Max update

Yesterday, Max went to the pediatrician for his two year check-up. A little late, I know, but I kind of forgot to make the appointment. Those darn Christmas babies =) He checked out very well. His big noggin is back on the chart at the 97th percentile, his weight is out of the average range (30 pounds) at the 75th percentile, and his height (34 1/2 inches) is still right at the 50th percentile. Dr. Katz was pleased with both his growth and his development, telling me he is an average two year old. Max was sure to demonstrate his newly found two year old attitude by having a small fit when I wouldn't let him open the cabinets. The dr. responded by saying, see, definitely 2!

Today was a big day as well. In Max's short 2 years, he has had 8 ear infections. After the holidays we saw an ENT and determined that tubes were necessary. Today was the day! We had to be at the surgery center at 7:45 and he didn't go into surgery until about 8:45! Max is a huge eater and, of course, he couldn't have anything until after the surgery. He was a trooper and didn't seem to mind at all.

Playing in the waiting room...

That wasn't me, I promise!

Our social little Max was making friends with nurses as soon as we got taken back to the pre-op area. She took him around to run errands and he was saying hi to all the other patients. He came through surgery fine, did great with the anesthesia and was dubbed the sweetest little boy the nurses had ever had! The effects of the surgery quickly wore off and he was back to playing with Mason.

My sweet boys...

...which quickly turned to this orneriness!

Hopefully the tubes will provide some relief and keep Maxy well through the rest of the winter.

Snow Day!

Okay, it's really an ice day. We don't get much snow here, so we have to make the most of the winter precip that we do get! Yesterday, for the first time in 35 years, Plano decided to call off school at 12:30! Imagine making 680 phone calls to parents to pick up their kids. Needless to say, it was not really worth it. Our last student was picked up at 2:30 and we usually dismiss at 2:45. The really funny part was there was no ice or snow on the ground when I left at 3:00.

The storm did come in overnight, however, and we got an ice day today! It's great today, but on June 6 when I'm still in school it won't seem so great!

The day started out with the boys playing together very sweetly.

Which quickly moved to wrestling...

I thought I'd better intervene before Max had a bump or a bruise. He really likes wrestling with Mason, but hasn't really figured out he's not big enough too, yet. I started getting the ingredients out for cookies. As soon as Max saw the chocolate chips, he started saying Cookies! Cookies!

Ready with our tokes...

After I got the boys excited about doing this, I realized I had no brown sugar and only 1 cup, instead of the required 2 1/4 cups, of flour. There was no turning back at this point, so oatmeal and sugar in the raw were substituted.

Let me help you mix, Max...

If I smile innocently, maybe Mom won't notice that I'm knocking my brother in the head with bakeware...

Okay, she caught me.

Spoons all around!

The best part of any cookie project...eating the dough!

Are they ever going to be done?????

Enjoying the fruits of our labor...even if there were VERY crispy cookies. I do remember one episode of Good Eats that says if your sugar to butter ratio is too high, then your cookies will be crispy. I'm guessing mine was very high! The boys enjoyed them just the same, and I occupied them until nap =)

The Cruise, Part 2

Our next stop was the island of Curacao. It was beautiful! Everyone was so friendly. Gayla had set up a sightseeing/beach tour for us that was wonderful. Mr. Leo drove us around the island, giving us history and generally making our day great. The first stop was the Curacao liquor factory. As you can see from the kids, they had a great time. I think that was just fruit juice we gave them...

Kayden and Mommy enjoying the Curacao scenery

Our next stop was at the northern coast of the island. Mason saw this lizard and quickly posed.

The entrance to an underwater cave. This is the topside...

this is inside. It was really cool to climb down there. The pictures don't do it justice. It was really beautiful.

Another spot along the northern coast.

Our next stop was this overlook above this beach. It was the picture of relaxation!

Definitely some place I could spend more time...



Our final stop was one last beach. The kids had a great time playing in the sand. Even Max got over his dislike for it and starting playing.

The last two days on the ship were sea days. It didn't take much talking for the little kids to get the grown ups in the hot tub. All that sandcastle building really takes it out of you!

