6 Months!

I just love this little dude.  He is so happy!  And I took these pictures the same day he got shots in the morning.  What a trooper!

Max is just a joy.  Although, he is nearly as hard to keep entertained as his 3 year old brother--and that's saying something.  This guy goes goes goes and complains when he gets bored, which is often.  I have to get really creative sometimes to keep this guy entertained all day.  I really look forward to when my boys can truly play together.

Max weighs over 18 pounds and is around 26 inches long.  That's 75th percentile for both weight and length.    And let me tell you, this kid is already a tough kid.  He loves rough and tumble play, just like big brother.  And I'm so surprised sometimes what Max will allow Mason to do to him and he doesn't even cry.  Mason's never mean to him, but sometimes Mason plays too rough and half the time Max doesn't even care.  In fact, he gets a kick out of it.

Max is still a pretty mellow, easy-going child.  He used to be my little cuddle bug....but now that he's so active he can't sit still long enough to snuggle.  He LOVES to be held....just not necessarily to cuddle (there's a difference!).  He's just so active.  He gets to everything he can on the floor by scooting and he gets up on hands and knees with belly off the floor and does the rocking thing babies do before they crawl.  I'm astounded, because Mason didn't truly crawl until he was around 9 or 10 months and started walking at 11 months.  And here Max has already taken several steps crawling.  Funny how each baby has their own unique timetable for things they master developmentally.  I don't know what I'm going to do with this baby.

And thank goodness that the risk of SIDS dramatically decreases once they are 6 months, because ever since we stopped swaddling him (which was after the first month cuz he's never liked it!) he always sleeps on his stomach and seeks out a cozy corner of the crib to shove his face into.

This is how it started

Then it got better, face down in the bumper

Then it got even better, where he grabs the bumper and folds in down over his face, ya know, just in case some oxygen could still get through

Oh kid, so many nights you worried me.  I would go into your room every night before I went to bed and pull you a couple inches away from the bumper.  And yes, I know experts now say to remove the bumper for safety reasons, but the one time I tried to do that and put him to sleep, within 2 minutes he had all manner of limbs stuck outside of the crib and was screaming.  So I fixed him and left.  Within 2 minutes the same thing happened....you get the picture.  Apparently, his bumper is his lovey right now.

My Happy Boys

Pictures with Santa

Poor Mason.  He cries every single year sitting on Santa's lap at our Ward Christmas party.  This year we couldn't even get him on Santa's lap.  Maybe next year?  You can tell by Marcos' face that we (along with about 30 people in line behind us) were cracking up.  It sounds sad, but I promise if you were there, you'd be laughing too. :)  My poor, sweet, sensitive little man.

Max on the other hand just loves to be held, and pretty much doesn't care who is doing the holding.  "You want this big red bearded stranger to hold me?  Sure, Mom.  Whatevs."

Buddies

Marcos and Mason are such good friends.  I have so many pictures of them having fun together that I decided to do a post with some of them.  Mason lights up when Marcos enters the room.  To him Dada=FUN!  The only person who can match and exceed Mason's energy level is Marcos, and they have all sorts of adventures together!

They slide together

They examine spots on the carpet together

They play with the hose together

They wrestle together

They slide again together

They play doctor together

They get haircuts from Grandpa Louie together

They drive the car together (just pulling into the garage :)

They play at the bounce house place together

At the temple together

They basically just love being together!

4 Months!

I cannot believe Max is already 4 months!  Is it just me, or does the time fly by way the heck faster with the second one?!  Last week Max had his 4 month checkup, and he is doing just great.  He is over 15 pounds (around 75th percentile), over 26 inches long (around 90th percentile), and I forgot the head circumference, but it was around 90th percentile as well.  I don't put much stock into percentiles, but some people like to know them.

Max is such a good baby.  Good eater, good sleeper, only fussy when he needs something, go with the flow kind of kid.  I love it!  He is super sweet and smiley all day, and enjoys watching his big brother run around the room crazy.  He has big, striking brown eyes just like Dada.  Mason has been a Daddy's boy through and through since day 1.......and I daresay Max is turning out to be quite the Mama's boy!  (Yay!:)

Max loves going on walks to the park and watching Mason play on the playground.  Max finally enjoys tummy time and can roll over tummy to back, and back to tummy.  He prefers being on his tummy.  He sleeps through the night and constantly eats his whole hands.  He LOVES baths.  He wears 6 month clothes and is growing out of his size 3 diapers.

Here are a few super high quality professional phone pictures of Max from birth to 4 months.  I just LOVE this little boy!

Max Anthony

I realize I haven't even done a proper post adding this little guy to our family blog...and now he's already 4 months old!  (Can you say, second child?!)  Sorry Max.  Being the second born myself, I completely understand. :)

Max was born July 24, 2012 at 5:50pm.  He was 7lbs 8oz and 19.5 inches long.  Mason was an emergency c-section, and for various reasons I had to plan another c-section with Max.  Unfortunately, I went into labor 2 days before I was scheduled to have my c-section.  The good part?  I know he was fully ready to get outta there and I wasn't pulling him out beforehand.  The bad part?  I had to go through hours of unnecessary labor and pain when I knew he had to come out via c-section anyway.  (I had eaten breakfast that morning not knowing I was in the beginning stages of labor, and had to wait 8 hours after eating until they could do the c-section for safety reasons.)  The hours of waiting was the worst part.  My labor pains were bearable, especially when I was sitting up and not on my back.  But I just had to breathe through it all and wait.  And wait.

Finally they prepped me for everything and I don't really enjoy talking about the rest as it gives me anxiety just thinking about labor stuff/surgery while awake/etc.  But long story short....they let Marcos watch the c-section because he is a medical student, the baby came out with no complications, and I survived it all.  I'm not a fan of c-sections, but this one was at least WAAAAAY better than the emergency one I had with Mason where I was put under completely and didn't get to see him come out and was worried about his welfare.  I never had cause to worry about Max during labor/delivery, and I got to see him after he came out.  I felt truly blessed.

Mason has loved Max since day 1.  He kisses him and nuzzles his head.  His only problem is that sometimes he shows too much "love." :)  When Mason first visited with Max in the hospital, he would look at him with wide eyes and smile and "oooo" and "awww" over him.  Mason seemed to know from the start that this baby was different from other babies he'd encountered--that this baby was OURS.

Mason's least favorite thing is when Max cries, and he will often show Max toys and say gently, "It's okay, baby Max."  Mason even shares his toys with him.  (For now) :)

At first I was a little sad I wasn't having a girl, but I honestly could not be happier than I am with my boys.  They are AWESOME.

Welcome to the fun, Max.  We are so happy to have you!