The View From Two....

There was something different about Max's birthday this year..... He was old enough to take it ALL in....
And I found that we didn't get too many pictures, because we were so busy LIVING every minute of Max's celebration. (Ahem, Tori....did you get some great shots that we can poach from you??)

The day was punctuated with dear family, good friends, sweet treats, and a nautical theme that honored our new little community by the sea.....

Max enjoyed every second of playing with his little friends, and the beach breeze didn't seem to bother them as they dumped water and splashed till they were all completely soaked! Thank you for the great pirate ship water table Mom-Mom and Pop-Pop!
There were presents to explore,

and cupcakes to eat....

Did I mention how this little birthday boy bonded with these cupcakes? We're trialing baked egg and baked milk now, which means that Max got to eat the real dang thing....and eat he did.

So what does it feel like to be 2? Well, kind of like this.....

This self-portrait wasn't exactly centered, but I think it's a good example of how Max is feeling, now that he's a big boy and all....

The view from two? It's EXCELLENT.

A Little of This, and Some of That...

I've decided to let Max take over blogging for a bit. He clearly has a lot to say.... He prefers working on the "pew" (computer) in his jammies, if you haven't noticed. And as you can see, sometimes all of this "blogging for the masses" is hard work. He's feeling the pressure....

So he takes a break as often as he can. New trick? Playing ball outside with Daddy.....

Now that Max is almost 2, he has some new tricks up his sleeve. He's putting two words together ("Do trains!", "No Mama", "Walk Dada", "blue car"). Tonight he walked into the kitchen with a bucket on his arm, held his finger up in the air and said "back" to Sean and I, and then walked out. As in, "Hang on a minute, I'll be right back". Apparently when I say it, my finger is up in the air :) For the past two shopping trips, he has sat IN THE CART for the entire trip! For those of you who know my Max, this is a HUGE accomplishment. No trying to jump out, no reaching back and throwing things out of the big part of the cart. He was a helper. And smiled very politely at the check-out counter and waved, and said "Hi Man!". This morning he gave his little friend Si-Si a HUG! I love how they play together.....they were "cooking" in the kitchen side by side, and sharing blueberries at the table in the coffee shop. She is usually the one hugging him, but today he hugged HER (she was walking away to go potty....Max didn't understand why he couldn't go with her....he thought she was leaving for good....ohh the life of a 2 year old). He nearly knocked her over into the bookshelf with his love, but SiSi's mama caught them just in time!

To be honest, I had some dark and dramatic things planned for this post. My angst about Max's upcoming appointment with the allergist....my inner monologue about how this journey is not what we expected.....my sadness at having to see my little boy wake up from naps sobbing uncontrollably because he is hurting.....my frustration at not being able to fix things, having to spend our days at doctors appointments, begging them to take this as seriously as we do. But I got sidetracked, I guess. Sidetracked by all of the new, fun, hilarious things that Max has been up to lately.....

Like eating cereal out of Daddy's bowl.....or talking to himself while half asleep/rolling around in bed (last night it was "Drill....screw....go!" because he had been watching Daddy fix things in his room). I love the squeal that he lets out when he's only wearing a diaper and he throws himself on the bed and wiggles around in pure delight. It cracks me up that he has started grabbing his diaper and saying "poo-poo" and heading for the bathroom, even though he doesn't have to go, and we are nowhere near ready to potty train. Or maybe we are :) When he hurts himself he runs to me and says "Kiss" and then puts the injured place up to my face. Last night when I was trying to get him to go to sleep, he kept putting Louie (his HUGE stuffed dog) up to my mouth and saying "Oooooeeee (Louie)! Kiss, Kiss". How do you not laugh??

Of course, having a toddler with eating issues means that pictures like this just melt me. Eating a PB+J while kicking back on the couch....like a big boy...

He might still drink a bottle 5 times a day (don't piss me off or I'll tell you where you can put your opinion of that!), but he's also drinking from a real water bottle spout now...

And just because I feel like sharing, tonight for dinner he had chicken, red bell pepper strips with hummus, and avocado. HELLO WORLD, this was NOT A FISHSTICKS NIGHT. I will wholeheartedly accept my Mother Of The Year Award. For today, anyway.

San Diego Part 2: The Wedding!

15 years ago I found myself beginning a new adventure, at a college many miles from home, with a group of women that I had never met before. I was homesick, I was scared, and I had no idea what the next few semesters would bring. Suddenly, the semesters turned into years, and those years became a fork in the road that would send me on the journey that I was always meant to walk.

These women changed my life.

