i can't believe i took this picture

with my phone no less- who is the baby beefcake?

a post from the bossman

max has especially requested that I post the following...he'd like to send a shout out to his grandma who is having a very special day today and as you can clearly tell from the attached picture has really been there for him...back when he didn't even have a name for himself

happy birthday momma fish

we are regulars...

at our local tex-mex joint...we go most fridays for dinner It is also the source of the majority of the cheese consumed during my pregnancy which explains why Max is so comfortable here

PS Get out your magnifying glass and note the super cute scarf hand knit by our good friend M.Arthur...nice and toasty!

heLLO?

You learn so much about your own habits once your child begins accelerated aping phase. For example, Max now picks up his toy cellphone (or any phone like plastic object) and shouts 'Lo...Lo!" as in hello, hello. So very expectant and busy sounding. He is also very obsessed with sitting at his papa's computer and attempting to use it. I once opened up a word document and just let him go to town, that was a fun game.
Other great interests: CARS CARS CARS, construction sites, boats!!!!! (especially since he got to explore a victorian triple masted tall ship as the asst ring bearer in auntie cousin's recent wedding)
He is very affectionate and likes to give hugs and blow kisses. He starting saying "mama, come" and "please, down" and "all done!" all at the appropriate times. He gets a kick out of telling us what to do- which we generally comply with because we are awash in the joy of successful communication. He's not too harsh a task master, his requests are mostly transportation related "go, go ,go!!!...shoes? coat? Go!" or the oft repeated "papa, mama HELP...keys!" that sort of thing. He is growing kinder with Ruby kitty kat after a brief phase of attempting to sit on, squish and generally physically alter the cat. He really likes her and attempts to speak to her in her native tongue...on all fours..next to her food dish under the dinner table while she is eating. This makes a mama nervous as we do not want to awaken the call of the wild in our domesticated, slightly over weight grey tabby. First law of the jungle, son...don't mess with my food (rar!) Max really enjoys telling us animal sounds as we request them, riffing on the lion (with outstretched jabbing of paw.) Horsie sounds make their big appearance during rousing choruses of "Old MacDonald" Mx always does the horse sound with great relish. In fact, we have determined with Max's help that old macdonald actually ran a horse farm.

The wee maestro really enjoys making a joyful noise on his piano, keyboard, various drums and percussion objects, kazoo, harmonica and now....his geetARR. He sits down on the floor or his little red plastic chair and gets his hands in all the right spots and just strums away. He also makes up little songs that bear occasional resemblances to something sort of vaguely familiar. He always throws his hand in the air and shouts "yay" at the end so we know when to applaud. Here's a transcription of his first recognizable song..."wingle wingle la la la stAR" He is truly a baby pirate -he so relishes the AAAR sounds. Ok ok ok the floodgate did just open - due to a long absence in the detailed updating. Advances start happening so fast, the use of silverware, drinking from a cup and on and on til one day you realize how changed and grown they are. Things happen fast, its a cliche because its so consistently true. So, dear reader I hope I've caught you up and you will be prepared for our next posting entitled "drivers ed"

perfunctory feel good family photo for the holidays

we wish you and yours a marvelous holiday season...
and Max says "drrrr ga duuudette...CAR grrr!"

3 weeks later

he talked in his sleep last week- i couldn't believe it. He was so clearly asleep and yet saying something very specific
"peee"
*pause*
*sigh*
'biaaa"

it could be that he just wet himself and then fondly recalled that morning's bialy.

He does look out the window at our coffee shop and say "bia bia bia!" which I take to mean bialy- a delectable alternative to the bagel which he loves devouring at above mentioned coffee shop

and now for your shot of the day, here's max enjoying a cappucino- just the foam- really!

the watermark rises - 17 months!

bok bok!

Max's first Halloween parade! Cobble Hill is serious about all hallows eve. All the parents and kids gather in the little neighborhood park (next to clinton cafe-free mimosas with brunch! steak night!)--the costumes were great and Dan Zanes (big time celebrity troubador to the tots)and his cohorts led the parade then played in the park surrounded by bobbing and wailing tots. What an experience...when that broke up the masses took to the streets, going stoop to stoop begging for baby crack (oh, I mean candy)

Max had a great time but got a wee bit overwhelmed in the teeming park. Once we parked ourselves on aunt julie and tio miguel's stoop the evening calmed a bit. Big fun! Funny side note, in our lead up to halloween, we practiced putting on the chicken head and saying "bok bok" - it got to where everytime we put it on, Max automatically started clucking. BUT of course on the actual evening the "bok bok" was repalced with a searching glazed look.

So he was not the pope or winston churchill or gay baby but he was a chicken with a costume found in a most resourceful manner. Here's a game, guess what is very special and different about this particular chicken costume!

16 months old - my first job

Is 16 months too young to be a soda jerk? Is it too young to command the power of levitation (check out those maraccas!)

This month Max walked some more, ran, started really climbing and added "nononononono" to his vocabulary. He has also started using "mama" as a substitue for "I want something, now!"

He went to Branson, Missouri and Copperas Cove and Austin, TX (all separate trips) and astounded his many extended relatives with his charm and charisma! In Texas, Max ate much guac. and queso (claro que si!) but no margaritas or Shiner Bock (gotta save something for the 2nd birthday.)
In Copperas Cove Max enjoyed many great things: the joy of herding chickens on a motorized chair with only a water hose, the joy of climbing a very high water slide then going down (with help), the joy of swinging on the porch in the shade.
In Branson Max demanded to be introduced to the culinary delights of swine and fowl. We sated his curiosity but did not go overboard, thank heavens. My great fear is that once he tastes bacon he'll never eat anything else again, ever. OK, except maybe cheese, potatoes and bread. When that day comes we'll have sure proof of which parent he truly takes after.

15 months today

an abbreviated review of the summer...by no means comprehensive