Aside from the awful sleep habits, Max is so cute. He picks up a lot from Lukas and is absorbing so much. He loves Batman, Transformers, Spiderman and Kung Fu Panda and will mimick all his moves. He can be so silly and crazy with his brother. He has a bit of a mean streak and will hit kids younger or smaller than him. He's trying to find his place in the world. He gives the sweetest kisses and hugs. He is accident prone and trips, falls, and gets bonked all the time. He still has his lisp when he says his s's. He wants to go wherever Lukas goes and is very independent. He is still a good eater and loves his milky. The kid talks so much! I need to capture the cute things he says. I don't want him to get bigger. He's too cute!

Sleep Woes

Max has been out of his crib for about 3 months now. And for about 3 months I have not had a solid 8 hours of sleep. The little turkey wakes up EVERY NIGHT several times. I'm so tired that it's become a habit that he just climbs in bed with me and Pat. Then Lukas wakes up and sees he's all alone and then HE comes in our bed. So there are 4 bodies in our little queen-size bed. I sleep horribly and then am "Mom the Grouch" the next day. It's been a challenging few months. Nothing makes me more frustrated than bedtime. So, since it's a new year it's time for change. Time for action.

• Consistency
• Routine
• No giving in!!
• The gate has gone up (I just can't lock the doors, it's too mean!)
• Love, not threats.

This is night one and it took us an hour and a half before the kids fell asleep. They say the first few days are the hardest. We'll just have to be tough and we can get through this. They will stay in their beds and sleep through the night. I keep telling myself this. It's just a matter of when...

Mommy

Every other word that comes out of Max's mouth is "Mommy". Hey Mommy. Hold me Mommy. Mommy look at that. Okay Mommy. Whatever he says ends in mommy. It's quite annoying after the 10th time (in one minute). Sometimes we'll be in the car and he'll just say my name and I'll answer him and he'll just say my name again!!! Silly boy. He is really getting so big. He talks in sentences and we can really understand him and what he wants. He is so cute and on the same note soooooo dramatic. He has a big voice and a loud cry. He is still a cutie pie, but he and Lukas DO NOT play well together. Lukas tries to tell him what to do, and Max runs away screaming until they are both screaming and in shambles. It is exhausting. Max gets into trouble faster than I can keep up, too. Like at he store. Or at home. Or at church. Anywhere, really.

• It's broken, Mommy, fix it.
• This is my wallet.
• I want Milk, Mommy.
• Lukas took toy from me!
• Lukas hurt me!
• I sleeping all day.
• I hungry, Mommy.

Okay

As cute as Max is, he is an ever bigger troube maker. He likes to scream whenever Lukas is near him just to get him in trouble. He pushes the kitchen chair up to the counter where he climbs up and gets in the candy jar or plays in Simon's water and scares him half to death. He is a fiesty little guy and when he doesn't like the way things are, he'll throw things and hit whatever is in his sight. It's so funny to hear his litle voice when I tell him, "Max, go put that away. Be nice." You'd think he'd cry or scream, but usually what comes out of his mouth is an "okay" with shrunk, defeated shoulders. It's so cute! Okay. Max lay down. Okay. Eat your lunch. Okay. Go get a diaper. Okay. He gets into everything and yesterday got into my sand vase in the upstairs bathroom and there was sand everywhere!!! It was a nightmare to clean up! And the little stinker kept me up all night. I don't know how to break him of his habit of waking up at 3:30 and waking everyone in the house up. I need my sleep, Max! C'mon! Despite it all, one little squeeze from that guy and I'm putty in his hands.

My Sweetie

I find myself kissing Max 100 times a day because he's so cute! I just love his pudgy hands and the way he runs and dances. He really communicates well. He smiles and laughs and my heart just melts. I know he's growing up too fast, so I am enjoying every minute of this stage. He's still innocent and cute, but learning to talk and just being a little man. He has the cutest curl in his hair and he will hug me and give me this sweet little kiss....*sigh* he's got me wrapped around his little finger!

My Little Man

I am so in love with Max right now! I don't want him to ever get bigger. He is just the cutest thing ever! His curly brown hair and that dimple in his cheek. So dang cute!!! He woke up this morning so happy and the first thing he said was, "play date". I don't know why, I don't think he knows what a play date is, but he does watch Blues Clues and he was sleeping with a little puppy that looked like Blue, so maybe that was it. He identifies so many things and speaks so clearly. He has that lisp when he says his s's. Lukas just had a bday, and so he sings "happy birday to you. tcha tcha tcha. happy bday lukas. cha cha cha." then he makes a blowing noise, like he's blowing out the candles. It's adorable. I need to get that on video. And if he's saying two words, he'll pause between the words. Like he'll say "lukas __ shirt" and he'll pronounce every letter. I just love him at this age. He copies Lukas a lot, which can be good and bad, but they are starting to play more together. He can count to ten in english and spanish. It's fun to see how much he picks up on and how much he talks. He's a little man.

Talker

Max is talking so much. He can communicate easily with us and let us know what he likes and dislikes. He has gotten really good at throwing tantrums and just standing there screaming until we do what he wants. If he is mad, he usually throws whatever he has in his hands or whatever you are trying to give him. Then when you pick it up and give it back, he usually accepts. He also melts our hearts when he says, "luv vu" and when he gives hugs and kisses all on his own. I just love how he is so solid and can throw his weight around. He has the cutest hands and chubby wrists. He has a dimple to die for and the cutest smile ever!!! I taught him baby sign and he still remembers please, more and milk. But he talks a lot with words. He clearly says:

• I get out (like if he's in his crib).
• Unclip me.
• I can't see.
• Mom, look at me.
• I spy my eye, sumting boo. (I spy with my little eye, something blue.)
• Basement or outside or downstairs (then with a gentle tug of my hand will lead me there)
• Stop it!
• Na na nah na na nah na na BATBAM (batman theme song).
• Panda, ka chow! (with a kick move)
• Today I told him we're going to the store and asked if he wanted to come. He smiled and said, "IKeya" then more clearly said, "IKEA". He likes to go to my favorite place!!!
• Pee-you. Stinky, change you.
• I like it. (But really this memeans I don't like it).
• Lukas hurt me. or Lukas toy. (Lukas hurt me or Lukas took my toy from me).
• Play Noggin. Watch it.
• Bear Blue House. Welcome, welcome to house. (We get the DVD Bear in the Big Blue House at the library and it's his favorite.)
• Twinkle, tinkle star. (He loves this song and can sing it most of the way through with help).
• Jesus sunbeam. Again, he loves this song and can sing most of it.
• Tommy here. (Lukas friend Tommy comes over a lot).
• Ike keem. (Ice Cream)
• Candy.
• Posicles (but he says it with the cutest lisp).
• Dinosaur. ROAR! Scawy. (Scary).
• I scawed. (scared).
• Yata (pinata)
• We like to offer incentives for good behavior and for special occasions so after we tell him what he has to do to get the treat we say, "deal?" and he'll say "deal" back.