We love having a backyard!

I am trying to catch up - I promise.  I am going to try to give a big push to blogging over the next few weeks.  These pics are from April 11 - April 17, 2013

Max loves to wear my headbands.  I don't discourage it at home because I know he thinks it's cool.

Landen feeding Max yogurt at Brittany's

I had a business trip to Northern California (Modesto area).  It was so nice to be back in Nor Cal.  The hills were beautiful and green, there were wild flowers on the sides of the road.  Even the air smelled better.  sigh.  I miss it.

There was a WinCo right behind the hotel, I of course made a visit.  This is where we shopped a lot.  Love their prices.

We also had eucalyptus trees behind the hotel.  I broken off a small branch and enjoyed the smell.  Even though it's been a few years since we have lived it, I felt like I was "home" when I was there.  I have always said that Northern California is where my spirit it at home and meant to be.  I felt it as soon as we moved there.  I need to get out there for vacation with my family!!

When I got back we got serious about finally finding a couch.  We are both so tired of furniture shopping.  We found this baby (that I passed over the last time) and decided this was it.  I am excited to have something in our front room!

One of the best things about having a house is having a backyard.  It is so nice to be able to just step outside the backdoor and being able to play in the yard!!!

We enjoyed the beautiful weekend weather with Max, outside.  Max ate his lunch out on the patio.

Filling up the pool.

Putting his wet hat back on his head.

Max enjoyed pouring water on Momma (and trying to pour it on Daddy)

Love the belly. 

Video - Max is really good at his puzzles!

Britt took the boys to feed the ducks.  I think he ate more than the ducks did.

There is nothing sweeter than a sleeping baby.  Isn't he angelic?

...and this is his other side.  Pouting and coming to hit me because he's upset at something.

But luckily we get back to this which makes me forget the other side.

Update on Max:

• He is counting to 10 now
• He is really good at the color yellow.  He knows the names of other colors but can't correctly identify them.
• At night when I change his diaper and put on his PJs, he wants me to put all of the oils on his chest and feet...every night.  (and continues to pull them out and ask for them if I try and skip a few of them.)So every night he goes to bed with lavender, lemon, eucalyptus, breathe, and serenity plus some vitamin E oil on his big toenails that have a tendency to split.
• I am still not sure if he's left or right handed, he uses both.

Bunco!

The ladies of our neighborhood play Bunco together once a month.  It travels around the neighborhood with different ladies hosting that month.  It's been a good way to get to know some people and it's a fun/easy game to play too.

My neighbor Mary Ann hosted April's Bunco at her house and I co-hosted.  We shopped together the night before for some prizes and food.  We decided to do a spring theme.  She went ALL out.  The woman knows how to throw a party!  (She is an amazing host and always so generous.  They are frequently inviting us over.)

I love having her as a neighbor for many reasons but mostly she is a great friend.

The food spread (the hot stuff isn't even out yet!)

The drinks

Welcome table (We still use name tags.  It seems like 10 new families move in each month!)

Mary Ann's cute decorating

Lots of tables set up.  We had 25 people RSVP and around 18 showed up.

Some of the prizes - we went for actual prizes rather than money.

Love the pink flamingo "most losses" prize?

She even had nuts to snack on at each table

Whew - all ready for the party to begin.  Cheers!

It was a really fun night.  

Beginning of April

April is here!  I love springtime in Dallas.  Things are getting busy at work.  I am missing lunches with Max at Brittany's due to meetings.  That makes me really sad.  I am grateful though that I was able to do it for this long. It sure made my days go by faster, me miss Max a little less, and feel a little less guilty for choosing to work (even though I know that it's the right choice for me and my family, it's still hard to leave Max).

Sorry, Max.  You're too little for that big bike!

Happy kid that doesn't stay still for long.  Most pictures I take of Max are blurry.  I have to take like 10 before I get one that works.

This is his "blankie" for Brittany's

Faster than a speeding bullet...

Movie - Max and Landen love running across the room from the TV stand to the couch.  This is a common game.  They tend to be territorial and fight over who stands where.  I think it's really cute how in the video, Landen mimics Maxwell and stands with his hands behind his back.

Good morning cuddles with Daddy!

