Puppy Love

Last night we went over to Trish's and played with the many puppies she has over there right now (hers, Chaco, and a few friends' she is dog-sitting). It reminded me that I hadn't posted the pictures of Max and Winston, Mimi & Pop's dog (Clint's Stepmom &Dad). Max loves Winston & his kisses, but it appeared that Winston really only loved the attention that Max was getting from everyone else! Here are a few more:

Fall Update

I have really missed blogging in my busy-ness, and I find myself remembering things I forgot to put in my last post while I'm supposed to be doing other things. Like working. Max is doing so much these days, and seems to be developing new interests and skills at a lightening-fast pace.

He is still working on the crawling, but is able to combination commando-crawl and lunge just about anywhere he wants to get to. In addition, he is now pulling up into a kneeling position and, once in a blue moon, into a standing position. After getting into his shelf of supplies (read: diaper cream, Tylenol, nail clippers, clothes etc.) AND pitching himself onto the floor, he has now officially graduated to a crib. He loves to use these skills in combination to climb all over Clint and I, whenever possible! He especially loves to climb all over Clint while he's trying so sleep.

And Max is now sitting up! Max can hold himself up to play, and even push himself into a sitting position every now and again. This makes shopping much more exciting, as he now loves to ride in the shopping cart and see all he sights, instead of being cooped up in his carseat. He is so proud of himself and excited when he gets to ride in the cart! His adorable & huge grin of pride sweeps across his face, and I can't help but laugh.

Max is mischievous and curious. He loves to examine faces, hair, and hands. He will grab one of my hands by two fingers (one in each of his own hands), and examine it thoroughly. Then he will hold up his own hand and compare the two. As I mentioned before with his shelf, he is getting into anything & everything he can. He loves my cell phone and watches, after Uncle Ray (Clint's Uncle) showed him his watch with a lighting face. He is always looking at my watch, examining the face intently.

And, of course, everything goes in the mouth, because he is teething. And boy, is it making him cranky. But those teeth will be worth it as we slowly work our way towards chewing foods. Max is now eating oat cereal, yams, bananas, and peas. He seems to have liked everything so far, though it took a while to get used to the texture of the smooshed bananas. Frankly, I can't blame him. I'm not much of a banana fan, myself.

But the best thing Max is doing right now? Kisses. As long as you don't mind slobbery, snotty, open-mouthed kisses, that is. And babbling. He has several consonant-vowel combos down now, including ba-ba, um-ma, and others, along with lots of spitting & razzing. But the most common is still 'mamama.' I'm not complaining. :)

PS-Happy Birthday, Daddy!!! Clint is 24 today.

Phone Improvements

While standing in line with Grandma (Alex's mom) at Home Depot, I called Clint and Max took interest in my cell phone (which he has been doing quite a bit recently). So, I handed it to him. And then the checkout girl got this half-amused, half-horrified look on her face:

"Is he teething on your phone?"

"Yep, it looks like it."
Without batting an eye.

But then, I saw that coming. Oh, how my life has changed.

Kicking & Screaming

I just listened to Max scream for an hour. He was crying so hard that his voice was cracking and I can still hear his sobs subsiding from the other room as his diaphragm regulates his breathing. What, you might ask, was he so upset about that he would spend an hour screaming bloody murder? What could possibly be worth leading the neighbors to think that, indeed, we might be child abusers? Nap time. NAP TIME. I want to return to an age where a nap was the worst possible thing someone could do to me (instead of the best words in the English language)...

Good to be Home

Chicago was a blast. Really, a very cool city with some amazing food. But, I must say, it's really good to be home. And in a new home, at that. It's messy and full of boxes and other randomness right now (and not looking like it will anytime soon be less so), but it has so much potential, and it is ours.

And then, of course, there is Max. My sweet boy seemed so much different when I came home last night. Bigger with rounder cheeks. And oh, what he is doing now...My baby boy is getting so very big & strong & smart. He and his dad had such a great time without me that I was a little worried my little one might have forgotten me-until I got The Grin. You guys know the one. It makes my heart melt.

Max is almost crawling. He can get about one knee/arm combo before he lunges and goes back to his commando crawling, which he has got down. He is all over the place. Clint bought one of those semi-permanent fence/pens to put in his room so that we can get some things done around here without having to worry about what he has gotten himself into under our very noses.

And last night he pulled himself up in his cradle! Clint and I were lying on the bed, heads toward his cradle, talking about my trip, when Clint looked over and said "look at him!' And there was Max, holding on to the rails of his cradle, standing with the Biggest Grin You Ever Did See on his face. So very proud of himself. He couldn't figure out how to do it a second time which, to be perfectly honest, is just fine with me. Slow down!

And he talks and babbles more and more. Some of my favorite times are when he randomly starts 'talking' to me or even to himself in the car. This evening he was saying 'mmammammammammammamma' with very exagerated mouth motions (emphasis on the mmm...imagine trying to eat your lower lip) and food in his mouth, and I just couldn't help but crack up every time he started back up. He didn't want to stop. It was a riot. And he has really started figuring out that his tongue will move in different ways. He seems to always have it hanging out of his mouth or rolling around in his lips. In addition to putting everything in his mouth, he has decided that he likes to lick. Especially faces. And noses? Oh, noses are the best.

Then there is his little personality. He is still such a happy boy, but becoming more aware of what he likes & doesn't like. Such as toys he wants to play with and that you should not ever, under any circumstance even think of taking away. He knows when you think it. Or, of course, the ever-dreaded bed time. Why sleep when you could be playing? Even when you are so tired that can no longer hold your little body up and so cranky even the toys can't amuse you anymore... And dogs. We heart dogs. Any kind, big or small. As longs as they have fur and tongues and will run around and be excitable.

There is so much more that lack of sleep will not let me remember. So, instead, I will leave you with a picture or two from our trip to see family a few weeks ago.

Really? It's October?

I can't beleive it's October!?! This year is just flying by (and I hear it only gets worse as you get older...). I haven't posted much recently because we have been so busy with the house and working. Last weekend we made a long-overdue trip to see Clint's family in the Houston area.  We had a great time and managed to only take about 200 pictures.  I will post some of those, along with a lengthy update about Max, probably after I get back from Chicago on the 17th.  I have so much I want to share about my almost-6th-Month-Old, it's really hard not to do it Right This Instant, but if I don't start packing the house, we will never get moved and that will be a really bad (and expensive) thing.  Until then I will leave you to contemplate the fact that there are only 81 shopping days left until Christmas...