Our First Break

Summer got off to an interesting start for Mr. Maxo after he blindly followed his big brother off the edge of our backyard playset. He tried his best to be a tough guy -- walking all the way up to the house, eating lunch, and asking to watch cartoons before giving us obvious signs that this was something bigger than our normal bumps and bruises. 

A couple of hours, an x-ray, and a boot later...

Day #2 A day at home with mommy. It didn't take long for him to realize that he could still hobble around fairly well in his new "Iron Man boot." He started with a slow trip around our kitchen island and in no time I was hearing things like "Look at me, mommy! I can go all the way up the stairs!"

Day #3 Mom has a heart attack. Apparently he's not going to let anything slow him down.

Day #5 A trip to a pediatric orthopedist and a verdict. Two small fractures. One decent break. Four weeks in a boot.

For 4 weeks Max was an absolute trooper. He ran, he jumped, he climbed...he even got a boot-time-out so that he could do swimming lessons. The whole experience came with waaaaay less tears than I expected...and was way less stinky than had he needed a cast! 

Fast forward 4 weeks after the big jump...

 No more boot (too bad Mom forgot to bring his other flip-flop!)
Strict orders for no trampolines or bounce houses for an additional 4 weeks

**Celebratory donuts at 4PM**

Brooks Edmund {10 months}

We've officially entered double digit territory, and this mama's heart is secretly breaking. With each babe, time seems to move faster and faster...and with you, sweet Brooks, I feel like I can hardly blink without the threat of missing something important. You started out this life as such a tiny little thing, 5 weeks early and not even able to finish a 1 ounce bottle on your own. Now here you are, 10 months later, getting into everything and doing your best to hang with your big brothers. It's only a matter of time before our house clears of everything "baby" and we become a home filled with big boys. Sob.

Here's a quick rundown of our Brooksie Babe at 10 months old...

A few months back I would have said that you were a little on the lazy side - no desire to move or to even sit upright on your own. But these days you are a mover and a shaker. You love exploring this crazy house of ours - climbing into the shower, trying to go head first down the stairs, planking on the bottom step. Your bothers have actually started playing behind closed doors just to stop you from getting their things. And don't even get me started on diaper changes. It's like a full blown cardio workout.

You had 2 bottom teeth pop thru this past month and have been putting them to good use in the exciting world of table food. You're a HUGE fan. Fruits, veggies, noodles, meat...there may have even been a little bit of big brother's ice cream cake thrown into the mix this month. Such a little piggy!

You spent much of this past month trying to fight off a very stubborn ear infection. Four antibiotics later and we're finally seeing a return of your happy-go-lucky personality. We've missed you, Happy Brooks! 

You are the first of ALL of the Ritchie kiddos to utter the word "Mama" before saying "Dada." This automatically makes you my favorite.

We've had a super busy summer thus far and you're getting to experience all sorts of new things! We did driveway fireworks (not a fan), ate fresh picked blackberries, and have gone swimming a time or two. You love love LOVE the water and this month made your first trips to the swimming pool, lake AND the river. 

Odds and Ends: You love to clap and sometimes even do it when mid-cry. It's almost like you're trying to cheer yourself up! You are a pro at showing us how big you are. You recently graduated to a big boy carseat and are still very entertained by watching your brothers in the back seat. You pull my hair ALL OF THE TIME. You experienced your first round of severe weather, getting woken from a sound sleep to hide in the basement for awhile. You didn't seem to mind....and there was definitely clapping involved. HAHA! Oh that red hair of yours. It's a sure indication that you are going to be a feisty one.

Brooks Edmund {10 months}

Happy Double Digits, little man. Every day is a little bit brighter thanks to you.