18 Months

Our boy is 18 months.  I can't believe how time flies...

Max's newest skill...winking.  Watch out girls. 

      

 At 18 months you...


dance by spinning around in circles, kicking your leg and squatting up and down 


love your blanket, fruit, brushing your teeth, Sandy and Bill the teddy bears, I Spy books, balls, Elmo and Christmas lights 


say mama, dada, Abby, church, truck, star, baby, Bible, book, no, Papa, Mimi, up, juice {I'm not sure why he says this because he never has juice}, cookie, sock, ball, and hi 


recognize the letters o and m like it's your job {which makes the teacher in me very proud}


give great hugs and kisses


throw or hit the closest thing to you when you're upset {we're working on this}


and love to be chased.




We think that you...


will give us a run for our money in the parenting department over the next couple of months...which will be a good thing because it will make us depend on Him instead of our own abilities.  

We call you...


Max, Maxwell, buddy, mister, Maximilian

We hope you...

stop taking your shoes and socks off in the car

and continue to be a loving, compassionate little boy.

We love you so much Maxwell!

Myers' Merry Christmas {Picture Post}

We loved being with my family the past couple of days.  It can get pretty crazy and I'm looking forward to getting back to some quieter moments, but I wouldn't trade the memories for anything...

The best gift of the evening...my dad loves telling jokes.  What makes it funnier is that my mom hates hearing them. 

Max couldn't breath with the reindeer nose...

 

The look on Kobe's face is priceless.  I think he's thinking, "How many times is cousin Max going to climb into this walker-thingy before he realizes that he always gets stuck?"

Uncle G reading to Maxwell.  

My brother and his awesome girlfriend.

A little cousinly love.

 

Attempting to get pictures of the grandkids in their pj's from Gramma and Grampa.

 

Max wearing Keeton's glasses.

Top 20 of 2011

I thought it would be fun to look back over my posts this year and give you the top 20 most popular ones from 2011.

So, if you're new here, haven't been around in a while or just want to take a trip down memory lane...here you go.

1. A Few of My Favorite Things
2. Project Simplify Week 1 - Opposites Attract - Other popular posts were Week 5 and Week 2
3. 31 Days of Adoption - The most popular in this series were Open Adoption - How Open?, Domestic Adoption {Transracial}, and International Adoption {China}. *
4. Chuck E. Cheese Overload *
5. For Keeton
6. Sunday Snapshot {New Outfit and a Festival}
7. Paula's *
8. Perfect Timing *
9. Cheaper Than Coffee
10. Florida Picture Post
11. Sunday Snapshot {The Surprise Party I Didn't Want to Have}
12. Sunday Snapshot {The Basket}
13. Procrastinating Pumpkins
14. Our Front Door
15. Forgetful *
16. Link Love {Casey Anthony, Infertility, Strawberry Honey Jam and Modern-Day Slaves} *
17. See Wes Run
18. Sunday Snapshot {feet}...a day early *
19. Max's Party
20. My Find at Salvation Army *

{* means a post related to adoption}

Christmas Festivities

Christmas Eve Eve

Max, Wes' parents and I went to a live nativity.  {Wes was at home with a flu bug.}   We saw angels, some animals, Mary and Joseph, and the star of the show, baby Jesus.  It was so simple, but so meaningful at the same time.  Max was mesmerized by the whole thing and was very concerned when baby Jesus started crying.

After we finished with the nativity, we headed into the barn for some Christmas carols and a short message.

Once again...Max was mesmerized... by this guy.  He loved petting his nose and feeding him some straw.

Christmas Eve

We had Christmas with Wes' parents.

Wes read the Christmas story.

We opened presents.

Max got a train.

A remote control car.

And a kareoke-music-thingy that I may "accidently" remove the batteries from.  Just kidding...but if I hear the "do-re-me" song one more time, it may put me over the edge.  

Christmas Day

We started a new tradition of hanging an ornament {starting December 1} on the tree each day until Christmas morning.  Max has loved doing it.  And we have loved watching him scurry to the play room to pick out the ornament for the day.  On Christmas day, Max got his 2011 ornament.  Wrapped very classily in a target bag...

...and placed in the box you see below that will be designated for his ornament each year.  His ornament is the reindeer you can see at the bottom of the picture.  

We took family pictures after church.

Another new tradition...

Angel food cake to celebrate Jesus' birthday.  Yes, I used a bundt pan.  I guess I will have to ask for a tube pan next year for my birthday.

Max waiting patiently for the celebratory cake and the singing of "Happy Birthday to Jesus".

After Wes' parents headed home, Wes, Max and I had our family Christmas.  Sorry...no pictures...we were busy keeping Max from opening presents that weren't for him and taking the ornaments off of the tree.  Seriously, he hasn't messed with the tree all December.  I'm not sure what got into him.  Despite his moments of craziness, we had a sweet time with each other. 

Our Christmas festivities aren't over yet.  We're heading over to my parents' house tomorrow for our last Christmas celebration of the year.  

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas to everyone in blog-land!  I keep wanting to sing, "Christ the Lord is risen today! Ha-a-a-a-a-a-le-lu-uu-ia!"  Totally an Easter song.  But I guess we can't have Easter without Christmas...

Thank you God for your perfect plan of sending your only Son to come to this earth as baby!  

Capturing Moments

Sometimes I capture moments like this.

Creepy face.

Furrowed-brow face.

Sometimes I capture moments like this.

First experience licking frosting off of a spatula.  Bonus capture: Max's pants and diaper falling down.

At least he's still on the snack rug...

Sometimes I capture moments like this.

Max sitting long enough for me to get a picture of his sweet, handsome face.

The Christmas festivities for our family begin tomorrow with a live nativity.  Looking forward to spending time with family and celebrating the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ!

May your Christmas be filled with many moments worth capturing...