Growing

Little Max,

You are Mommy's best. As I watch you grow, I am amazed every day with how sharp your mind is, and how kind your heart is.

A few weeks ago you were playing with sweet little Chloe, and after chasing each other around for a while, you walked slowly up to her, looked her in the eye, put your hand over her heart, and did the sign for "love". I melted. Chloe's mommy melted. And even though Chloe is only 1 (like you), I think that she might have melted just a little too.

We are growing a boy who is kind, and that makes Mommy so very proud.

You often walk up to your friends, crouch down a little and then look up into their eyes. And then you say "Hi" in your tiny voice. You let them know that you are there.

You give the best hugs too. And it makes Mommy and Daddy swell with joy, because we know that we have taught you to love. You like to hug our arms when we change your diaper, our legs when we stand up, and our backs when you sneak up behind us. You hug all of your "stuffies"....Frank, Fluffy, Scout....sometimes you get so overwhelmed with love that you even hug your bottle or the remote control ;)

You have so much to tell us too. You have started to use your words, and it makes Mommy laugh when you actually respond to my questions! I've been thinking out loud to you for 14 months now (actually, for much longer...I used to talk to you when you were in my belly!), but now, you talk back! When I say "Max, do you want to take a bath?" you walk to the stairs, point up, and say "Uhh" (that's your word for "up"). The other day you carried your big George around upstairs, and every time you dropped him you would say "Dow" (down). You say "Hi", and "Dah" (Dog), and of course every form of "Daddy/Dada/Dad" that you can. The other night when Daddy kissed you before bedtime, you waved "bye bye" to him and then said "Nigh-nigh". When I say "Ready, Freddy...", you finish with "Go!" And you make us laugh with your sweet "Hi Dada" and of course, "No Mama!" When we were at the park yesterday, and I said "Let's go bye-bye. Bye Bye park!" you said "NO!" and tried to climb up the stairs to the slide so that I couldn't grab you! You are very willful my little Max, and I'm glad that you can speak your mind (at least for now!)


You like to do a silly little dance where you stick your hips out and jump forward. I laughed out loud so hard I cried the first time you did it, and Pop-Pop was lucky enough to see some of it on Skype too!

You're learning to blow kisses, though as Uncle Scott found out, it's more like blowing spit! You like to applaud when other people are clapping, and you do all the moves for "When You're Happy and You Know It", even before Mommy does them. You know where your tummy is, and your toes, and your teeth.

You are the sunshine in my days, and you are my best. Now, when I am holding you and we visit somewhere new, you cling to my body when I try to put you down. Your little legs wrap tightly around my waist, and you stay with me until you feel comfortable with where we are. I love that you are taking things in slowly. And then, step by step, you venture out to play. You explore in a radius that grows a little more each day, and then you toddle back to me, for one more cuddle.

You are my best Little Max.

Love,

Mommy