The McNulty Family!!!: Hot Town Summer in the City

Man has it been SO hot!!! But it hasn't slowed us down - it has however kept Max's mom from taking him to get a hair trim. It's just too hot to do anything more than what is ABSOLUTELY necessary. Monday of this week we learned Max is going to have a baby sister in January. He has some definite opinions about her name btwn the choices we've given him. It's pretty cute. We think we've picked a name but Max, of course, likes the 2nd option.

Max returns to MDO on the Tuesday after Labor Day. We are BOTH ready for a regular routine again. However, it means preparing him for the routine of a classroom again. This summer has really been great but we've gotten into some bad habits - mainly with bed times. Max is SO sweet after his bath and I LOVE cuddling with him. It's so wonderful that I let him fall asleep with me at times. On the nights he does go to his own bed, he's been waking around 3 or 4 and will run and climb into our bed - and we haven't been correcting him. (I'm just too tired!!). Despite our sliding on bedtime, Max has ALWAYS been a WONDERFUL napper. It's basically always been as simple as saying, "Let's go take a nap." He will promptly walk with me to his bed and go to sleep. It's great!! Well, this week has been AWFUL!!!! Starting Monday, when it is nap time he SCREAMS and is just really inconsolable. I end up having to just shut the door and leave him in his room. Within about 5 minutes he stops crying and goes to sleep - but it is just a HUGE (terrible) production. Bedtime isn't much better. We've reverted back to rocking - but, hey, whatever works with the least amount of trauma to Max (who am I kidding - to his parents!!) ;) It's made me SO nervous for how he will behave for nap time when returning to school. So this Saturday, he stayed with Sugah. I was so worried for them all, but of course, he behaved for Sugah. It makes me feel a little better about school. Surely he will do as well as he did last year for his school nap time - peer pressure for toddlers is GREAT. Say a prayer he keeps it up for us!!

In addition to getting back into a sleep routine, we've been talking about potty training more and more every day. He cannot move up to his next class (next year) unless he is potty trained (and I would LOVE to only have one in diapers, but I'm not holding my breath)!

While Max may not be ready to potty train, he is sure George is ready!

He even helped George wash his hands

Sleep habits and potty training aren't the only things we have been doing to prepare for school. In addition to Max's new sleep "issues" he has developed quite the attitude. This week also began LOTS of defiance - unfortunately, for Max (and his parents), it has resulted in lots of punishments and redirection. His MDO requested that we introduce Max to "Obey the Rules/teachers" and "Use Your Words." We haven't had a problem implementing them into our daily lives - use your words isn't really a new concept but obey the rules is new this summer. I'm sure it is shocking to hear, but we have LOTS of opportunities to remind Max to obey the rules. It's really cute when he repeats it.

But we've been having LOTS of fun mixed in with ALL of our learning. Max LOVES music. There is a certain Sugarland song that he LOVES. He always screams, "Clap, Momma, Clap!" And he claps and sings along. It's SOOOO cute.

Here's Max singing and clapping along with Sugarland

Max has really been such an easy baby (that combined with my never-ending sickness with this pregnancy makes me VERY nervous about our little girl). He was VERY laid back and just did things at his own speed. He was never in much of a rush to crawl, walk, etc. It seemed he only met his next developmental goal when it became necessary for him to be able to do something. Well, now he doesn't do ANYTHING at half-speed. It's ALWAYS full speed ahead. Little boys who do EVERYTHING at full speed, also fall at full speed. The poor guy gets bruises on his legs all the time. It just hurts my feelings so much when I see a new bruise. He's quite the daredevil too. He loves jumping and free-falling. It's crazy. Max's full speed ahead landed us in the er after he hit his head on the corner of a dresser drawer. It really wasn't to bad - it's only a half-inch long, but we wanted to be safe rather than sorry.

Here he is with is warrior bandage - the nurse used a wrap b/c she thought his curls were so precious she didn't want bandaid tape pulling on them

Max's minor boo-boos certainly don't slow him down. He just keeps going! Here are some pictures hanging out with his dad on the lake at our house.

Just look at that face - you'd think he didn't like riding in the canoe

See he does like it!

We went to Pine Bluff one day this month to visit the train station. WHEW - it was HOT!!!!!

Here is the train Max preferred! (it moved!)

Because it was SO hot at the train museum, we headed over to the Huckabee Nature Center to seek refuge in the A/C. We had SO much fun!!! We will definitely head back to enjoy the outside fun once the weather cools off a bit - so it may be November before we go back!

Max and Hunter "riding" the crop duster

Today is Kelly's birthday!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY KELLY!!! Kelly is such a WONDERFUL dad (and husband) and we love him SO much!! Of course, that means it's also Shawn's birthday!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY SHAWN!!! Kelly and Shawn share their special day with the precious little Augusta Grace! HAPPY BIRTHDAY AG!! We spent our afternoon celebrating the birthdays at Playtime Pizza for AG's birthday party. She looked SOOOO sweet in her birthday outfit. It was a pink tu-tu with a pick shirt with a 2. Here are some party pics.

Max sitting with his Aunt Shannon to have close view of the presents! AG was a professional present opener!!

Max and AG trying out the new table and chairs from Sugah - they are intended for dolls but Max and AG thought they were great a place to eat their cake and ice cream!