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.