Olympic-Bound

Surprised to see me so soon?

I couldn't resist sharing a Little Gym moment with you. Max and I have been dedicated Little Gym-ers since he was a mere 4 months old. When he started he could barely lift his head off the red mat, now he is only 3 short months away from me dropping him off and heading to class without me (sniff, sniff).

I have absolutely loved taking Max to this class. It has been amazing to watch his skills grow over the years. He is so independent now running from the rings, to the bar, to the balance beam. Doing bear walks and spider crawls, donkey kicks and wall handstands.

One of his latest and greatest accomplishments in the forward roll (formerly known as the somersault). This has taken him quite a while to master the right technique, but once he got it, he can't get enough!

Check out our little tumbler.

Happy 2011...Better Late Than Never

Where has the time gone?

And how do I re-enter the bloggy world after taking a 10 week hiatus?

I'm not really sure if I can do the past couple of months justice by giving you a top ten list or even highlights. I have to admit I have been living in the PRESENT, enjoying each moment with my hubby, my little BIG boy and friends. I have really tried to cherish the here and now because if you don't already know this, time flies! And it seems to be passing me by at record speed right now.

I am pretty sure having a toddler will do that to you. It seems that each day we have a new milestone, a new word or phrase, a new something to laugh at together.

Picture this: Max snuggled in bed with Sam early in the morning. After he is completely situated, nestled right up next to his daddy, covers on, blanket in tow, Max exclaims, "this is soooooooo cozy daddy." Talk about making your heart melt, right?

Or this one: Max in my arms, on my hip, and we are having a conversation, he abruptly stops mid-sentence to pat my pony tail and say, "mommy your hair is soooooo cute." Laugh out loud, right?

I'm telling you this is my EVERY DAY right now. Making our hearts melt, finding joy at every turn, and grateful for this little boy (that is growing up WAY too quickly).

So with all that being said, I need to start sharing these moments that I have been keeping all to myself and get back to sharing them with you.

So I promise that my bloggy vacation is OVER and I have returned.

Before I say good-bye for today I must wish you all a MERRY CHRISTMAS:

Max in his new bounce castle!

And HAPPY NEW YEAR:

Ringing in 2011

So Cheers. To new milestones. A life full of laughter. And hope to what the future will bring.

10 Things List

Since I have been on hiatus from the blogging world, I thought it would be best to re-enter by giving you a 10 Things I Should Have Blogged About the Past Month List.

10. The annual making of the pumpkin pie. This is Sam's 3rd year involving the Mister. First year, Max was in the Bjorn. Second year, in the backpack Kelty, and this year, such a big boy on the counter. Max is very into cooking these days, so he was in heaven helping his daddy.

9. Max's new love: Fire Trucks. He plays with fire trucks. Has a fire truck song that he sings. And has even visited the nearby fire station. (**instant update: Max just looked over my shoulder and saw the picture of fire truck below. He started shouting "Fire Truck, Fire Truck! Let's go see a Fire Truck.") I think you get the idea. The boy is into Fire Trucks. :)

8. Road trip to Chi-Town. Chicago is one of our favorite places to visit, so we thought it was about time we introduced Max to city life. He LOVED it! He took his first train ride (from the suburbs to the city) and his first taxi ride all in one day! I am pretty sure I was an adult before I did either one of those, so I am kind of proud of the fact that we had Max in a train and cab at the age of 2.

7. Buckeye Fever. We all get it this time of year. This season, we erected a 9' tall x 16' wide screen in our backyard. We invited our friends and family and had an outdoor viewing party. It was a night to remember. Hot cider, lots of appetizers, everyone in Buckeye gear, lawn chairs, an HD projector and a big screen. Does it get any better? Oh right, would have been nice if they would have beat Wisconsin.

6. Girls trip to Minneapolis, Minnesota. My girlfriend Becky and I flew to visit one of our friends Joy for a long weekend. We had a great time eating sushi, drinking Jamba Juice and spending an afternoon at the spa. As much fun as it was, I would much rather her just move back to Ohio. Long-distance relationships stink. :)

5. Trick or Treat! Max was Mickey Mouse this year and proud of it! He had lots of opportunities to show off his costume since we happened to trick or treat in two different neighborhoods. In our neighborhood, he ran around with his little friend, Brooke (a.k.a. Minnie Mouse).

