Five Fabulous Months

So, Max turned five months old yesterday. It's really hard to believe it has already been five months. He's probably about 20 lbs. and 28 inches. He wears mostly 12 month clothes but can still fit into some 6-9 and 9 months clothes. We started eating cereal twice a day now and next month we will start our vegetables. He's more interested in eating his foot than eating his cereal these days. (Pictures to come.) Max's favorite past time, next to sucking his thumb, might be eating his toes. He "talks" ALL the time. I LOVE it. He gets stronger every day. It won't be long until he can sit without any assistance. Bath time is LOTS of fun. He splashes and kicks while smiling his big gummy smile. He LOVES being tickled and just screams in delight. It's really cute when his dad lets Max know the tickles are coming. Max just gets SO excited in anticipation. Max REALLY likes getting kisses, especially on his neck (well the part you can get to due to his "layers") and has a great time grabbing Mommy's hair and glasses. He is still a GREAT sleeper. He usually goes to bed about 9:00 and sleeps till about 5 or 6. He eats and immediately goes back to sleep until about 8 or 9. He usually takes a really good morning and afternoon nap (some days he takes 30-45 min cat naps throughout the day). We are VERY blessed. He spent his birthday in the car driving home from OKC and was just a perfect little boy - well, except for a few minutes until we got him a bottle about Conway. I was nervous for no reason. He did really good in the car and great in the hotel. I think having Evelyn and Luke in the backseat really helped. We had a wonderful time and really enjoyed seeing our family in OKC. The McLemores (well, McLemores, Ashers, and Burresses) are great parents and have some beautiful babies! Eliza, Myranda and Lana are just full of personality and so sweet. Our trip was ENTIRELY too short. Carolyn, Evelyn, and Luke were great travel companions - I had a GREAT time being with them. I wish Uncle David lived closer - it is just a real treat visiting with him and his family. Jessica is super lucky. Besides having wonderful children, Dan is an EXCELLENT cook. He made us Bananas Foster for breakfast on Sunday. It was GREAT (I ate entirely TOO much)!! Raistlin and Kady are PERFECT little babies. They are both so good. I'm a TERRIBLE camera person because I forget to take pictures. I didn't take any pictures until Sunday, so I don't have any of the Burress family or of precious Eliza. (Dan and Kourtney didn't make it into my pics either but Carolyn has everyone on her camera.) I'm trying to upload pictures but can't for some reason. I'll try again later. Hope you all have MAXnificent week (MAXnificent is my new word - I can almost promise you will get tired of it)! Hugs!

Happy, Happy, Joy, Joy!!

Always SO Happy!!

He looks SO proud on Daddy's shoulder
My Sweet Baby's Laugh

Weekend with Ben

This weekend we went to Pine Bluff to help Linda with Ben while Linda did her reunion stuff. (It meant that we missed Teresa's shower for baby Caleb, but that's ok. It made us a little sad but we heard it was GREAT time - we can't wait to meet baby Caleb.) Ben is such a BIG boy! He is sooo smart and super cute. I LOVE his little curls. Kelly had curls as a little boy like Ben's so I hope Max gets them too. Ben knew his letters and even which letters certain words started with. He LOVES his books! We read a book, The Pokey Little Puppy. It was one of my FAVORITE books when I was a little girl. In fact, I don't think I'd seen it since I was a child. He has another really cute book called Mouse Paint. It is really a good book that can grow with your little one. Max liked it too. (Check out the pictures below of Ben reading it to Max and Sugah) It was so much fun reading to Ben. Linda is working on potty training Ben and it seems like he is already catching on. Just today (about 3 days into the training) he asked her twice, to go the bathroom. I think it shows just how smart he is and what a good Sugah he has in Linda. (Guess we know where we will send Max when it's his turn!!) There were, however, some missteps along the way (well when Pop, Uncle Kelly and Aunt Tabitha were left in charge), like when Ben tee-tee'ed in Pop's chair and then Kelly sat in it. Poor Kelly - we have so many laughs at his expense, like the diaper/poop incident at Snow Whites with Max this weekend - Good Times! Ben is also quite the little performer. He sang us some songs! It was the CUTEST, SWEETEST thing. His sweet little voice combined with his cute little hand motions were enough to melt anyone's heart. (My face hurt from smiling so big at him.) Pop was interested in the songs too. Pop said Ben was going to be a politician because of the way he moves his hands while talking - Watch out!! Last night, Kelly was suppose to keep Ben and Max while I went to a party for a high school friend. Well, it didn't quite work out which was for the best. So, Max went with me and his FAVORITE people, Clay and Melissa, kept him while I "partied" for about an hour and a half. It was really good that Max went with me because Max got to meet some of my oldest and dearest friends - Rob, Jay, Grant, Michael, Barrett and Brandon, just to name a few. I can't wait to get the pictures! Now we are off to OKC to see our family visiting from Japan! Wish us Luck and say a prayer - it's about a 5 hour drive. At least I'll have help. Carolyn, Barney, Evelyn and Luke are all going with us. Hope you all have a GREAT week!!

Ben reading to Sugah and Max

Max is VERY interested in Ben's book

Ben is such a BIG boy showing the book to Max

Sweet Cousins - now for Augusta Grace and Baby McNulty to join us!

Ben "performing" - he's holding Max's hand!

He's even letting Max get in on the Action (Ben's face in this one cracks me up)

Big Boys!!

