asked Bill if it was normal to call your child a stinkbomb. Most kids have cute nicknames ending in "bear" (as I side note...I've already taken to calling Sullivan "Sully-Bear", which might be worse than stinkbomb from a little boy's perspective). Billy reassured me matter-of-factly that it was fine to call Max a stinkbomb since it was true. That response made me smile. Max IS a stinkbomb so why not call him that.
It turns out that I didn't invent the nickname and finding this t-shirt made me feel better....
It has to be normal if they print it on a t-shirt, right? I probably shouldn't follow that logic, but if there is a demand for tiny stinkbomb t-shirts I'm not the only weird parent who has given their kid a gross nickname.
Max is wearing his new shirt proudly...
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
Father's Day
We had a very simple Dad's day by most accounts. Breakfast on the back deck, opening little gifts around Max's "schedule" and a trip out to the Bass Pro Shop to show Max some animals.
French toast, turkey sausage and grapes makes Max very happy!
Loves to share with Dad.
Max was so excited to show Dad the musical card he picked out at Target. It has been spurring spontaneous dance parties around here all week.
Max wanted to take little break from opening presents to play with his train set.
Trying to get a little more powdered sugar on his french toast.
Loves to share with Dad.
Max was so excited to show Dad the musical card he picked out at Target. It has been spurring spontaneous dance parties around here all week.
Max wanted to take little break from opening presents to play with his train set.
Back to Dad's gifts...
And then decides to chill on his favorite rug...
At Bass Pro:
Checking out the enormous fish.
Driving a boat
Looking at the ducks
And then decides to chill on his favorite rug...
At Bass Pro:
Checking out the enormous fish.
Driving a boat
Looking at the ducks
From the outside we looked like an ordinary family milling around the Bass Pro Shop on a Sunday afternoon. And I guess that's what we are. Being on the inside of it, though, feels completely out of the ordinary. I look at the father that Billy is to our son and feel like there is no way anyone has it better than I do. That, of course, isn't true...but its an amazing thing to truly feel that this one person was put on earth for me and these babies. We are so thankful for this beautiful life that he works so hard to provide for us.
Billy, you are extraordinary in so many ways. Thank you for all you do.
I have THE biggest, out-of-control crush on this man...
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
Tiny Baby
I've been going through Max's newborn pictures to try and remember those early days and how tiny newborns are. Here he is just a few hours old. I can't wait to have one of these in my arms again...
Thursday, June 16, 2011
Sully's 3D Sonogram
Billy and I decided to do Sullivan's 3D sonogram solo. When we did Max's we had as many family members in the room that would fit, which was awesome, but this time around we really wanted to have some uninterrupted one-on-one time with our boy. Its more difficult to focus on this new little life when our everyday lives are always so busy. We thought Sullivan deserved some Momma & Dada attention all to himself. This little boy will be here before we know it!
Seeing him kick and squirm on the screen as I felt his familiar movements made him become real. It was interesting to notice the differences from Max's features. Funny how you can have the same "ingredients" and end up with a completely different product! :) I had imagined he'd look exactly like Max, and he does have some familiar features, but his lips, nose and ears are all different. And we got to see his baby-bits on screen :) Kinda fun since we had to avoid the whole lower region during Max's 3D to keep the gender a secret. Let's just say Sullivan is definitely all boy and seems to be very proud of that fact!!
These pouty little lips melt my heart.
Cute button nose...
Tiny ears! Looks like he didn't get his Momma's ears like Max did :)
And he definitely got his Dad's long toes!
Of course, I still had to find a way to make a party out of the whole thing so we had a little get-together with our families to preview the DVD of Sullivan and have ice cream sundaes.
Micheal and Dad making banana splits.
Billy and Brandon making root beer floats.
Grandma Murray giving Max some of hers.
Max just mastered the straw recently so he was pretty proud of himself!
After ice cream and watching the DVD the kids had a great time playing together...
Keegan, Aunt Lisa and Max
Finn helping Annabelle on the firetruck.
Max showing her how its done.
Keegan helping Max drive the tractor.
Uncle Billy and Nora being silly.
Seeing him kick and squirm on the screen as I felt his familiar movements made him become real. It was interesting to notice the differences from Max's features. Funny how you can have the same "ingredients" and end up with a completely different product! :) I had imagined he'd look exactly like Max, and he does have some familiar features, but his lips, nose and ears are all different. And we got to see his baby-bits on screen :) Kinda fun since we had to avoid the whole lower region during Max's 3D to keep the gender a secret. Let's just say Sullivan is definitely all boy and seems to be very proud of that fact!!
These pouty little lips melt my heart.
Cute button nose...
Tiny ears! Looks like he didn't get his Momma's ears like Max did :)
And he definitely got his Dad's long toes!
Micheal and Dad making banana splits.
Billy and Brandon making root beer floats.
Grandma Murray giving Max some of hers.
Max just mastered the straw recently so he was pretty proud of himself!
After ice cream and watching the DVD the kids had a great time playing together...
Keegan, Aunt Lisa and Max
Finn helping Annabelle on the firetruck.
Max showing her how its done.
Keegan helping Max drive the tractor.
Uncle Billy and Nora being silly.
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
Savannah, GA : Part II
Ok, so picking up where I left off in the post below...
Later in the evening after returning from the beach we went to dinner at the Pirate's House...
The next morning Max helped Lolli in the kitchen making french toast for everyone.
And then we decided to explore a little of Savannah...
Later in the evening after regrouping back at the house we went to dinner at Paula Deens.
Followed by a game of pool for the guys...
On our last day we decided to take it easy. We hung around the house, did a little shopping, took naps, went to the water park up the street and cooked dinner in. I think it was my favorite day of the whole trip!
It was a wonderful vacation full of so many memories. Can't wait to add another little person to the party next year!
Later in the evening after returning from the beach we went to dinner at the Pirate's House...
The next morning Max helped Lolli in the kitchen making french toast for everyone.
And then we decided to explore a little of Savannah...
Later in the evening after regrouping back at the house we went to dinner at Paula Deens.
Followed by a game of pool for the guys...
On our last day we decided to take it easy. We hung around the house, did a little shopping, took naps, went to the water park up the street and cooked dinner in. I think it was my favorite day of the whole trip!
It was a wonderful vacation full of so many memories. Can't wait to add another little person to the party next year!
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