Happy 6th Birthday Max

My baby boy is 6 years old today. It seems hard to believe. How is time moving so quickly?


Max, you are 46.5 inches tall and about 45lbs. You are in size 5 clothes and size 13 shoes. Your hair seems to be in a shaggy blond state no matter how often we get it cut. The babyness has pretty much all left and now you are a long chicken legged little boy.

You told all of us for the last few weeks that you wanted snow for your birthday and you totally called it. I think it was really daddy's present to you.

In the last year a lot has happened for Max. We moved and he now has his own room again, John deere themed. He got to spend a lot of the summer either at school or with someone else as I was pretty busy this summer. Then he started kindergarten. He also got to go on his first ferry and trip to Michigan.   I want to say that he did this with no complaints but he's a bit more stuck in a routine like his mama. The transitions have been harder for him, but he's making it through and come so far since last year.

Max is still a picky eater. It's pretty much chocolate milk, chocolate chip cookies, yogurt, crackers, bread and peanut butter are the go tos. He has added applesauce in one form which makes this mama so happy! school lunches have been hard and a struggle but hopefully as time goes on we will figure out the best mix of foods for this little guy.  Oh i must not forget is cheese pizza lunchables. he would eat them every day if he could.

Max loves school and is doing amazing. He wants to read so badly so we are working on that. He loves the "special" classes and learning more about sports, art and music. His first report card was great. He enjoys recess both indoor and outside. he's also learning to be a good friend and gets along with his whole class. They are all so sweet together. He had a few friends outside of school, but most of his "best" friends are from his class.

Max still loves to play at home, but he loves it best when his first best friend, Bella, is with him. He plays trains, construction, farming and monster trucks. It's taken 6 years but he's finally into arts and crafts.  Experiments and imaginative play are big too. Being the well rounded kid he is, he also loves his time on his iPad where he has so many math and reading games. He actually begs to play them, which makes this mama happy.

Opposite of play is sleep. While Max sleeps great, it means he needs to be right next to me. He's still not a fan of being alone or the dark.  It's a goal to get him in his own bed more, but hey sometimes it's nice to have someone else in my bed.

Oh My Sweet Little Bee,
As you get older, I see a lot of your daddy in you. I think you might look more like me than him, you have so many of his same habits. Your daddy is laughing at me from heaven, when i have to deal with this habits. Your report card even said you only put forth neat work when you want too. This is how your daddy was.  I watch you put together and build things by random, never looking at the directions until you turn to me for help.  You love learning how things work and can remember so many part, machines, equipment names.  I love that i can watch you learn and interact at school. At Rake-a-thon, you worked so hard and make me so proud. Sometimes I still think you of as my little baby, but then I'm reminded of how grown up you really are.  I love that you love your daddy so much, and you make sure we all remember him too. He's totally with you each day and you make sure we all know it. You started to ride your bike without training wheels and have become a daredevil.  You are a smart and clever guy, who i know is going to go places.  I pray you keep your faith in the good and your hard work ethic in all that you do. Until another year my sweet boy.

Max and his tool box

I finally got Max in his toolbox with his new tool from Uncle Andy. He loves his toolbox and tools.

3 years old

My how he’s changed, I thought last year was the last year, but it appears this might be the last year of him in the box.

baby no more

So Max has had a nuk since he was only hours old. I was told not to give him one because it could mess up breastfeeding, but clearly it didn’t affect it at all. He’s loved his nuk and it would do it job to help him go to sleep, calm down when he couldn’t get his way or was hurt, and sooth him when wasn’t able too.

We had meant to take it away when his molars all came in, then Josh got sick again, then we moved and never seemed like a good time. Well I found the post about Bella’s getting taken away and knew I just had to get it done. So we tried once about a month ago and that didn’t go over well, nor could I handle his crying. So we talked about it for two weeks that the Nuk fairy would come and take his nuk. Then he got to go to the store and pick something out. So all last week, I was just waiting for it and reminding max what was to come. Friday night came and it would be the last night with the nuk. I had no plans for a nap over the weekend, so we just happpened to let him get ones in the car. Seemed to work out ok.

I picked up all his nuks when he woke up Saturday morning before we left the house. by the time we got home saturday night, Max wanted his nuk and to go to bed. He got mad when I said he was gone and reminded him what he got instead. He picked out a take and play thomas set. He then went to bed, but didn’t last long in his bed, instead he came to our bed and finally fell asleep at 10pm. He did sleep all night though without any problems.  Sunday he was in bed and asleep by 730pm and didn’t get out of his bed once.  Now if we can get a nap in, that would be great.

Changes for Mr. Max

Well some big changes have happened to Max in the last few weeks. In December he started attending Speech twice a week at the local elementary school.  He wasn’t so sure the first time, but since then he’s figured out really quick all the fun toys and games he can play with. He also is excited to go. Right now I go along with him but starting in the future he will just go and I will get a report afterwards.

