Max's House

My mom bought Max his very own play kitchen for his birthday that we got after we got home from CT. He is in love with it and cooks us stuff in it all the time, including ice cream, fried chicken and soup (which we have to shake first).



But I think his favorite part of getting the kitchen was getting to play with the big box it came in. Tyler cut a door and some windows and he's been having a blast playing in his house. I totally remember when we were kids and we would do this same thing. We even would paint it and decorate it and draw stuff inside of it. SO so fun!





Another present that Max really enjoys is this work vest and hat. He insists on wearing it everywhere -- the grocery store, out to play, even to church. I don't have the heart to tell him no, plus, you have to pick your battles and this one just isn't a big deal. He sure is a cute construction worker though, isn't he?

Technical Difficulty

So as you can see, we had a lot of fun visiting family and traveling around. But one thing that was really hard was the actual traveling part. I can look back on it now, retrospectively, and say I never want to do that again. But I know we will because we can't stay away!

Max become very obsessed with my mom on this trip. While we were at her house he would not leave her alone for one second. She couldn't even go to the bathroom without him wailing for her. He wanted her to hold him and play with him the whole time. Maybe he liked her so much because (duh) she spoiled him like crazy. She gave him everything he wanted, which of course, grandma's are supposed to do. But it made disciplining Maddox a difficult task. Everyone seems to have their own opinion when it comes to doling out a punishment. So when we returned home to California, Max had a rough adjustment.

He wouldn't nap, he wouldn't listen, he wouldn't stay in time-out (a tried and true method in our house). The napping thing was horrible. When we got home he wasn't sleeping well, waking up early in the morning (not the usual 9am) and his naps pretty much went out the window. I would put him down and he would scream and scream. I wasn't ready to let him give it up. And he clearly wasn't ready either, considering the fact that he would fall asleep in my arms when I would go and pick him up. It was a horrible horrible struggle. But I decided to not give in, and make him stay in his crib for his nap time. It eventually worked. He now naps like a champ again.

His listening has gotten better again, too. But for a couple weeks I was so scared that "the terrible twos" had seriously set in and this is what it would be like for the next year of our lives. Max had turned into a little monster and I was beside myself not knowing what to do. It got so bad during those weeks that one afternoon during a nap tantrum that I heard a giant bang and thought he had fallen out of his crib. I ran into his room and saw that he had broken his crib (the metal bars that held the mattress up had bent and fallen through) from jumping so hard. So I went to pick him up and he kicked me so hard that he cracked my rib. Literally. It was really painful for a few weeks, but is getting better now.

Anyway, I realize now that it was all just a readjustment for him. We had spent so much time in CT being off his schedule and around so many people that he just got out of whack. Because he is back to his sweet little self again and I can't get enough of him. I'm thankful that I had the strength to endure his little episode, although at the time I googled "adoption agencies" just to make myself feel better. (Come on now, I never would have went through with it!!)

I love our monkey and I love that we are back to normal.

Qualcomm Picnic Take 2

Once again we exploited the perks of not working at Qualcomm and having friends who do and went to the Qualcomm Company Picnic! Nick and Monique were so awesome to get ALL of us tickets to go (by all I mean the Baddas, the Bakers, the Littles and us). The food was incredible once again and the kids had the time of their lives in all the jumpy houses, jumpy slides and play cars.







He even got his first tattoo. We had to talk him out of getting the Catholic cross and the green alien. We felt a shark was much more appropriate.







And we of course stayed for the fireworks. This time, Max acted about the same as he did on the Fourth of July but toward the end I told him that the fireworks looked just like birdies in the sky and he totally loved that and watched the end and loved them.

We had so much fun with our friends and can't wait until next year!

A Family Vacation Vacation

No, I did not stutter. We actually went on another vacation while we were on vacation in CT. My dad took us all to New Hampshire for a few days to take Max and Mattie to a place called Santa's Village. The kids had a blast, once we got there. Yes, I said Mattie, too. My mom brought Mattie along so she could spend some time with Max also. So it was me, Tyler and the two kids in one car. And my dad, Margaret, Danielle and my mom in another car. Kinda weird, but we all had fun.

