Dear Max,
We have had a very busy month! The big event of the month was, of course, Jake’s birthday! After your 2nd birthday party you really started to get the idea that birthday parties are fun. You know that when you have a birthday that you get cake, play fun games, and you get new toys. You have been really excited for Jake’s birthday and you could not wait to see what new toys he got. The Friday after Jake’s actual birthday Dada took the day off and we had a fun day with you boys. We went to an indoor play park, the Rain Forest Cafe, and then the Build-A-Bear Workshop. It was a fun filled day and the four of us had a blast!
The next weekend Uncle Ty, Aunt Bethany, Emery, Kade and Aunt Joy came for Jake’s birthday party and spent the weekend. You hadn’t seen Emery since Labor Day, but the two of you just giggled at each other then and I knew y’all would have a great time playing together. On Friday me, Ty and Bethany took you four kids to the zoo. You and Emery had a blast watching all the animals and you both loved riding the train. Although I was expecting Jake to sleep, he didn’t, but he really had fun too. Kade slept almost the entire time, but I’m pretty sure he had a good time, haha.
On Saturday morning we got an appointment to get pictures taken. We wanted to get a group shot of all of us together and then several different ones of you kids. When we got there it was a little busy, but they had some blocks that you kids played with until it was our turn. We did end up getting a few good shots of all of us together, but poor Emery got a little scared during the process so we had a hard time getting her to smile. We did end up getting one shot of you four kids together. We got the best one, and that isn’t saying much. It was quite the circus. I also got one of you and Jake together and then we took some individual shots of all of you kids too. I must say that you are one of the most photogenic people I know. Anytime I have gone to take your picture I always have such a hard time deciding on the ones I want because they all end up being so good. I just love pictures and I know that I will never regret getting too many pictures.
Saturday afternoon was Jake’s birthday party at the park. Unfortunately the wind was blowing like 25 miles an hour and ended up ruining the party. Jake’s adorable smash cake got blown off the table. I frantically called the cake place and begged them to make me another one so Jake would have his own cake to make a big mess. I thought the Paul Frank monkey theme was so cute and the big cake was adorable. You enjoyed your piece of cake and your party favor bag. Everyone really loved the sunglasses and we got some good pictures of you kids wearing them. You helped me and Jake open his presents quickly before they got blown away. You were very excited to see what he got and I had to keep telling you that we couldn’t open the toys and play with them until we got home. We all walked over to the pond and attempted to feed the ducks, but they didn’t seem too hungry. You and Jake always end up eating the bread whenever we feed the ducks, so it was still fun.
A couple of weeks ago you and Jake got sick, again. One morning you woke up with a fever and I could tell you didn’t feel well. You and Jake both had a snotty nose. Your fever only lasted a day or so, but Jake had one for 3 days in a row and he was acting very clingy. Unfortunately, you were both sick during our meeting with Barney Owens. I stayed home with Jake and you and Dada went to the meeting Friday night. It was funny because Dada told you that we were having a meeting and that Barney would be preaching. Your first response was, “Not Ronny Wade?” You were very intrigued with Barney and you wanted to shake his hand and you wanted to talk to him. Since I was home taking care of Jake I didn’t get a picture of you and Barney together, thankfully Michelle got one though. You really took a liking to him and I think he thought you were pretty cute too.
Now that the weather is finally warming up and you and Jake are both over your cold we have been able to go outside more. On the days I have to teach Nona usually takes you and Jake for a walk and you both love it. Nona told you that you could go for a walk when Jake woke up from his morning nap, so you just burst into his room and woke him up. I don’t think he was too thrilled about it. We also got to have a play date with Oliver Carr this week. He just moved into a house that is only a few miles away from us so I know you three will get to play together more now. We went over to his house and ate lunch and you boys had fun playing in his room and making a mess. It seems that Oliver loves balls as much and you and Jake and you three had fun getting every single one of them out. You also share a love for Sesame Street and Elmo, you enjoyed playing with is Elmo microwave toy. Oliver’s mama, Emily, got a great picture of you boys together. It’s so great that many of my friends have kids around you and Jake’s age.
As I mentioned last month, potty training is going great. The only new development is that you have started to pull your diaper off in the morning. I’m not happy about this at all. I have had to change your sheets 3 times in the past week and half because you have pooped in your diaper in the morning and then pulled on it and made a mess. We have had to put you in footed pajamas so that you can’t mess with your diaper, we have also had to start threatening you. I told you that if you put your hand in your diaper or pull on it that you were going to get a spanking and that we wouldn’t let you watch one of your shows. After we run out of diapers I guess I am just going to have to put you in a pull-up at night. When I took Jake to the doctor for his 1 year appointment I asked the doctor about you potty training and the issue with you pooping in the morning before getting out of bed. He assured me that this problem should resolve itself and told me not to worry about it or try to get you out of bed early with the hope that you will go in the potty. I will say that in the past few weeks we have had a few days where you didn’t poop in the morning but ended up going later in the day, and you did tell us you needed to go and went in the potty with no problems. I’m still just ecstatic that this whole process has gone so smoothly and that you have pretty much done it on your own.
Up until now you haven’t really watched a movie. We have a few Disney movies but you haven’t really had the desire to sit and watch one all the way through. When you had the flu in the fall we let you watch “Finding Nemo” but you still never really watched it all the way through. When Emery was here she wanted to watch “Cars”. We have this movie, but you’ve never seen the whole thing before, just parts of it. Ever since you saw it with Emery you have wanted to watch it. You have also really gotten into the different characters, too. Aunt Joy bought you 3 of the cars that you pull back and then they go on their own. She got you Lightening McQueen, Tow Mater, and Ramon. You love them and you like to get all your cars out and line them up. Uncle Ty and Aunt Bethany got you the Hudson Hornet and it makes noise and goes if you shake it. You are starting to play with your cars more and you and Jake love to just push them around. You are still a master at puzzles, and you love your big legos and blocks too. Books are your favorite and you still love going to the library and getting new ones. You are starting to really enjoy Bible stories and we have several different books that we read them from. I also found these cool books at Sams that have magnetic pages and magnets that go with them. One of them has words spelled at the top and you have to find the right letters that spell the word. I am so amazed at how well you know your letters and letter sounds, you are already laying the ground work for learning to read and I can’t wait for that!
I’m looking forward to school being out soon and really having a great summer with you boys and spending as much time outside as possible. I love you!
Love,
Mama
