Max

Max has been ready to potty train for awhile, so once our schedule was free from any impending trips, we knew we would have time to get started. He loved wearing underwear. He gleefully ran around the house, twisting and bending. It took him a couple of days to not have any accidents, and then it was old hat. We took a few short trips out and about, and he wouldn't let Sandra help him go in a public bathroom...so he just held it until we got home. On our subsequent longer trips where holding it wasn't an option, we would just put him in a diaper. It wasn't worth the hassle. He picks up the routine again pretty quickly back at home. The whole thing has been pretty simple and easy.

 
Other Max Updates:

He still loves cars...and trains, planes, motorcycles, boats, etc. When given a choice of what books to read before his daily nap, he always chooses his car books. My mom sent him an "all about things that go" book, and he reads it every day.

He likes to paint, draw, and use scissors. He mostly draws the sun, grass, wheels, and lines.

He has started calling us Em and Nate. "All done, Em!" I love it.

He can sing the alphabet song, as well as one we found on YouTube called A is for Apple. "A is for apple, a-a-apple. B is for ball, b-b-ball. C is for cat, c-c-cat. D is for dog, d-d-dog." He also sings Twinkle Twinkle Little Star.

We put him in time-out on the stairs when he hits the baby or makes huge messes or throws fits. He knows he has to apologize to get out of time-out, so he'll sit there on the stairs and call out, "Say sorry and kisses!"

He loves playing in water still...bathtubs, pools, hoses, buckets, you name it.

He gets into the fridge on his own to get cheese and popsicles.

He tries to brush his own teeth for a few seconds before we take over.

He sleeps with his gray owl every night and has to have a sheet or blanket on his legs.

During the World Cup, he would cry when everyone erupted into cheering.

He likes to push the buttons on the toaster and blender.

He sometimes helps put away dishes from the dishwasher if he happens to be in the kitchen.

When he hears the garbage/recycling trucks, he runs to me and yells, "Dumpy truck!" I open the front door for him to watch them.

He's figured out how to swing the bottom of the baby gate out so that he can crawl underneath. He will pull it out for the baby, too.

He can count to thirteen and then starts throwing out other numbers up to twenty. He knows more, but he hasn't quite caught onto the order.

He's become pretty picky. He still eats dairy, fruits, and grains like a pro, but it's difficult to get him to eat veggies and meat. I have to bribe him... "If you eat three bites, then you get..."

His treats include fruit leather, bananas with whipped cream, chocolate milk, pudding, pretzels with peanut butter, and gum. He doesn't get much sugar unless we are out and someone offers him some.

He drinks from cups easily, but he prefers his blue sippy cups.

He will put his dishes in the sink when he's done.

If he sees me cleaning, he'll sometimes grab a baby wipe and go to town.

Max gets up around 7:30, takes a nap around 3, and goes to bed at 8:30.

He is super friendly. When we go out, he shouts out to everyone, "Hi!" He isn't afraid of anyone and will say sorry if he bumps into someone.

He likes to get chicken, apples, and milk in his kids meals.

He's really pretty good with Legos. He makes ships and towers. The other day, he made a motorcycle out of tinker toys from a kids meal.

He calls Oliver "Baby" most of the time. When he is feeling endearing towards him, he calls him "Aw-ver."

Max loves to wrestle with Nate, play chase, dance, and tickle.

He doesn't watch much TV anymore. He likes watching cars videos on Youtube. He will watch movies only if we are sitting with him, and he LOVES popcorn.

When Max is about to get something yummy, he does a little dance and giggle.

He likes routine and order. I'm not too strict about times and whatnot, but we do the same things in order and exactly the same way. For example, nap time: Max has to pull himself up on the bed. We have to read a few books. I have to take off my glasses and put them on the nightstand. He sleeps on Nate's side of the bed with his pillow and the sheet pulled up. If I try to change anything even a little, he demands I do it the right way.

He takes a bit to shake off sleep when he wakes up. I usually have to distract him to avoid a meltdown.

He will say goodbye to Nate every day. He gives him a kiss and waves goodbye from the garage door.

I mock him when he gets grumpy and whiny, and that usually makes him laugh.

He is particular about who helps him when... He might send me away when I go to help him on the toilet and demand that Dada help him. Fine with me!

He likes to watch Nate feed his ant lions. I used to tell him not to touch bugs, but the boy in him has come out; he kills ants when he sees them.

His hair is funky... cute when it's short, but that doesn't last long before his hair stands straight out in a poof that is hard to style.

He is slimming down a bit, but he is still thick, solid, and strong.

He seems to always be listening to what Nate and I say. We will be talking to each other in the kitchen when Max will interject a comment.