Max is TWO....errrr....and a Half.

As I sat down to piece together a post about Mr. Harrison as a 4 year old – I had an “oh crap” realization that I never did the same for our little Maxo when he turned 2 back in January.  I could come up with a million excuses for dropping the ball on this one, but the fact of the matter is that it just didn’t happen. Lucky for me, Maxo just celebrated his HALF birthday and a 2 ½ year old update is just as good, right?? Right.

Oh, Mr. Max, you are so many things all bundled into one – sweet, sassy, defiant, determined, smart, silly, and a total love bug to name a few.  Much like your big brother, you challenge us every single day (in both good and bad ways) but we wouldn’t have it any other way.

Your dad and I always used to joke that when it came to you and your brother, Harry would be the brains and you would be the brawn. You’ve always been a “big” kid and at 2 ½ you’re fast approaching the size of your brother. The two of you have recently started having little wrestling matches and you can definitely hold your own. Having said that, in the past 6-9 months we have sat back and watched that little brain of yours flourish. You speak in complete sentences, say words that I would never expect from a kiddo your age, recognize all of your letters and numbers up to 20, and know all sorts of random tidbits about bugs, plants, superheroes, you name it.

You are a goofball with a capital "G" - and while I love you for it, it also drives me bananas. When you get that ornery twinkle in your eye, we know we're in for a treat. You're constantly looking for a laugh and will do whatever it takes to get one! And for the record, "whatever it takes" usually has something to do with your booty.

"Big Boy" is the name of your game these days. Big boy potty. Big boy undies. Big boy bed. We're so proud of you, but at the same time my heart breaks a little every time that you leave something "baby" behind. Thankfully you still give us a few glimpses of baby Max - like the way you suck your fingers when you're tired and never stray too far from your nigh-nigh.

As much as you love your daddy, you are most definitely a mama's boy. When you're sad or hurt, "I want my mommy" are the first words out of your mouth and one of my kisses can fix most anything. Life is about to get very interesting for you as we rapidly approach the arrival of our newest Ritchie babe, and I'm sure that there will be some moments of jealousy as you learn to share your mama. Just always remember that "I love you 100" - because "that's the biggest number, right mama?"

You absolutely idolize that big brother of yours and want to do everything just like him. I love hearing your little voice asking "Where's Hawwy?" or "You want to play with me, Hawwy?" or even seeking his approval with a "Right, Hawwy??" Luckily big brother thinks pretty highly of you as well - and I know that the two of you will be best buddies for life! Our home is always filled with loud little boy noises and giggles courtesy of you two  yahoos!

I already mentioned it at the beginning of this post, but your endless determination is worth bringing up again. Whereas your big brother is often hesitant to try new things and gets frustrated when he's not immediately an "expert", you are always willing to try, to fail, and to keep on trying. At 2.5 you want to be able to do everything that your 4 year old brother can do, and won't stop until you figure you how. 

A few odds and ends - You love reading books (usually the same ones over and over...and over) and usually throw a fit if we skip them at bedtime. Every night when I ask you what you want to dream about, you tell me Jesus and your sister Charlotte. Melt.My.Heart. You also say some of the funniest things, most of which you've picked up and adapted from things your dad and I say - A prolonged "Whaaaaat?!"  A thoughtful "Wait a minute!" with your finger placed deliberately on your chin. Or a goofy "Ok, what's the plan?" because apparently your mama says "Here's the plan?" more often than I realized! You call camels "canimals" and Nemo "Memo." You're a daredevil at the park yet always insist that someone catch you the first few times down the slide.

So there you have it, Sweet Maxo - a quick rundown of your life at 2.5 years old. You fill our days with so much love and laughter. I can't wait to see what the rest of 2 has in store!