It rained the first day we were there so we just kind of hung around our hotel for the day. Max and Mattie LOVED the heated pool there. And Max had a blast running through the rain with Tyler. It was pouring, but I guess he's not used to rain (because we live in San Diego, the negative rain city) and he wanted to run and run through it.









Max also fell in love with Margaret on this trip. She was so good to him, playing with him and keeping him busy. He loved it!



On our way up it was a long drive, so we stopped off at the Vermont Country Store. It's this GREAT little store that sells all kinds of old fashioned stuff -- like long johns, old time candies, metal dishes, old time soaps -- TONS AND TONS of stuff. They also sell the best cheeses and jams I've ever had. I bought a giant block of Vermont cheddar and some crackers and some elderberry jam (sadly, I had to leave the uneaten portions at my mom's because I didn't think they'd make the plane ride home). It was hear we learned that Max has a serious love for black licorice, too. We had to cut him off at one point because I didn't want him to get a stomach ache.







Mattie fell in love with this little pink cat and found a baby bottle and just fed the cat the whole time, over and over again.



They had these fun horse swings made out of old tires that Max and Mattie had fun on. I think they appreciated getting out of the car, too, since it was a LONG drive.





Santa's Village was just as cute as I remembered it, too. First thing we did was wait in a long line to say hi to Santa. This is how it ended up.



Mattie wouldn't even go in the room. She just waved and that was it.



The kids rode on all the rides and loved every second of it. Tyler and Danielle were good sports and went on the rides with them. My dad went on some, too.





They loved driving the old fashioned cars. I think because they felt they could drive them. Mattie didn't really like the bumper cars too much. And Max was frustrated he had no control and couldn't reach the wheel.



And feeding the real reindeer!! Max and Mattie thought this was awesome. And even though they don't really get Santa yet, they still thought it was so cool feeding dry crackers to deer.





They even went on a roller coaster!



And on the way home, they both passed out in the back of the car for a while. Max like this.



And Mattie like this (that's a blanket over her head).



We all had a fun time and it was fun to take Max to a place I went to when I was a little kid. His eyes just lit up and he loved it so much. Thanks for the trip dad!!

Birthday Singing

I just thought this video was really cute. Max was so so happy when everyone sang him happy birthday at his party!

Max's Birthday Party

Thanks to my dad Maddox had a wonderful birthday party this year!!! My dad went ALL out. My whole family went (both sides) and Max made out like a bandit. The food was INCREDIBLE and Margaret graciously allowed the craziness to go down at her house. They all did a TON of work to get this party going. And we are SOOO grateful!!

Max had the time of his life. My dad rented a jumpy house where Max spent most of the day with his cousins (well, actually, my cousins' kids so what would you call that?)







We had a pinata for all the kids. We opted for a number 2 pinata for Max since there was an episode at a friend's birthday party where the pinata was a butterfly and Max was really upset everyone was beating up the butterfly and he tried to put the butterfly back together while all the other kids got the candy. This time, Max had tons of fun whacking away.



Margaret's daughter made the CUTEST cupcakes for Max that I have ever seen!! They were Diego cupcakes and he absolutely loved them.



He also loved everyone singing happy birthday to him and the lollipop he had for the first time. Not to mention the snow cone he dug in to.





Oh, and some of the kids felt left out that just Max got sung to, so we had to sing happy birthday to a couple others and let them blow the candle out.







The kids also loved my dad's motorcycle. All the kids got a chance to get on up and rev the engine. Max just went crazy about it. He LOVED LOVED it. He did not want to get up and still asks about "grandpa's motocycle". Max is pretty much in love with my dad.



He got lots of presents and opened them up -- although that proved to be kind of a disaster because all the kids wanted to open them and play with them.

Max had a BLAST. It was the end of the day and everyone had left but Max was the only one left inside the jumpy house, jumping by himself. It was too cute.

Thanks dad and Margaret and all the other helpers who threw Max a GREAT birthday party!!!

Little Farm

One of the days we were visiting my mom we took the kids to a little farm down the street from my mom. Can I just say I miss the quaint New England stuff.





Max and Mattie had so much fun looking at all the horses and sheep and bunnies. They loved chasing the little ducks, too.



This was also the day that Max became obsessed with the song "Muffin Man" that my mom had on a CD. He still sings that song at the top of his lungs no matter where we are. That and "Twinkle Twinkle."