TV Debut

Max made his TV debut last week in this clip from a local Chicago show called Check, Please! that reviews restaurants in the city and suburbs. We happened to be at one of my favorite lunch spots, Urban Belly the day that they were filming for the show. You'll see a really quick clip of us in the first one-minute-plus segment and if you click 'play' again you'll see more footage of Max and mama in the next six-minute-plus segment.

Here he is with one of his favorite "toys" - a travel-size lotion bottle.


And after slobbering all over the window, giving it kisses:

He just loves standing at the window looking out, and also standing at the full-length mirror checking out that baby that looks just like him.

We had a warm-for-January day last week, so we headed over for a walk in the Morton Arboretum. Max was so peaceful in his stroller and just took it all in.

Max has been cruising around his crib lately. And though I haven't watched him figure out how to get from laying down to sitting up to standing (we have seen him many times go from sitting to standing, but never from laying down) - he has been standing up in his crib waiting for us to come get him the last few mornings. Time to lower the crib mattress again. He is very proud of himself.

He is still not liking the car normally, but he does get all snuggled up when we go for a ride now.

What a face!

Yesterday Max discovered the joy of the teething biscuit. Still no teeth coming in (as you can see), but man did he love sucking on it and gumming it. I have gone from having spit up all over my clothes to having his food all over me (and of course all over him ) after each meal. Now I will also have teething biscuit residue all over me apparently. He needed a bath after his first experience with the biscuit!

His winter coat is still a little big for him, but it does keep him warm. By the end of the winter it should fit just right. : )

I have been doing some grant writing the last couple weeks, and Max has already started with the separation anxiety, so we have had some fussy times, but here's a happy smile - playing with a new toy from the Barrs.

I see baby Mike when I look at this picture of Max:

I just took this picture off my phone. At Christmas we definitely thought there were some teeth coming - but still no evidence. With as much as he enjoyed gnawing on the chair, I am surprised he hasn't started doing this with his crib rails.

In less than a week Max will be 8 months old. He is starting to wave, cruising around his crib, holding up his arms to be picked up, showing a preference for certain toys (especially non-toy cell phones and remote controls!), and sleeping through the night!!! Hooray sleep training. It is certainly a work in progress, with short short naps during the day, but having him out of our bed and sleeping almost 12 hours at night feels like a small miracle.

Crawling!

I wouldn't quite call him proficient yet, but Max did start crawling yesterday! Grandma Alyse, Grandpa Vic and daddy were all here to see too.

Dinnertime Snorting and Jumping

I am so glad that Max seems to enjoy his food as much as mama does! So far he likes all things sweet - sweet potatoes, carrots, butternut squash, apples, pears, mango, and most especially bananas. Avocado, cereal, yogurt, chicken and green beans he tolerates when mixed up with other things.

We aren't letting him do this anymore so close to bedtime, but he sure had fun when we did! No wonder the kid couldn't fall asleep!

Happy 2010

Happy New Years Resolutions everyone! Though I didn't keep my 2009 resolution (to go to bed with a tidy house) one single day in 2009, I am doing a good job so far with my many 2010 resolutions, one of which is to update Max's blog once a week. So, grandparents - lament no more! There shall be a plethora of Max photos (and it's not like you don't see him often anyway). : )

Over the holidays we had a great, though hectic time with lots of visits with family and friends. Max opened his first Christmas presents, and couldn't have been less interested. Next year that will all be different. First we celebrated with the Itos. Here is Max opening gifts with Uncle Jon:


And we had a lovely visit with the Mochizukis - Min on the right was the one who married us 4 1/2 years ago and also married Mike's parents 39 1/2 years ago. We were so thrilled that they were able to stop by and meet Max. Max only had eyes for Min's wife June.

Then we headed for our whirlwind trip to Michigan to visit Mike's family in the Detroit area - Max just LOVES his cousins!

And doggies - seriously daddy, I think Max really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really wants a dog. Preferably a big one.

Santa managed to find us Christmas morning even though we weren't at home and brought Max his first stocking. Complete with a hand-knit hat that Mrs. Klaus must have made for him.

Max had a visit with Uncle Phil who is headed overseas with the military this month.

Grandma Wood got Max a sled for Christmas so we took it out today to try it in our new fluffy snow. Max enjoyed it, and it was a good workout for me.

We had an amazing 2009, and are looking forward to a great 2010 watching this cutie pie grow up. We have lots of firsts ahead of us, including hopefully a first night of uninterrupted sleep as we started sleep training last night. Max surprised us by not crying as long as we thought he would. So we are making baby steps towards getting on track in the sleep department too.

And this is just another gratuitous shot of cute hand-knit items that I made for Max.

Happy New year!