Max at One Year

Oh boy, this baby is so fun and so happy.  Max is almost always smiling.  He has this cheesy grin that he has been doing to almost everyone he sees lately.

He is very social.  He loves people.  He gets a little unsure about a new face, but it doesn't take very long for him to warm up to people.

When someone makes a joke or says something funny and the rest of us are laughing, or even one person is laughing, Max joins in.

I know, I've mentioned it before, but he is pretty patient.  Will loves to "help" him walk these days, and  Joe loves to "cuddle" with him on the floor, Max tolerates a lot of that before he start to complain about it.

Max takes several steps frequently.  His record is eighteen steps, but crawling is still his primary mode of transportation.  And he is a speedy crawler.

He has no idea how to go down stair, or get off a couch etc.  The turning around to get down concept has not clicked yet.

He still loves water.  The bath, the shower, the toilet...  He loves it.  I always have to make sure the bathroom door is shut.

He likes to dance.  Even if you start singing a catchy tune he starts dancing.  He'll sort of bounce up and down for quick songs, and do this sway for slower songs.

Max gets a little intense sometimes.  He will get so excited he'll start shaking.  Usually this excitement is in response to food, or my mom's dog.

He usually takes one nap a day now.

If there is a shelf, cupboard, or drawer within his reach, it will be emptied in no time.

His hair has a little bit of curl to it.  I think I'm going to let it grow out for a while because I love those curls.

He loves to eat.  Some of his favorites are, frozen peas, mandarin oranges, yogurt, cooked carrots, and berries.

He's usually very soft.  He'll softly touch my earrings without being told to be soft.  The other day he was very softly strumming Zach's guitar.

Although he's usually happy crawling around and playing, he loves to be held.  He'll stand at your feet until you pick him up.

Stats:

Weight: 25.73lbs (96%tile)

Height: 30.9 in (87%tile)

Head Circumference: 19.1 in (97%tile)

Will at Three Years Old

Will loves to call people on the phone to talk.  Almost every day he requests we call Babica, Lily, or Dad.  And if I'm not careful where I put my phone, he finds it and calls the most recent person I've talked to.

Has taken more of an interest in books and being read to.

Loves to pretend to be a puppy.  He'll crawl around the house with his tongue out, panting and will play fetch with me.  Licks just like a puppy, I try to tell him to just pretend lick, but he forgets.

Covers his ears if he is scared while watching a movie.

Will is not potty-trained.  We are currently taking a break for my sanity.  A few incidences that have prompted this break:  The other day I walk into his room only to find him with his pants down and peeing into the toy pitcher from his kitchen.  The same thing happened another day but then he poured it into another cup, and then into the dirty clothes hamper.  Another time it was a toy dinosaur on the floor of his bedroom.  

He and Joe have starting playing for longer stretches of time without incident.  They definitely still have their moments, but it's fun to listen to them play together.

Loves to jump on our sectional.  When we first got it, I tried to tell him not to, but he has so much fun doing it, and I figure it's not really that important.

Will still loves to be independent.  I find him on many occasions helping himself to the milk or whatever else he wants in the kitchen.

The other day I heard him cry out from the kitchen.  He had tried to cut himself a granola bar with a sharp knife and cut his hand between his thumb and index finger.  It was bleeding a lot and I thought it might need stitches, but I couldn't really tell.  I took him to the Instacare and they said they could glue it for me if I wanted them to, or I could just bandage and keep a real close eye on it.  So, no stitches, and no glue.

He goes without a nap most days of the week.

He is so sweet.  When Max is crying Will often sings to him, to try to soothe him.

Loves to go to Babica's house.  He tells me often "Mom! Mom!  I have a dea [an idea]!  After we go Babica's house, we watch a show!"  I think that would be his ideal day.

Loves to play pretend.  Tells me or Joe what role to play.  "Mommy, I'm the bad-guy, and your the mom."

Grandma has nick-named him the Tornado.

We love our crazy Will and are so glad he is part of our family.

Happy Birthday Max!

I told Zach that in the future, we'll have to change Will and Max's birthdays up a little bit, or we'll be feeling a little bit a deja vu the first week in February every year.  We put up balloons and streamers, had family over, sang and had cake, and opened gifts, again.

He was so dainty with his cake.  I thought he would be shoveling fistfuls of cake in his mouth.

He eventually ate a piece, once Zach cut a bite for him.

And a few times he bypassed the fork and the hands.

Testing out his new toy

My boys.  I love them.

Happy Birthday Will!

I think Will had a pretty happy birthday.  We started of the morning with a trip to Provo Bakery.  We have been missing Olsen's, in Omaha, and a birthday was the perfect excuse to find a new donut shop (not that we frequent donuts shops, but they make for an awesome occasional treat).  Provo Bakery didn't disappoint, they even had a little bar to enjoy our donuts in the shop if you wish, and we did.

Later on Zach brought home bunk beds for the boys.  They were super excited.  My parent's gave them for us to use and I  think they may have been Will's favorite part of the day.

Pizza was on the menu for dinner.  Will couldn't make up his mind what kind of cake he wanted.  It went from Lightning McQueen, to Percy, to Thomas, then to Lightning McQueen again.  I decided I wouldn't ask anymore and we'd just run with that.  He blew out the candles on the birthday cake about half-way through the birthday song.  I guess the excitement was just too much.

The kids posed themselves.  I love how happy Will looks.

The new tool kit is a hit.

Some of the birthday crowd.

I'm no cake decorator, but I was happy with how it turned out.

The babies were there too!

We love you Will!