Heat Wave 2011


Sweet chubby cheeks like these get pink so fast, as this year's heat wave has proven once again! This is how they were after a 5-minute drive to the grocery store. We did have to wait outside a brief second so I could stalk a dad who was finishing up with this cool car/shopping cart, while the boys screamed "Get that car, Mommy!"


I think Harry looks like a teenager here.



I'm sure regular readers will not be surprised to read that Max continues to love to draw on himself and to run around without clothes on.

"Because that's how it works."


This is the refrain of my 2-year-old.

"Why did you climb out of your crib 36 times?"
"Because that's how it works."

"Why did you smack your brother in the face?"
"Because that's how it works."

"Why did you pour your milk on the table?"
"Because that's how it works."

The phrase is delivered as if he has the life experience of a 75-year-old, who has seen life's ups and downs. And we have no idea where he got it, or how he learned to use it in such a smart aleck way. Oh, Maxwell....You make life so interesting...


"Why did you steal that truck from your brother?"


"Because that's how it works."

Vacation!


Two little boys who could not be more ready for the waterpark!



Harry was a daredevil on the big waterslides, and went down time after time after time. Poor Max wanted to go sooooo bad, but wasn't big enough!



He made do in the toddler area.

We took a break from the water for a bit to do some bikeriding near Lake Geneva. Rob and his precious cargo.





Crabby passengers. They skipped naps so were both a bit whiny on the trip. They complained the whole way. ("Go faster!" "You're going too fast!" "It's hot." "There are bugs." Blah, blah, blah.) Then were mad when the ride was over because they wanted more!



Fake smiles. At least Rob and I had a good time!


All in all the trip to Timber Ridge in Lake Geneva was a blast, and we'll definitely be going back!

Snore..... But not the kind we want to hear.

If you've talked to us in the past two years, you may have learned that Max does not like to sleep. Like ever.



At first, we thought it was a normal infant behavioral thing and treated it as such. We tried Cry It Out, which worked beautifully with Harry (and apparently every other baby in Chicago). We tried a lot of things. But he rarely napped. He woke throughout the night. When we got to a year and he was still waking so often, we just blamed it on ourselves. We are obviously horrible parents! Our baby won't ever sleep!



People kept dishing up the solution to us "Just let him cry."



But oh lord, you have not met this child! He does not cry, he screams. And he can hold out longer than you can. ALWAYS. Like for hours. So we tried treating him for acid reflux. Maybe he had allergies? All of these things took awhile to sort out, before we had a sleep study and learned that poor little Max could not breathe properly when he slept so he was waking up alarmed because he could not breathe! Talk about guilt!



So last week, the little man had his adenoids removed, which were the world's most giant adenoids, apparently.



The docs got him ready by letting him pick the scent on his little anesthesia delivery mechanism. They gave him a giant list and he chose without hesitation "Bubble Gum." Which he has never had. But he was so certain.



And he loved the bubble gum scent.

Little pumpkin in his hospital gown and socks.





Max and Daddy during the hours we had to entertain him beforehand.




After the surgery, and after the morphine had kicked in.





Fully awake and not a happy camper.



Obviously fully recovered and embracing summer. Update: As of Friday he was still mouth-breathing and night-waking. This afternoon during naps, I noticed he was breathing through his nose! Hope to see some great sleeping soon!

Max the great conductor

I have no grandparent excuse in posting this, as I've already emailed it to the grandparents, but I find it too adorable not to share. This is Max at the preschool year-end extravaganza. For weeks, we've been wondering why he's been singing "No More Monkeys Jumping on the Bed!" and now we know why. (The teachers were trying to keep the songs a surprise for parents.) Anyway, Max shows promise as a conductor! (That is, until he tires out.)

Welcome Endeavor!

Space Shuttle Endeavor lands today! This may or may not be a major event in your household, but we have been keeping tabs on all space flights. One of the things that I love about having kids is how you are forced to share their obsessions. I had not really thought about space flight in a long time before having two boys. But when Endeavor took off, I teared up! Max has decided that he will go in a big rocket, in a space shuttle to space, where he will be an astronaut! But let him tell you himself....