Notice the wound on his head?  Yeah, wounds happen more frequently now.  He is becoming more daring which means he sometimes gets hurt despite my best efforts.

Movie - I enjoy getting out and enjoying the weather by going on walks.  We brought Max's scooter on the walk along with the stroller because we figured he wouldn't last the entire walk on the scooter.  It takes work to ride his bike like this!  I think it's pretty cute how he pulls the handlebar right up to his belly.

Movie - We had to stop our walk to enjoy the puddles.  Max loves to splash.

I found this cross stitch when I was going through some boxes.  This was made for me by my favorite AUSTRIAN nanny, Monika.  I believe it was sometime around 1989?  Anyway, I still have it.  She made one for each of us kids.  I love that I have been able to reconnect with her through Facebook.  I was able to visit her in Germany when Kimberly was stationed there.  I really would like to take Max and Peter over there to meet her.

Wanting to climb on the table

Momma and Max!

Don't you just love that look of pure joy on his face? (or the double chins - which is what Peter noticed)

Pretty Cool Cousins

He's enjoying playing with cars

Here is an update on Max as of April 3rd -

• He is more cuddly and affectionate now than he has been in the past.  When you hold him, he will put his head on your shoulder.  When he gets a sippy cup with milk in it, he wants you to pick him up and hold him in your arms, laying down, like a baby. He will come up and hug your leg.  He will walk with me and hold one or two of my hands sometimes. If either Peter or I are sitting on the floor, he will come up to us and either sit in our lap, lay next to us, or if we are laying on our stomachs he will sit right under our face so he can be close.
• He gives kisses and cheek smooshes.
• Whoever is reading to him at night will be the one he will cuddle with.
• He is starting to say "love you".
• He gives hugs to Landen and Hayden, it's super sweet.
• He is really good at his Melissa and Doug vehicle and animal puzzles.
• He is always up to watch a movie or TV and asks frequently (we don't give in frequently). His favorite movie is Tangled.
• He enjoys playing with his blocks, reading books, and being outside.
• We have started giving him his liquid vitamins in his morning milk because his teeth were starting to get a grayish tint.  That can come from either the antibiotics he was on for his ear infection or from vitamins that have iron (which he takes).  So we followed his pediatrician's advice and diluted it in his milk.  We also rubbed his teeth with a baking soda and water paste a few times.  It worked awesomely but it was nasty so we had to hold him down and force him to let us do it.  :(  I was glad that the gray teeth weren't permanent!

Another update as of April 8th - 

• He has been FEISTY over the past week.  I don't know what is going on with him!  He has scratched my arm and my neck.  He has hit and pinched me.  He BIT me today!  Each time I have told him that it's not okay and made him tell me he's sorry, which he does.  I think we are going to have to figure out either "time outs" or how we want to discipline.

Easter 2013

Happy Easter!

Easter breakfast

Max got a variety of things in his eggs - Pretzels, Swedish Fish jelly eggs, marshmallow bunnies

Max's Easter basket

The eggs were hidden during Max's morning nap

When he woke up, Max went on his egg hunt.  For the first few he stopped to open them up and see (eat) what was inside

Notice the opened eggs and candy strewn about?  They never made it to the basket.

Once we got him to carry the basket he did a better job of putting the eggs in the it.

Movie - Max got the hang of it.

That's a lot of eggs!

Nap time - we got him to sleep in his crib in his room!!!!!! (Bum in the air, head in the corner)

I made another batch of the robin's nests and Easter baskets. 

We gave this plate to our next door neighbors.  They were so sweet and brought Max an Easter basket filled with things appropriate for him.  We are so blessed to have such kind and great neighbors.

Movie - Max "riding" his bike

Family dinner

Ham with a brown sugar/mustard glaze, deviled eggs, rolls, asparagus, and funeral potatoes (which were a FAIL!  grrrr...they sounded so good)

Max LOVED the ham!

Family pic - Joe, Hayden, Landen, and Britt

Family pic

Daddy kisses

Hey dad - don't kiss me!

Happy family.  It is awesome to be a family!

We found a visitor in our yard - - A BUNNY!!!!

This is the first bunny we've seen in our yard.  I thought it must be a good lucky sign that we saw the bunny on Easter.

Bunny hanging out by the grill

Hayden tried to touch him and he ran off