Fit for a Lumberjack

Today we celebrated Max's first birthday with family and friends.  I'm not one for "traditional" and came up with the hair-brained idea to celebrate with a Lumberjack Brunch.  It was quite the tough and manly event, complete with lots of plaid, flannel and s'mores on sticks!

Who needs birthday cake when you can have a cinnamon roll the size of your head??

 

We were fortunate enough to be able to use the gym at the boys school for the party, and  let me tell you, it was PERFECT!  The kiddos had plenty of balls, cars and tricycles to keep themselves entertained, and I didn't have to worry about cleaning my house!  Thank you Little Red School House for letting us use the space!  

The kiddo who used to hide his face as soon as he saw the camera, has fallen in love with "cheeeeese."  Makes this picture loving mama a whole lot happier!

 I knew that birthday cake would be an instant hit with the birthday boy.  He's got his mama's sweet tooth, and you can tell by the looks of that belly that the boy has an appetite.

"Where's my cake mama?"  Luckily little brother didn't mind sharing.

 It was all fun and games until his foot found the cake.  Done and done.

 And ultimately, my kiddos always end up in a sink.  

A big thanks to everyone who embraced their inner lumberjack with us today.  We had SO much fun and were rewarded with extra long naps this afternoon from both boys!  

I call that a win!

Saturday Snow Day

This Saturday was one of the much needed, good for the soul variety.  We had no plans going into it and made our own adventures along the way.  We welcomed the day a little later than normal (yippee!) and this mama found coffee waiting on my bedside table (double yippee!).  We filled the day with a family outing, silly conversations around the dinner table, a flashlight dance party and a trampoline (i.e. couch cushions) covering our living room floor.  And while all of those things translated into a pretty perfect Saturday, it was the snow falling outside our doors that helped make it feel extra special.

The view from our front door on this Saturday snow day had both Max and me grinning from ear to ear.  A little boy and his daddy on their very first winter adventure together...it doesn't get much better than that.  

Next year, Maxo.  Next year.

 The evolution of a snowman

Twenty-four hours later and the snow is still falling.  Falling and blowing.  And blowing and blowing.  The winter wonderland of yesterday has been replaced with pretty nasty day.  Well played, Mother Nature.  Well played.  Stay safe out there everyone!!  If you need me, I'll be snuggled up on the couch in a comfy pair of sweats daydreaming of yesterday.

"Its My Mustache, Daddy!"

I remember the days of a little boy with big sensory issues.  A tiny drop of paint on his fingers could trigger a meltdown.  Playing with whipped cream or handprint art projects at daycare brought tears before any sort of "play" even started.  Expect him to eat mashed potatoes?  Heck no.  Not a chance. Especially not with his fingers.

Fast forward to the here and now.  

Paint everywhere.

A hilarious mustache.

Smiles for days.

A little boy embracing life's most awesome messes. 

Happy Birthday, Maxwell!

One year ago today...I woke up tired from a restless night of sleep, anxious about the thought of c-section number 3, nervous as all get out about how our lives were going to change in a matter of a few short hours, excited to meet our little boy.  

One year ago today...we kissed our "baby" Harrison on the head and sent him off to school knowing that the next time we saw him he would seem like a giant in comparison to the tiny bundle in our arms.

One year ago today...I checked into the hospital, Matt by my side, and had a crazy feeling of routine.  Three kiddos in 3.5 years...I felt like somewhat of a pro.  

One year ago today...I was reminded that it doesn't matter if its your first baby or your third, seeing your child for the very first time is an experience that will absolutely take your breath away.

I can hardly believe that it's been a year since that "take your breath away" moment.  

It has been an adventure beyond my wildest imagination and my heart continues to overflow with love.    

Happy 1st birthday, sweet Maxo!  

Tubes for the Win

Two weeks ago Mr. Max had his first ever trip to see an ENT. He'd been struggling with a stubborn ear infection since before Thanksgiving, and after 2 courses of oral antibiotics and 2 Rocephin injections we decided it was time to take the next step. Our new friend Dr. Edmunds confirmed with relative ease what we already suspected...fluid in his left ear, lots of fluid in his right.  They didn't appear infected at the time, but his snotty nose and watery eyes told us that it was just a matter of time.  

The following week, just 5 days after our initial ENT visit, we were able to get our sweet boy on the surgery schedule at Children's for bilateral ear tubes.  We woke up early, and with a little help from the best friend ever and Grandma Debbie, got one boy to the hospital and one to daycare without a hitch. (Thanks ladies!)  

We checked in at the hospital at 7:30 and then camped out in the CARES unit for about and hour and a half before it was go time.  Maxo did amazing with the wait.  Despite being tired, hungry and a little suspicious of his surroundings, he was a very happy boy.  We snuggled, sang songs, had a visit from our good friend Natalie, and before we knew it it was 8:50 and time for surgery.

A short ten minutes after they carried him back for the procedure, Dr. Edmunds was back in the room to tell me that Max was in recovery (just a little different than the times we checked into Children's for open heart surgery!)  Max did great. Dr. Edmunds told me that his ears were pretty angry looking when they got in there, and she was surprised at how content he seemed despite it all. Typical Maxo...feeling crappy but keeping his cool.  They were able to clear out all of the yucky goop and successfully placed a tiny tube in each of his tiny ears.  We snuggled some more, downed some apple juice, and were on our way home before 10:00.  

One week has passed and I'm THRILLED to report that our sweet Maxo is doing amazing.  The impact on his hearing was apparent almost immediately.  Our quiet little boy with the plugged up ears is suddenly full of babbles, giggles and squeals. And while he's always been content...even when he felt like crud...his HAPPY, GOOFY personality is finally able to shine. 

Congratulations Maxo!  Here's to happy and healthy ears in 2015!