Happy New Year!

Wishing everyone the best in '13

'Twas the Night Before Christmas

Merry Christmas Everyone!

Love,

Jason, Melanie, & Maxwell

Re-fried Black Beans

He loves his Mexican food as much as his momma does.

Powder Art by Maxwell

Inspired by a Sandy Story with Nina from Sprout's The Good Night Show, Maxwell creates Powder Art.

Max's Ever Expanding Repertoire of Words

I can't express enough how thrilling it is to be able to communicate with Maxwell lately. We sit and have conversations all the time - he jibber jabbers expressively, using intonations, head tilts, and hand motions and Jason and I answer or interject with comments pretending like we know what he's talking about. But besides the baby talk, it's amazing to hear him tackle some pretty tough words and actually start putting words together. So, aside from the normal "mommy, daddy, baby" I'm going to list some of Max's favorite words; I realize this may seem over the top but I mostly just want to always remember his first words, and believe me I'm my own worst critic when it comes to posting things. I think "oh I should post that" and then later, "no that's dumb, nobody wants to read that" and then kick myself later for forgetting what it even was. So here goes....
ah-cado = avocado
ah-poe = apple
bahpah = grandpa
bahboe = bible or bubble
bahbees = specifically it's belly, but has been used as a question when pointing at just about anything
bee-bee, bee-bee....ow! = yes, someone has a bit of Bieber Fever and he will sing the song "Baby" (see video)
bees = please. And now it is said with big doe eyes and intentional blinking. Where does he learn this stuff?
bbb - dvd
bus = bus or truck. It finds its way into every conversation
bye bye - and now he's putting it together with bye bye mommy or bye bye daddy
deedoo = thank you. Often said when he hands me something.
jooose = juice
maymen = amen. After every prayer.
me mah = grandma
mew mew = oatmeal
mine = needs no interpretation
ah-wool = owl
shoes
taa-git! = Target!
And he's very fond of saying cousin's JoJo and Mimi's names,

Summer of 2012...Recap Part I

So it's been a while since we've last updated Max's blog; I"ll try to pick up where we left off. Summer was filled with all sorts of fun activity...mostly going to Auntie Kristan's to go swimming after work because it was so hot!

*photo forthcoming*

I tried taking Max down to our Woodland Beach, but it was hard to enjoy the water with the waves splashing Max in the face...hence this photo:

 

Face splashing + rediculously hot weather + sand in diaper = not so happy baby. (still cute though)

Onward! Over the summer months Jason has been hinting - like a kid before Christmas who wants a mini bike - that he wants an organ. A resounding 'No!' comes from the budget conscious (not to mention space limited) momma. But it doesn't stop there. He continually searches 'child organ savants' up on youtube and plays them randomly for me and casually brings up how "cool that Tony O'Brien guy who plays the organ for the Redford Theatre is and wouldn't it be awesome if Max..." *sigh* I can't say he wore me down, or that I even ever actually agreed to this, but what daddy wants for Maxwell - daddy gets for Maxwell.

Max was terrified of it at first but he quickly came around, as you can see. It's been fun; we purchased some books and I've started practicing on it - starting from the very beginning levels. But it's hard to practice when a squirmy little boy wants to sit on your lap and push every single button - so don't expect a Burt Family Christmas Concert Extravaganza just yet.  

Happy 1st Birthday Max! 6-13-12

MAX B.C. (before cake)

                                             MAX A.D. (after destruction)

Rosie-whaat?

It's 3:00 pm, you're at work, your phone rings and it's your son's daycare. I normally try not to panic when this happens. It's usually a fever, which usually is owed to some new teeth coming in; we usually get him home, usually give him Tylenol, we cuddle, usually he's all better the next day. Such was not the case a few weeks ago. (Wednesday June 6 to be precise). "Come get Max, he has a 102 fever." they say. So I did. When I got there they warned me that a little girl had Roseola but they didn't know until it was too late. Not knowing what Roseola was I somewhat brushed it off thinking "I'm sure Max is just getting more teeth." I took him home, gave him Tylenol, we cuddled, he seemed better. I was smug in my accurate diagnosis of my son's issue. Pah! I put Max to bed at his usual time. Two hours later he was fussing and inconsolable. Couldn't give him more Tylenol, it wasn't time yet and he was burning up! This went on for several more days and endless nights. I would watch the clock, waiting the recommended 6 hour waiting period between dosing to relieve my little guy of his pain and his fever. Saturday he seemed to be better. Then came the red dots. Sunday, the full blown rash. Still cranky, upset and aparently still not feeling well, Max looked even worse. These pictures don't really do the rash justice, but thankfully they didn't itch or anything (or so I read).

 

By the following Tuesday (June 12) he was back to 100% maximum Max! And so ready to get out of the house and celebrate his birthday. Ok so Roseola...CHECK. We can cross that one off the list.

One Week Later

As any parent before me will readily agree, I just can't believe how fast Max - or any baby for that fact - progresses. One day you are bringing home a squished up little bundle of cute, a little bit later arms and legs start flailing sparatically, random noises come along, and now almost 1 year later Max has OFFICIALLY taken his first steps. Just last week we could barely get him to raise his foot and then yesterday Jason and I were sitting on the floor a few feet away from each other and he set Max down, made sure he was balanced and Max would walk to me - about 3 steps. Then I'd turn him around, balance, and back to daddy he'd go, laughing, wobbling and grinning from ear to ear. He did this about 5 or 6 times...it was exhilerating to see his confidence grow and to watch how excited he was about his new ability. At this rate, he should be ready to show off for his 1st Birthday coming up!

That's one small step for Maxwell...

This is a blog about Max, is it not? Therefore, henceforward and heretofore (and so on and so forth) I've decided that I need to start writing about Max not just posting pictures. There are so many wonderful things about him that bring smiles and laughter to Jason and I and it's inevitable that I won't remember ALL of them. So, thanks to our friends in Switzerland and THIS post I will try my very best to document "Maxisms". So yesterday I think it's a fair to say I'm pretty sure we saw Max take his first step. Lately he's been unwittingly standing on his own so we've been encouraging him to move forward before he realizes he's not hanging onto anything; and lo and behold that little chubby foot inched up and forward and down just before he lunged into daddy's arms. We were so excited we screamed and cheered and scared poor Max half to death making him cry. Way to go mom and dad, now he'll never want to walk for fear of being screamed at.

Smokey Mountain Vacation 2012

Left Monroe on Easter, stayed in Berea, KY for 1-night, arrived in Pigeon Forge, TN for 4 days, then Covington, KY (across from Cincinnati, OH), and then back home.

Vacation2012

Keeping Maxwell Busy...

...while traveling to the Smokey Mountains

Travel4-2012

Click on picture above to view entire album

Spring is here!
Max is 9 months old already. He's been crawling around getting into all kinds of things, mostly cat food and dirty shoes; he pulls himself up to a standing position, and sings and bangs on anything with a flat surface. Someone get this boy some bongos!

Bath Time!

Merry Christmas!

With Great Grandma Marty
The Christmas Program
Christmas Day

6 MONTHS OLD!

Here he is...6 month old! (Dec. 13, 2011)


And here he is, discussing world economics with his pen pal Sophie from Switzerland!


So um, what else is there to talk about..

Thanksgiving 2011

*Getting kisses from Grandma
*Elijah says "Hey what's for dinner?"
*Chillin with Unlce Bryon and cousin Elijah
*Ready to chow!