Kelly and Max are just growing up so fast!! Last week, I had some drama with the computer and a brief - it was terrible and I spent LOTS of hours working to re-do all the work I had already completed. Needless to say, I was EXHAUSTED! Well, sweet Kelly came home from a LONG day at work and took Max so I could take a nap. Well, I napped until morning!! So, Kelly and Max were on their own. Kelly, who had never fed Max cereal or even mixed up the cereal, was the PERFECT dad and husband. He made cereal, fed Max, bathed Max, dressed him for bed, got a bottle ready, gave Max his bedtime bottle and put him to bed all without my help and without even asking me one question!! The next morning he woke me up and had drawn a bath for me!! I was so rejuvenated from my sleep and then pampered the next morning before work. What a wonderful guy!!
Just wanted to share what a wonderful dad and husband Kelly is to both of us!
Hopefully, Max and I are traveling to OKC to visit my relatives who are visiting the US from Japan. Say some prayers for us because Max has NEVER been in the car for that long of a stretch. I'm really nervous and am just praying I don't have to do it alone!! Also, we get to hang out with Max's big cousin, Ben, this weekend while Linda celebrates her reunion. We are REALLY excited. I hope we get some good photos for you all!
Say some prayers and take care!

Slowly but surely!

Well, Max has rolled over a few more times - he's slowly getting the hang of his new trick. I'll be honest, I don't think he is really interested in rolling over. He is quite happy laying in his bed watching his mobile. He squeals so loud at his little friends as they spin around. He rolled over from his tummy to his back for the first time last night. He was really happy to do that because he was finished having tummy time and wanted to see his mobile. His mean 'ole mom kept rolling him back to his stomach so as to encourage him to roll over again - he did not appreciate me doing that to him. I guess I just need to find some motivation for him. Today I watched him roll over from his back. He acted like it was no big deal and just easy as pie - until he got his leg caught in the slats of the bed. I'm not sure what to do about his legs. The doctor told us to get the bumpers out of his bed until he was stronger, so he wouldn't suffocate, but I kinda feel like he needs them for extra protection - I guess we will figure it out.

Yesterday, he started showing some sensitive tendencies. We were practicing all of our tricks in his bed and the top of his head barely grazed the slats on his bed. Well, it REALLY hurt his feelings because he started crying and would not stop unless I was cuddling him (It might have been my fault for over-reacting a little when it happened). If I tried to put him down, he just whined. For some reason, I thought it was so funny because there was NOTHING wrong with him. Nonetheless, I cuddled with him while I giggled. (You'll never get any complaints from me regarding snuggling with my baby!) He kinda did the same thing today while he played with a water bottle. He couldn't get the water bottle to do what he wanted so he started crying, well kinda. It was so funny and sad all at once. He got over it really fast. So, he might be a sensitive young man - isn't that what all the girls say they look for in a man? Ha!! Well here are just a few new pictures!

Having Fun in his Exersaucer

He played REALLY hard!

Rocky giving Kelly and Max some kisses!

Max is just now starting to show interest in Rocky!

Drama King!!

So, Kelly aka Mr. Drama King had a dirty diaper to change today. He opened the diaper and screamed, "Eww, gross - I can't do it!" He even ran into the bathroom and started fake gagging. (All I could think about were stories about Mr. McNulty! HA!) I told him too bad - he could handle it. Kelly held his breathe, tucked his head in his shirt and went to work. (I grabbed the camera and took some pictures while rolling on the floor laughing SO hard I had tears coming from my eyes - in fact, I keep giggling as I type this!) The pictures are not near as funny as the real thing!

Breath held, Head Down and Ready to Work

Mr. Mom!!

We made it through!!

I just love my husband! He sure provides us with LOTS of laughs!
Below are some cute pictures from more cereal time and Max "feeding himself!" (I don't think it is a coincidence that Max is so healthy and that we have so many pictures from meal time!)

Love my Cereal!

Trying to feed myself

It's a hard job

I don't have video or pictures but Max rolled over again today. I don't really know if it counts because he was on the daybed and there was a slight lean, so it was really easy for him to roll over. However, he did go through ALL the motions and get himself on his belly, which made his mother proud nonetheless!

Growing Baby Boy - 4 Month Check Up

First, Happy Birthday to my mom - we still haven't quite decided on a name that Max will call her. We just can't seem to find anything we like. Zach likes bubbe. We may just have to wait until Max can talk and he'll decide!
So, we went to the doctor today for Max's 4 month check up. He weighs 18 lbs and 5.6 ounces, which is the 94% for his age. His head measured 17.5 inches, which is in the 93rd percentile. He measured 27.5 inches which is the 98% for his age. So, he's gained 9 lbs and about 9 oz and grown 7.5 inches since he was born! His head has grown 2.5 inches. Dr. Stewart says he is PERFECT - tell us something we didn't know! She kept telling us over and over again just how beautiful he is and we didn't object! The nurse stated that he was a very proportional baby. Dr. Stewart did give Max a little lecture about rolling over from his back to his stomach before rolling from his stomach to his back. Apparently babies are suppose to roll from their stomachs to their backs first because it is suppose to be easier. I told her that he didn't get that memo. So, she shook her finger at him and told him to start reading the same baby books I read and follow along! So cute! He's developmental on task and has reached all his "scheduled" milestones! She says he will really start developing his own little personality and that things are about to get even more fun! I just can't wait.
He got his second set of immunizations today. He did really well considering. (Mom did worse this time around - it just hurts my feelings to see him cry, which he NEVER hardly does. I act kinda the same way with Rocky too! It's ridiculous! I just don't like anyone to be in pain.) Max stopped crying and was just fine as soon as she released his legs. He's such a big boy!
Max is napping now so I'm off to do some work! Hope you all have a Wonderful Wednesday.