Speaking of his speech, he’s getting a lot better with trying to stay words and talking. It still doesn’t work to say “max say ‘x’”  or if it’s someone knew he won’t talk to you, but as he warms up he tends to stay more. Bella can actually get him to repeat a sentence too. He has a very sweet, soft and squeaky little voice.

Next up has been potty training. We started in November, so I’m sure you have seen pictures of his little underwear butt. He doesn’t like to wear pants at home. We have been very laid back about it with him. He picked up quickly though. I would say he’s about 85-95% there. He doesn’t like to tell people when he has to go (but also holds it for 3 to 4 hours) and struggles with poop.  He wears a pullup at bedtime, but is slowly getting more and more dry nights.

Then the biggest change in the response to potty training was Max now has a big boy bed. Max woke up from a nap needing to use the potty and I couldn’t get to him in time, nor could he climb out fast enough, so I said “it’s time” We had a great run with max’s crib. He loved it so much. He’s excited for his new bed thought too.

First time in his crib, a few days old.

Last few days in a crib

oops

So I did great blogging every day and then we came home and I feel off the face of the earth.
Sunday as our ride home. we had no other plans then to get home. THat took us forever! The kids didn’t want to leave the ranch. The drive was just long! WE stopped like 4 ot 5 times until we were two hours from home, then we decided that was it.. we needed to get home. So nothing exciting was missed from the last day. Other then WE got to see Tori and the boys who came to help while we did chores. Or I should say the kids did chores, mine included, while Josh unloaded and Tori and I caught up.  Then Josh K showed up with baby b and got some cuddle time in. He also took home Josh's Elk head, which we need to figure out what Josh is doing with it.
Then week has been been us trying find our groove and get into a routine. Honestly the first two days I didn’t think it would ever happen. We also made the choice that we will be staying in the trailer longer, probably through the winter. So we have been attempting to figure out some small changes we can make to the trailer to make it more liveable for our family.
Work has been going well for me.I had one rough day, but I’ve been on my own with the kids all week, and I think we are getting along well. I’m slowly learning faces and people. It’s also fun to see Bella play and interact with kids. She is with me for about 30-45 mins every day. I found a new mom’s group, that has a catholic connection and I’m looking forward to get further in my faith. It’s always been something I wanted to work on, but struggled as to how to start.
With me working, Max has been having Great Aunt Dar and Nana watch him and seems to be doing really well with it. The goal is to get him to a daycare, but it won’t be open until October some time.  We also had a meeting with the local school district to get started on the paperwork for getting Max into the school for speech once he turns three
Josh is doing well with his job too. His hours are semi crazy, but still normal enough to be able to get Bella from school every day. He misses being his own boss as anyone would, but otherwise he has a great boss and co-workers. he likes being outdoors. He’s also working on a lot on our place. He built his trailer before we left and always working on fixing up something in the house or shed.
Bella had a great week at school. It was her first whole week. She only got to go twice the week before. This week she had Art on Friday, Church on Thursday, Gym on Tuesday and Wednesday. Music on Monday and Wednesday. She is making friends, and not just in her grade but the 2nd graders too. She has taken both hot and cold lunch so far this year.
I also spent some time taking pictures for my buddy and her family, and taking a water aerobics class with another friend.
So you can see we have been busy bees. I also thought cleaning the trailer would be easier but I doesn’t feel that way.

May 30th: Last Day of School.

Today was the last day of school. It was hard to convince Bella of that after her graduation. I was probably more teary –eyed then she was, but she kept asking “is this my last day at St. Clement’s? Do we go to my new school next week?”  WE found the outfit she wore on the first day of school and got a picture on the step, only it was  a bit sunny and Bella was a bit tired.

 

First day and Last day. Kind of looks like she wore it the whole year. I know she grew but hard to tell on here since she wore different shorts underneath.

We got to school and I went in with her for a bit, we got to school a little late anyhow. She took along a little autograph graduation dog for friends and teachers to sign.  We got a picture of her with her teacher before I ended up chatting with teachers and Bella started school

I know during the day they had three recesses. They had left over cupcakes for snack, then had a popsicle for lunch and with the 2nd graders. They watched the movie Frozen with the 2nd graders and then did music with them too. Bella went with two of her friends, Kylie and Vivian, after snacktime to go the different classrooms to get the teachers to sign her puppy. They worked in her classroom to clean it up, including using shaving cream. she seemed to be doing ok until after school got out and she was goofing around with friends and got hit, it was barely a tap, but it was waterworks.  But we made it through. It’s sad to say goodbye but we hope to meet up with friends before we leave the area for good, and are making plans to come back.  

The hallway with her 4k classroom, kindergarten classroom, locker, and music.

With her music teacher Ms. White

last time doing sentence at Kindergarden. This was a wind down to the day and a way to record what they did.

Last group picture

in the reading loft for the last time