Happy 1st Birthday Max

 

Wowzers, has Max’s first year gone fast!  He’s not walking, or saying much really, but is busy climbing everywhere and following big brother around! He’s catching up with big brother in the weight department at 26 lbs and 11 oz, and standing at 31.25” tall.  Both are in the 95th percentiles, go figure.

We celebrated his birthday with a John Deere themed party, complete with a new John Deere Gator and tractor with trailer and umbrella!

All of Max’s cousins came to celebrate was well as neighbors and a friend from church.  Everyone got a JD cup, mini tractor to take home and a tractor cookie!

Max got all kinds of wonderful gifts, clothes, tractor bags and a few toys.  The highlights were the ride on Gator and of course the “real” pedal tractor from Grandmother and Papa!  Everybody had to have a turn driving it AND riding in the trailer.  Only one who could actually pedal it being so heavy was our 6 year old neighbor Evan.

Max really “dug” his cake.  It took him a while to get going, but then icing was everywhere.  Word to the wise, green icing doesn’t come out of ANYTHING.  We still have some in the carpet.  Thanks to Aunt Steph for bathing Max to clean him up after his dessert! 

Happy Birthday Sweet Max!

February–Emma, Haircuts, Snowsuit, Peek-a-Boo, and Boots

 

Favorite animal: Emma

The boys are crazy about Papa’s lab Emma.  Will would feed her 300 dog bones, if she’d eat them.  Both boys keep their distance for the most part, but ask about her ALL the time.  Luckily, Papa brings her when they come to visit.

This one almost hurt Mama.  Max’s sweet personality is equally matched with sweet little curls.  It was time for a his first haircut.  He did a great job sitting in the chair!

A little too short for Mama, but he is still adorable!

Not much snow this year, but Will loved to get decked out and bundled up with his favorite sock Monkey hat!

Peek-a-Boo, I see you!

Will loves to jump in the puddles when we are out and about.  Grandmother got him his very own FROG rain boots.  He was SO excited to open the box and try them on!

Happy Valentine’s Day!

January - Boys will be boys…I suppose!

 

Will is always surprising us with new words, ideas and general silliness!  What a goofball.

We’ve been blessed in Missouri with a mild winter, which means lots of outside time time, YEAH!  Max is active and crawling around everywhere and as you can see, eating everything.  Sand is extra tasty!

One Horse Open Sleigh

 

For some reason Will recalls the line “one horse open sleigh” from the song Jingle Bells!  It’s really adorable, where do they get this stuff!  Our Christmas time was absolutely wonderful this year, but it sure does go by too fast.  To catch up on stats for the boys:

Will: 2 yrs, 3 feet tall, 27 pounds

Loves anything construction and anything train related.  He’s talking up a storm, and very well I might add too.  Gotta watch what you say nowadays!  He climbs everything and is always testing the limits, like any 2 year old, throwing a tantrum in there every once in a while.  He’s crazy about Christmas, loves the lights and trees and just figuring out Santa. We started the Elf on the Shelf this year, and each morning he has a blast trying to find him, he’s always conveniently “up high”!

Max: 10 months, 30 inches tall, 24.5 pounds

That’s right, only 2.5 pounds lighter than Will.  Max is our little sweet pea!  He’s such a laid back kiddo.  Just goes with the flow, which works well since Will runs the show most of the time.  Max is crawling everywhere, just started out of nowhere really.  He’s pulling up to his knees, but we suspect it won’t be long till he’s trailing the furniture.  He loves any attention you give him, and such a smiley boy!  He’s going everywhere in his walker.  He’s finally sleeping through then night all the time now.  He’s just now starting to babble and say “mama” and “dada”, and he’s quite the little Daddy’s boy, which makes Dada beam with joy!

  

We journeyed to the Missouri Botanical Gardens for they’re annual Christmas Train exhibit.  Will loved it and it was beautiful as always!

Santa brought a train table this year and both boys LOVE it!  Will is usually on top of it pulling all the trains around.  Max loves to steal Will trains…little brothers!

We had a wonderful Christmas.  We really enjoyed being home on Christmas morning.  The boys played and played, both took morning naps and still had more to open after that!  Mama’s family was there to celebrate too.  We loved having a house full.  Dada was off the entire week between the holidays.  We went to the zoo, had friends come to town, went shopping, had lunch, and played A LOT!  Countdown is on to next Christmas!

Will’s 2nd Birthday–Construction Party

 

Wow!  2 years have gone by so fast.  Our little Will is growing up!  He’s into dump trucks, traffic cones and just about anything else construction.  He truly enjoyed his party and it was a beautiful December day, and all the kiddos got to play outside!  We so enjoyed having everyone join us for the party, and he got so many wonderful gifts, which he’ll enjoy every one of them.

What a curious little fellow!  Checking out all of the goodies before the party started, even took a bite out of a chocolate donut (a.k.a. spare tires).

Dada and Will greeted his guests outside.

Will definitely knows he is “2”.  But holds up one finger on each hand to show you.  One day he’ll get it right, but for now it’s just too cute!

He almost didn’t know what to do with everyone singing to him!  We’ll call it a successful party that he didn’t stick his fingers in the cake before we cut into it!

His favorite gift from the party was this little back hoe ride on toy.  He calls it his “digger”.  Cousin Courtney picked out a great one!

Grandmother and Papa sprang for a new bike!  He loves it, he even got the helmet to boot.

‘Nough said!

Max even enjoyed some cake too!  Though some did end up on the wall…thanks Papa!

Happy Halloween

 

Will’s FAVORITE thing is safety cones right now.  He can spot them a mile away.  He always wants to stop and touch them too!  We’ve got several at home to play with.  So for Halloween this year, I though it would be a great idea for him to BE a cone.  My mom and I spent several hours making the cutest little cone (without a pattern) and I was so excited about it.

Well that TOTALLY backfired.

Will absolutely protested!  He liked to look at it, but wouldn’t DARE let me put it on him.  So…after trying to “convince” him for a couple of weeks, I caved and let him be the little construction worker.  So little brother Max already has a hand-me-down costume.  Max was the construction workers little tag along safety cone. 

We had a great night at church playing games and collecting candy, stopping for a hot dog and nachos, then hit a few homes in our neighborhood.  Will did such a good job trick-or-treating.  He knocked on the doors, said thank you and was good about collecting without having to sample/eat each candy treat. 

Our Latest Adventures

Aren’t they the cutest you’ve ever seen!  Max is 6 months in this pic, Will is 21 months.  They are a hoot!

Max was the star of the show for this photo shoot!  He’s such a happy little guy.  Always smiling, patient and LOVES to watch his big brother play.  I’m sure he’s dreaming of the day when he can play with him.

I love this family pic!  We are so blessed with these kiddos…they are the light of our lives!

Max is a BIG little brother.  Only 5 lbs shy of Will, and already busting into the 18 month clothes!

Doesn’t that smile just melt your heart!  I can’t get over it!