Night Night & Tickle Giggles

Memorial Day in Tahoe

This past Memorial Day weekend our friends Jeff & Sam invited us up to their house in South Lake Tahoe. It definitely wasn't a BBQ'ing weekend because the weather was COLD (snow flurries), but we managed to go out for a couple nice walks. We had to keep with the leisurely stroll because of course Max is insistent on walking by himself the entire time! :)

Sam even hooked up a babysitter on Saturday night so we could hit up the casinos. I wasn't so lucky, but Sam scored $2500! Niiiicccee. Not only that, she managed to bet Jeff in a Yahtzee game that he wear some electric blue skinny jeans if he lost so she could take a photo...he lost, photo is pending.

Tank got along with their dog Bettis just great, and I think by the end, they were BFFs.

What a great time! Can't wait to do it again sometime. Thanks Hamlins!

Max geared up and ready for our walk

Emma says "C'mon Max!"

Walking Tank too

Venturing off into the forest 

There's the crew ahead of us

We're a little behind

Ok maybe ALOT behind 

Shoes are wet, but still trudging along!

Enjoying the view on our walk

Max & Emma threw sticks in the river 

Emma, her monkey Bono, and dad Jeff pose under a fallen tree

Not-so-terrible TWO

It is hard to believe that two years have come and gone with Max. In the blink of an eye, he was a wee baby all swaddled up and carried around and now a little boy running around and talking.

Talking seems to be Max's specialty at the moment. He can repeat about any and everything that you say. That makes us a little more careful nowadays about what we do say, because Max can now actually understand those words too! We find ourselves spelling "i-P-a-d" or "W-a-l-k" because this kid is ON it once you say it. He wants to "draw!" or "play birds!" (Angry Birds...we didn't show him, he found that himself, thank you) on the iPad. And don't mention going outside unless you are ready because this guy is grabbing his "Dapatos" (Zapatos - spanish for shoes) and sunglasses and he is ready to "Walk! Walk! Pleeeaaassseeeee!!!"

Max is still a pretty good eater too. No change in his favorites (we swear he's part Mexican and we call him our little Max-ican) which are black beans, rice, and avocado any way you serve it (but guacamole is the BEST). His favorite restaurant is Chipotle, or any taqueria in the vicinity. He loves fruit, especially watermelon. Although he gets a variety each morning for breakfast, his preference is oatmeal with a little yogurt, honey, and raisins thrown in. He even has an "OATMEAL! OATMEAL!" chant & dance he does some mornings after getting dressed to give us a signal as to what he wants for breakfast. Veggies can be a challenge sometime (unless it's corn or peas) so we serve those up from the mash-ups or happy-tot packs so he can get some dark greens in his meals.

Max is an independent and outgoing kid. He is insistent on doing things on his own right now, such as putting on his socks, combing his hair, and putting his own dishes away. He tends not to shy away from strangers, but can sometimes be hesitant when alot of people are around and he just woke up. He tests us constantly with what he can do or not, and yes, he whines and throws tantrums. However, he gets over them quickly enough once we are firm or ignore him.

 Max LOVES Tank. Like a brotherly love. Then sometimes he takes his frustration out on him. Tank is such a sweet boy about it though. Max has to say goodnight to everyone before going to bed: Night Mama, Night Daddy, Night fan, Night Pee Pee(yes, the toilet), Night Tankie. The sweetest part is he gives all of us a kiss goodnight including Tank. And if you forget Tank, he's going to make you go back. It is all very sweet but...I also think this kid has his stall tactics :)

Max's imagination has been running wild lately too. He doesn't even realize how much he entertains us on a daily basis or cracks us up with his mimicking. He loves to "talk on the phone". He will "read books" in his crib and sometimes to Tank, even if Tank isn't really listening. When he is reading he will point out and say the words he does know on that page, like "Hey! Chicken!" or "Cow Moo" and babble the rest of it. He takes laps around the house and likes to watch his shadow on the wall in the hallway when he does. He likes to put things away after he takes them out of a package or box. He is drawing constantly and will point to it and tell us what he drew (which is good, because we can't quite make out what he is drawing yet!) like "M!", "duck", "giraffe", "Agua" (yep...more spanish). He loves to dance and jump, and give you high fives. Lastly, his most favorite game as of late is going on our bed and pretending to go "night night" or jumping and doing trust falls by himself.

Max is such a fun little guy right now and we are soaking up every moment. Terrible twos? Maybe some days, but the good is really outweighing the "terrible" :)

Mother's Day...best EVER

And I really mean that! The day started off with some breakfast at my favorite spot Cafe Borrone. Then we headed over to the beach near the Ritz Carlton in Half Moon Bay. The day was a little chilly, but we bundled up and enjoyed our time at the beach. From walking in the sand, playing with sticks, and checking out the tide pools, we were all pooped by day's end. What a wonderful time I had with my boys...and a wonderful husband to plan it all. To top it off? Leon & Max got me some Tory Burch flats AND a Jawbone Jambox...oh yeah!

Max and Dad make their way down the steps

Mom & Max in hoodies

Max has got them moves...not exactly like Jagger

Tank had a bday too

And he turned 8 years old on May 11th! My, how time flies. Tank is still my original "boo boo" as I call him. I can spot more and more grays on his face as the years pass, but he is still the spunkiest, energetic, most cuddly fur baby ever.

And as tradition goes, Tank enjoyed Fred Steak and a Sprinkles cupcake.

Love you Tankie!

Trying really hard not to touch that cupcake

Yum!

Uncle Wesley visits

Back around 4/22 Uncle Wes graced us with a visit. It was hard to believe that the last time Wesley saw Max was when Max was only 6 months old! Max didn't mind - it was like they picked up where they left off. Within minutes Max was calling "Uncle! Uncle!" every chance he could get, and asking Wesley to pick him up about...oh...every 5 minutes!

Nai Nai & YiYi also made the trek up from LA to spend the weekend together. Here's some pictures from us taking a stroll around the Stanford campus on a really beautiful day.

We miss you Uncle Wesley and hope you can visit again really soon!

Wesley watching a game of Quidditch...yes you read that right!

YiYi, Nai Nai, Wes, & Max

Leon, Max, Nai Nai, Wes, YiYi

Max taking the lead 

Max spent about 90% of the time pushing his stroller around campus

Enjoying the cool hallway arches

Uncle Wes plays with Max over the fountain

Having fun

and more fun

YiYi, NaiNai, Leon, Max, me, Wes

More fun over the fountain with Uncle Wes

Running around it too

And one more time with YiYi

Remember Easter?

Yeah... Easter. That's how far behind I am! Apologies...making up for all I missed now though. Like I said earlier, I had distractions :)

Well this year Easter was so fun. I mean, I think Max had fun, but Leon and I definitely had fun watching Max. It was great that he got to enjoy some of the cool things that the year before, he didn't have a clue about. Like,

Dying easter eggs:

Look at that concentration!

Opening his easter basket:

Spiderman AND a football? Happiness.

Participating in the annual Easter Egg Hunt in Burgess Park:

With friends Teagan & Henry and their parents

Waiting for the hunt

On Daddy's shoulders looking over the crowd

Catching on right away, Max spots some eggs 

Got the loot, let's get outta' here

Bye bye eggs

Max scored big :)

What a fun time. Can't wait to do it again next year!