Yikes - February got busy

Hey. I'm nipping in to get one more post in before the end of the month. These past two weeks have been hectic with visits from good friends from out west, taking in a Sens game, hosting local friends over at our place a couple of times and, of course, the Oscars. It was very strange - this was probably the first year since senior high that I wasn't able to even name the Best Picture nominees. I'm pretty sure I've seen less than 10 movies this past year (rentals included) and sometimes, I just wasn't into seeing something subtitled so whereas in past years, I was usually able to knock off all multi-Oscar nominees before the show, I think I had seen one or two this year. Sad. Good thing I was watching something much more interesting instead (Max).

Speaking of the little squirt, he is getting very close to getting some words together. I think Holly and I have agreed that Max has said both "mom" and "no" and probably meant what he was saying...but he still doesn't say either instinctively or with any regularity. Last night, he said something pretty close to "light". He's also trying hard to put "duck", "dog" and "cat" together. You can tell that he definitely wants to say certain things, it's just a matter of piecing it all together.

Max is still book-obsessed and in particular, likes to focus on pointing out every animal in the books he has. This fascination with animals has stretched to other media too, as he'll point to the little cow on the packaging of his yogurt at breakfast time. He's even pointing to dogs out on the street.

I'm really enjoying picking Max up from daycare these days. He's usually on the couch when I come by, and the couch is backed up against the front window of the house, so he sees me when I approach. Once Max sees me, he usually goes berserk, bouncing on the couch and waving. The first time that happened about a week ago, I just about lost it. I don't think a reaction like that will ever fail to make me smile.

Teeth #9 and #10 have shown up, both molars. I've seen #9 on the bottom and our care provider says that #10 is over on the other side. Soon he's going to be able to lay the beatdown on a serious steak.

The only other news is that Max loves playing with the parachute at gymnastics. Last weekend, all the kids stood on the parachute while the parent stood around the outside, making ripples by shaking the parachute. Max was thoroughly unimpressed and the other parents laughed when I told him to pretend that he was enjoying himself. Then all the kids got under the parachute and we lifted it high over the heads. Max's head just about flew off his shoulders! Lots of squealing and "jumping" around (when Max jumps, he lifts one foot, but not the other, so he kind of just bounces around in a circle). So hopefully we bust the parachute out again this weekend.

Here are some February pictures:


Clearly, Max loves clowns. Apparently, one day in January at his Saturday playgroup, some clowns were invited and kids were crying all over the place. Creepy.

"Alright, that's cool. What time can I drop by and pick you up? Sweet, I'll be there."

Max is OK with sitting up at the front of a shopping cart. But put him in the main body standing up and look out!

Safe? Maybe not. Funny? Most def.

A few Sundays ago, I made some pancakes for Holly and plopped them on the coffee table. Max was so stoked to see them that he tried to skirt the table, but ran into the arm of our chair, bounced off of it and smashed his face on the corner of his toy chest. This is what was left of the bruise after 4 days.

Max got his first chance to eat with an old-fashioned silver baby's spoon and he loved it. It made everybody wonder why they've done away with spoons engineered like that, that are so easy for babies to use, in favour of these plastic things that are impossible for babies to manipulate.

Earlier this month, we went out for Auntie L's birthday and Max discovered he liked virgin pina coladas. I guess it runs in the family.