Jessi (the blushing bride), Anna (the soon-to-be blushing bride), Susie (my roomie, with Jack's little sister hanging tight in her belly), Me, and the always adorable Natalie.

Spending the evening with my "sisters", sharing the laughter and tears that can only come with having a combined history, and celebrating Jessi's new adventure as she became a Mrs, was in all ways, the perfect night.

The ceremony was beyond gorgeous. The sun was setting over the water as the lovely Jessi said "I Do" to her Australian prince Rich. They were 100% in the moment, with vows so real and so honest.

As the sun went down and the wind picked up, we gathered inside to celebrate the new bride and groom with good music, good food, and some memory-making.
Just in case anyone forgot, Max and Jack's folks still know how to party. Thanks to Max's Baubee and Zaydee, we were able to stay in LA all night, and get our party groove on with our good friends. Did I mention how THRILLED we were that Max had a "win" with Baubee and Zaydee and the bedtime bonanza?? Actually, Baubee and Zaydee won that round. Thank god. Mommy and Daddy needed 8 hours of sleep like nobody's business!
If I could tell my 18 year old self one thing, it would be this.

Reach out. Get to know these girls as quickly as you can. It will be the best thing you have ever done with your life, and someday, in the not so far off future, you will be celebrating weddings, babies, and life's biggest treasures with them. They will change your life.
I love you Cal Poly ladies!

San Diego Part 1: Family Adventures

We're looking pretty grown-up here, aren't we? I mean, Max is too, of course, but keep in mind that Cafe 976 was Mommy's favorite hang-out spot when she was 16....so yeah, back with a hubby and a toddler...that's pretty darn grown-up.

Max requested a double hazelnut white mocha, but they carded him and realized he wasn't quite old enough....

Fortunately, Zaydee was an even better Barista, and let Max make his OWN dang coffee...
Max found the perfect look-out spot at Baubee and Zaydee's house....Baubee taught him how to look out all of the windows for bunny rabbits, and every day you could hear him yelling "buuuuh?" for bunny.

My little guy, and a great big skyline....

We had so many other wonderful adventures that didn't get documented on camera (because I suck, that's why). We visited with Aunt Katie and Nana Nancy, and saw their new house and Katie's "big kid school". She showed Max off to all of her friends and teachers, and let him fake a presentation in the assembly area. We got to see Katie at dance class, and Max LOVED watching her "Go go go" and "jump!". He was fascinated by the music, the class full of 30+ teenagers, and the teacher with a mohawk :) Every time Katie would finish a dance move, Max would clap for her and yell "Yay! Kay-Kay, go go go!". We miss Nana Nancy and Aunt Kay-Kay....and hope that they can come up to visit us soon! And while we're on the subject....ahem....SOMEONE just got their driver's permit!!!!!!!!!!! WAY TO GO AUNT KATIE!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We are so proud of you!!!!! Max sends you a very loud, very excited "Vrooom-Vroom!!!"

Stay tuned for San Diego Part 2: The Wedding.....better known as "Baubee and Zaydee's Excellent Adventure with Max!"

Walking Backwards

Yep, Max now knows how to walk backwards. And so does his Mama, which means that before we get to pictures of our San Diego trip, we need to walk back in time a little bit to catch everyone up on what happened before we left....
We celebrated the lovely Mama Susie at her baby shower, honoring Jack's soon-to-be-born little sister. The beautiful (ahem...glowing!) Janette and I co-hosted a party for my Roomie, and spent an afternoon with Weiss/Campion friends and family, pampering ourselves at the nail salon and dreaming about what this new little one will be like. Sus, Matt and Jack....we are so beyond excited for you guys, and can't wait to meet your new addition (I'm thinking sometime this month :) We also had Aunt Katie visit us at Casa By The Bay. She was flat out AMAZING with Max. Really. She's a natural with kids, and Max LOVED how she would get right down on the floor with him and play at his level....

And I think she's the only one other than Max who can actually FIT...

...in the box!!!!

We were so lucky to have Baubee here too....she invented this fun train game that Max likes to play, where the train goes flying off of the shelf, and then they saw "Ow!" and then they check to make sure the people in the train are ok. They're always ok. Though it's a bit morbid, but oh well :) Max LOVES it.

And he loves showing off his puzzle prowess too....

OK....more to come soon. I'm stuck in bed with ice wrapped around my face, due to the Great Wisdom Tooth Extraction of 2011. Thank god for helpers....Sean is working from home, our amazing sitter is here helping every day, and my mom is coming back to town tonight. And Vicodin. Thank god for Vicodin. And frozen peas. And McDonald's milkshakes. Yes Kerry, I sipped one carefully from a spoon, for you :)