Calvin's Third Birthday Party

Max met a new little friend this past summer in Sportball and swim lessons named Calvin. Calvin just turned 3 but the two of them get along great! Jenni (his mom) and I have become friends as well so we are busy trying to schedule play dates. Calvin's birthday party today was all about bugs. They had a water slide, bug containers and yummy bug cupcakes. But of course, Max found the train/car table in his toy room so forget about the rest of the fun stuff! We barely got him on the water slide and that only lasted about 15 minutes. He didn't even want an animal balloon or to decorate his own bug jar. He munched his cupcake on the way home.

Fabulous Friday!

Friday was one of those rare days that Max and I didn't have to rush up and out of here to be somewhere. Plus, the weather was inexplicably cooler than a normal end-of-August day. We spent our morning outside where he read his Thomas the Train magnet book (which he has since named his "scrapbook"). We spent a couple of hours at the Cedar Park Library where he learned about the computers, picking books (for free!) and took a quick ride on Clifford The Big Red Dog. We rounded out our day at the park while Todd went for a run. It was a great day!

First day of Preschool

Max did awesome this morning! He had no tears and barely even hugged me goodbye. He gave a quick hug and kiss and said "Bye Mama." That was it and he was off running with the other kids to the toys. I had a few tears but nothing major. His teacher had a "Parent Survival Kit" for us equipped with chocolate, tissues and tea and the sweetest little letter to us giving us all reassurances that everything would be fine. I'm picking him up at 2 and we are coming home to make smoothies this afternoon.

Playing in the rain

This nice little shower this afternoon cooled us down quite a bit. Max wanted to go out and play in the rain so that's what we did. He was fine until the thurnderclap and then he ran back inside. Cute anyway to watch him play. He has quite the imagination today.

Race Car

We tried to make a race car today that Grandma Markay wanted us to make. We saved our paper towel roll, bottle lids, found some toothpicks and a straw. Max painted the entire car red (and calls it "Lightming McQueen" - did you expect otherwise??). He didn't want any other color on it!

While the paint dried, we attempted to go swimming but got rained out so instead he ate goldfish and literally watched paint dry.

I tried to finish out the car with the "adult" tasks but alas, his car is lopsided and I can't fix it. He doesn't seem to care and in fact went to get his "Little People" guy to fit in as the driver.

Preschool - First Foundations Open House

Max is beginning preschool this week! His school First Foundations hosted their open house last Friday. We loaded up our school supplies and headed to meet his teacher and see his classroom. His teacher is Mrs. Rhonda Fionda and he will be in the frog classroom. We had a list of items "to do" before we could leave. Max helped sort out into bins all of his school supplies, he found the bathroom, located his cubby and his clip chart. The clip chart will be used to determine his progress for the day. He starts everyday with one clip. He can earn or lose clips. If he has 3 by the end of the day, he will get a prize from the treasure chest.

I made a handprint of my hand which he helped me with and he made his lilly pad placemat for his table. Mrs. Fionda had a nice little treat for him in his cubby.

He is excited. He picked out his lunchbox (Buzz Lightyear) and his own water bottle (Lightning McQueen).

Pedicure? Well...almost

I was so desperate for a pedicure this week I took Max along. The place I go has 4 chairs in the shapes of animals, with smaller bowls for smaller feet and each are equipped with a mini-DVD player. Max ate goldfish and "nalo" bars (a/k/a granola bars) and watched Alvin and the Chipmunks while he "washed his stinky feet". He had a fun time and my toes look great!

Storytime Live

Great day! We met our friends Brenda and Victoria today to see Storytime Live. It was live production of Ni-Hao Kai Lan, The Wonder Pets, The Backyardigans and Dora the Explorer. The kids danced and clapped, hugged and kisssed and cuddled us in the seats. It was a really good production (except for The Wonder Pets...that poor turtle was pitiful!)These are the best pictures we could get. They were a lot anal about "photography". We snuck these pictures at intermission...We rounded out our morning with yummy food from Threadgill's. We miss seeing our friends every week at swimming but are so thankful we can still have playdates and fun!

Ice Screammmmmmmmm

Max knows how to get into his ice cream. What a fun day!

Why we don't play with our gum!

Inner Space Caverns

I'm keeping Bradley this week. On Monday, Robyn was off was so we decided to take the boys to Inner Space Caverns. Max was still a little too young to handle it by being still and quiet but I think it was fun for them to venture down into a cave for the afternoon. They take you down into a 72 degree cave by a trolley car (which Max thought was pretty cool). There are all sorts of rock formations and water dripping. The bats flying around were a little too much for my liking but I put on a brave face and sucked it up. Here are a few pictures.

Toys

As most everyone knows, Max LOVES his toys. It's not unusual to see him walking around with at least 2 toys in his hands at all times. He sleeps with toys, he starts his night-night prayers saying "Dear God, thank you for my toys, and what else?"

While we were staying at our friends in Minnesota, Max got to sleep in Will's room which was like a toy store to him. Every morning he would wake up with yet another toy in his bed. On our last morning as I went to get him up to leave, this is what I found in the bed with him. I don't know how the kid got any sleep.

Max's 3 1/2 Year Pictures

Trisha did an awesome job at getting him to cooperate for pictures. Here are a few of my favorites. Not showing all of them because they just might show up on Christmas cards or randomly in your mailboxes....