4. We have been coping with the loss of my sweet grandmother "Nana" who passed away. I have never met a woman more vibrant with life, active, bubbly and joyful. She was so happy to be alive and showed us all how to live in the moment and enjoy each day given to us. She was a wonderful woman, and I call it a privilege to celebrate her life.

3. Sam and I met Cabo San Lucas for the first time in early November. And we liked it. :) We had a 4-day getaway in paradise. It was hands-down the most romantic place we have every stayed. It was private and remote. Service was outstanding (do I need to mention we had our own private butler?). And the views were incredible. There is something about being in a place where you have the ocean and the mountains in one setting. Stunning. Absolutely stunning.

2. And while we were away? Max was in good hands with Sam's cousin Brit. She adores Maximus and couldn't wait to spend time with him for 4 days. She had special activities planned from bowling to the fire station to ice cream. Thank you Brit for taking such great care of our little boy. Take a look at Max's smiles below, he obviously had a great time in our absence.

1. And last, but not least. Max went ice skating for the first time. Sam might have done some research and found out that we can put Max in hockey/ice skating lessons at the age of 3. So, since that is only 6 months away, we wanted to get the ball rolling and help Max get comfortable on the ice. He did great! He might just be a hockey player in the making.

The Start of a New Hockey Season

Welcome to the 2010-2011 Hockey Season!

As most of our friends and family know, there is always a buzz around our house during hockey season. Sam is a huge fan, and has quickly turned Max into a fan. To say that Max was mesmerized during our first pre-season game is an understatement. He couldn't get enough of the ice, and the hockey players, and the big tv (jumbotron), and the cannon, and Stinger.

Yep, I said it.

Stinger.

The big mascot made an appearance close to our seats early in the game and Max couldn't stop talking, and asking, and looking for Stinger. "Where did Stinger go?" "Is Stinger still here?" "I need to find Stinger." Sam kept trying to re-direct his attention to the ice and the hockey game, but Max just couldn't let it go.

So late in the second period, Stinger reappears. Of course we make a beeline so that Max can shake his hand and get a photo. But, instead of running up to Stinger and giving him a hand pound, Max turned gun-shy and wouldn't even look our mascot in the eyes. In fact, Max was clinging to us for dear life, and begging us with his eyes to take him back to his seat. Honestly? I don't blame him. I mean seriously, it is an adult dressed up like a big hornet.

But, I digress.

Let me share some of my favorite photos of our first hockey game to kick off the 2010-2011 season.

Apple Picking Adventure

With autumn leaves falling and cooler weather approaching, Max and I decided to join Kristen and her gang at the apple orchard and picked 1/2 bushel of delicious, organic, apples.

It is hard to believe it has been a couple of years since we visited an apple orchard. Max was only about 5 months old the last time we picked apples. Look at how little he is!

And now our little boy is not-so-little anymore. This adventure was right up his ally. He absolutely loved picking apples. And eating them. In fact, he spent more time eating than picking. I caught him over and over again picking an apple, taking 2 bites, and then tossing it into his bag. After I realized he had done this with more than a dozen apples we had to have a little chat about "respecting the apple orchard" and "not wasting the precious, organic apples."

All in all, it was a fantastic day and a fantastic memory. I am looking forward to this becoming an annual tradition. And wouldn't be surprised if we find ourselves back at the apple farm later this year picking a different variety of delicious apples!

Post for Uncle E

We decided to sign Max up for an indoor soccer clinic on Saturday mornings. I am not sure who is more excited each week to rush the soccer field - Max or daddy?

Max has proven, in a very short amount of time, that he has some soccer skills.

I thought that Uncle E (Emily's bro, who is also quite talented on the soccer field) would enjoy this little video.

OBX 2010

That's right! We returned (a bit early thanks to Hurricane Earl) from our annual family vacation. This year, we had 16 adults and 11 children in one big house. Outer Banks seems to be the perfect location for all of us. The ocean, the charm, and of course for the menfolk, golf courses galore.

Max was a blast this year. He loved the sand, the ocean and the constant playdates with his cousins!

Here are some of my favorite photos:

Enjoying a snack poolside

Daddy's gift to Max:

his first boogie board

I can't believe Max picked up this (not so alive)

horseshoe crab

Mommy and Max's favorite after nap activity:

collecting sea shells

Another year=

Another attempt at a cousin photo

Flying High

in OBX