Maxy and Grandma in the not so hot tub

Mason sweet talked his Gigi back in to the very cold pool. It's a good thing he's got a sweet Gigi--Mommy wasn't getting in! This is his Hulk dive...



The last formal night Max accompanied us to dinner. He got really used to going to cocktail hour and getting his Shirley Temple. This was his first taste of carbonated beverage and he definitely thinks this is something we need to institute at home!

Unfortunately, this was the best picture I could get of him at dinner. He was more than finished with 2 hour formal meals by this point. He did, however, make friends with the executive chef, Chef Franck, who came to visit him twice and gave Max a HAL hat and polo that said HAL Culinary Team. Leave it to our little social butterfly to make friends with the executive chef!

We all had a wonderful time on the cruise! It's so nice to spend time with friends and family. The kids had a ball and we're all talking about when we're taking the next one =)

The Cruise, Part 1

What a week! Family vacations are so much fun, but traveling with a 2 year old and 4 year old have its challenges. All in all, we had a great vacation with no major disasters.

When we left Dallas on Saturday morning, it was pretty chilly, around 35 or so. As we were waiting to get on the airplane, the flight attendant saw Mason shivering in the doorway, so she pulled him into the plane. Mason is very curious, so he started poking his head into the cockpit so he could get a better look. The flight attendant saw him and said, "go in an sit in that seat!" Mason jumped at the chance and then when the captain realized Max was there too, he jumped out of his seat, put Max in that seat and told he boys he was going to go get some coffee and they could fly the plane! I quickly dug out my camera, all the while wondering what button or lever Max was going to mess with and would we really make it to Fort Lauderdale! It was pretty amazing that the boys got that experience.

Captain Max

Captain Mason

Next is was on to the ship. The kids had a great time at the bon voyage party. Evidently, Max really liked the music and danced his way through the party. Once Max started dancing, the people around him moved back, formed a circle, and cheered him on. Once the music was over, they all started clapping for Max! Little ham!

Mason and Kayden already getting the idea of this relaxation thing.

Dancing Max

Day one was a stop at Holland America's private island, Half Moon Cay. This is a shot of our ship from the beach...

It didn't take Mason long to get in the swing of snorkeling.

Max with Uncle Bobby, Daddy, and Uncle Lance. Maxy and Uncle Lance were quite the buddies on this trip. More than once, Lance carried a sleeping Max back to the ship for us and chased Max around during cocktail hour.

Once we got back on the ship, the big kids decided to check out the ship's pool while Maxy had to go to nap. It's great to be big!

I think Mason is pretending to be a dolphin...

Let me show you how this thing works, Kayden...

Playing in the pool...

While HAL's babysitting program left A LOT to be desire (Max went to drinks and dinner with us more times than I would have liked) the kids program was great! Miss Nicki was wonderful with the kids--so much so that they started asking early in the day when they could go back!

Our fierce pirates!

On formal night, we dressed the kids up, mainly to get pictures. Here's the best of many pictures taken. What a good looking group!

Aruba was our next stop.

I'm not so sure about this Dad. Why don't you just hang on to me?

Kayden, let me help you, so you don't end up like this...

SPLASH!!

Maxy hanging out on the float with Papa and Gigi.

More to come later...

The Tuxedo Debacle

As most of you know, in about a week we are going on a family cruise for Gayla's birthday. We are all very excited and I have been busy utilizing my days off to get things ready. When Mason was 2, he was the ring bearer in a wedding and we bought him a tuxedo. Since little guys look so cute dressed up (and I'll be able to get more use out of it!) Max is going to wear the tuxedo for a picture on formal night on the cruise. Unfortunately for me, Max didn't really have any desire to try on the tux, and certainly no desire for Mom to take pictures of him--no matter how cute he is! Here's how it played out:

I DON'T WANT TO WEAR THIS MONKEY SUIT!

Okay, I'll stand here, but I won't smile or be happy about it.

Betcha can't take a picture when I'm crawling up the stairs!

Okay, okay, I'll look cute and smile for you. See Mom, the terrible twos aren't that bad =)