Spring Break, part 1

Busy season is over! This was the longest one yet. Tyler got some much-deserved time off and we tried to make the most of it. He and I sat down and made a big list of things we wanted to get done, fun and otherwise. But mostly we just wanted to be together! So really it didn't matter what we did.

Wednesday: Tyler was meeting some friends from work to play basketball, so the kids and I went to Monka's house so she could help me with my Easter dress. Tyler had fun playing basketball - they played at a cool outdoor park downtown-ish. Sewing was a bit of a disaster, in part because trying to do those things with children around is just silly, and in part because I chose beautiful but directional fabric that made cutting the skirt out a bit difficult. Thank goodness Mom was around - she found another pattern she had and we cut that out to use with the top of the dress pattern I bought. So funny. We actually ended up not sewing one seam, but oh well. We had a lazy afternoon. In the evening Max got his first haircut! Too many pictures of this, so they'll come in a separate post.

Thursday: jam-packed day. Tyler had an appt with an ENT to drain his ears, so we came and played in the waiting room. I got to "watch" HGTV while the kids played/entertained everyone else in the waiting room.

We came home for lunch and to play for a bit. I took a nap on the couch while Max was asleep, which was so nice! Tyler and Millie had a "glass tea party."

Once we all woke up we headed out to Sarah's school! She had her senior recital. Thanks to some crazy Houston traffic, we only got there in time for her last song. But it was a pretty great song! Sarah is so talented. The other girl who sang was good too.

After Sarah's recital we hurried back to the traffic to head to Top Golf! Tyler's team had an end-of-audit party. I'd never been to Top Golf before - it's a really fun place. The food was delicious! Millie loved golfing and Max loved walking around and getting in the way of all the servers. I think next time we'll leave the kids at home. But it was great to visit with Tyler's "other family." He has had a great team this year.

I'm sure Top Golf really appreciated the golf bag holder being used as a diaper bag holder/jungle gym.

"Mom, can we go yet?"

Friday: Got some shopping done at the outlet mall. I got a new diaper bag and a new church bag, both of which were desperately needed! Even these normal things are just so much more fun when we're all together. Also when there's another person to help with the kids.

Tyler found some new sunglasses and looks pretty darn good in them!

Max loves to tackle/slap you when you're lying on the ground. He must think it's an invitation to wrestle.

We saw a bunny in our backyard! We're pretty sure it was a friend of the Easter Bunny's, just making sure we were still being good. Or something - I make this stuff up as I go.

Max's 1st Birthday!

Our Max boy is 1! I can't even handle it.

Millie was very involved in and excited about Max's birthday and preparations. 

Here is his birthday, in pictures:

Early morning snuggles after my run. He is such a sweet boy!

If you're looking for Max, this is usually where you can find him.

Welcoming Daddy home from work. Max was, you guessed it, clinging to me.

He spent his bath trying to get out. Dude does not like baths these days.

We had a little family party for him on Sunday!

The nice thing about Max being only 1 is that you can shop for him right in front of him!

Millie insisted on decorating the cupcakes all by herself. She did a great job!

We had Tyler's family over for dinner - spaghetti and meatballs, with cupcakes for dessert. I'm not one for pretty parties but luckily that doesn't detract from the amount of fun you can have! We loved celebrating our boy with some of the people we love most.

We mostly got video instead of pictures, but Max was pretty funny with his cupcake. He wouldn't blow the candle out, but instead blew on his cupcake once I took the candle away! Then he was licking the frosting without touching the cupcake. He eventually warmed up to the idea and pretty much manhandled it from then on. I think he ended up eating two cupcakes.

Millie couldn't stop laughing - "His face is covered in frosting! It's blue! I can't believe it!"

So thankful for our family.

Millie was more than happy to open Max's presents for him!

These pictures make me re-think the mirror over the mantle!

 Some things about Max at 1 year:

- Stats: 25 lb 10 oz (95%), 31" tall (88%), 19.13" Head (97%). He is still just big!

- He loves to eat. I guess that goes without saying - you don't get to be his size without a love for food! There's not much he won't eat, but he likes variety and sometimes won't eat something if he's had it recently. Max is a very vocal eater too - saying "MMM" as he eats. Sure makes this mama feel good.

- He is getting to be an awesome walker! I just love watching him toddle around. He really started to walk at 11 months.

- Max is very into lights and fans. He spends a lot of time looking up, pointing at whatever is above him and saying, "Whoa." He was really going nuts at HEB one day, where they have huge 10 ft. ceiling fans.

- He loves balls! We think he is very athletically-inclined, which is so fun for Tyler. I can play catch with him with a balloon and he can catch it a lot of the time. He has a good arm, though we can't tell if he's right or left handed yet. He switches it up pretty frequently. Max loved his basketball hoop birthday present and dunks it by himself all the time!

- Max is such a snuggle bug. He is also pretty shy. When encountering someone new or a big group of people, he clings to me like a koala! Sometimes I think if he could burrow a hole in me and climb back into the womb, he would. It seems like he tries.

- He is easily frightened by loud noises or unfamiliar things. The other day we were at my mom's and she went to the garage to find some toys. She tossed a soccer ball in the house, but to Max it came inside on its own and was probably alive. He screamed and ran to me as fast as his little legs would carry him!

- Max loves his sister so much. No one can make him laugh like Millie can!

Happy birthday Max! We sure love you!

Swim-ish day

Heidi and James invited us to join them for a swim day on Saturday March 28! Tyler had to work but the kids and I were excited. Gigi and Poppy were nice enough to let us play at their house even though they were out of town. The weather was beautiful!

The water was FREEZING!

But there was one little girl we could not keep out of the water.

She got in over and over again, shrieking at the cold. Crazy girl.

What a great day! We can't wait for more swimming fun.

Little things

The little Ikea kid dishes all lined up make me happy for some reason.

We rode with the window down - Max's hair was flapping in the wind and Millie was laughing so hard! Everyday stuff can be so fun with these two.

You can't tell from the picture, but Max is also screaming here. Just keepin' it real.

Our YW activity was spreading mulch at the church. NO ONE brought tools or gloves. I gave mine away and used my hands! Lovely.

This is a severely unflattering picture of me, but the kids and I went to see the play of one of our YW. Polly was there with her daughter Paisley, which is why Millie isn't in the picture. She and Paisley were running around crazy after sitting so quietly. It was a fun night!

I love watching her paint/draw/color.

Millie-isms

Just found this in my drafts, written in November. Whoops!

- "Mom, I want some white yogurt." Me:"Anything else you want to say?" (looking for a please) Millie:"And some cheese crackers too."

- Me: "Millie, what should we have for dinner?" Millie: "How about some pumpkin chocolate chip pie?" Hilarious because this is not a pie I have ever made... not sure where she came up with that!

-"Daddy, I just want to be with you always!"

-"Mom, where's Best Buy?" and a few minutes later, "Mom, can I have some money?"

-She calls the fire alarm the "farm alarm" and asks frequently if it's going to go off again. It went off the other day when some pie filling dripped out of the pan and into the oven and it got smokey in the kitchen. She is one skittish little girl these days.

Picnic at the park

We took advantage of some beautiful weather and went up to the park near Monka and Ampa's house for lunch. Daddy, Ampa, and Uncle Tim joined us from work and we had a great time!

One of my favorite pictures ever!

Hugs before heading back to work.

After the picnic we said goodbye to the boys and Mom and I went with the kids to High Fashion Fabrics. We found some cute fabric for Easter dresses/skirts. The kids were... well, we won't talk about it. It felt a little like how I imagine going to Mood would feel. Fun!