Scarlett the Starlet: Max is Eleven Months Old! (October 17, 2012)

Max is almost one year old -- hard to believe! Let's see ... what is Max up to these days?

He gives high fives and fist bumps.
He shakes his head for "no" and gives a huge grin for "yes."
He likes to feed you, and holds out grubby little bits of gummed up fruit, chicken, or whatever it is that he's eating. And he really wants to place it in your mouth and watch you eat it. And you do, even though it's a bit gross. Because it's adorable.
He likes to feed Winnie those same bits of gummed up food, which he drops onto the floor. This is less adorable. Winnie, however, thinks this is the greatest thing ever and largely makes up for the fact that her house has been invaded by two alien creatures.
Speaking of alien creatures, Max likes to point and touch index fingers with you ET-style.
He claps when he hears people clapping on t.v.
He loves to dance to music.
He likes to play with Scarlett's kitchen and her baby stroller. (Max is probably getting his own baby stroller for his birthday for the sake of family harmony, although I suspect he'll still go after Scarlett's. Why? Because he can. That high pitch, blood-curdling scream you just heard in the distance? That was Scarlett, and Max was "messing with her baby stroller!#!##!!!")
He cruises on furniture.
He draws on the chalkboard (when he's not busy eating the chalk) and even uses the eraser.
He drinks from a cup with a lid and straw rather than a sippy cup (probably because that's what he sees Big Sister do).
He is constantly making a break for Winnie's room to try and squeeze himself through the world's tiniest doggy door (which is actually a cat door, but don't tell Winnie) or to eat her food or splash around in her water.
He likes to make a mad dash for the stairs, and has ended up halfway up them on more than one occasion much to my horror.
He loves remote controls, cords, and the dishwasher (or rather, the sharp and breakable items that can be found in the dishwasher).
He loves to play outside and chew on sticks, rocks, and leaves.
He likes to brush his teeth (all six of them, although the six that he has are actually surprisingly big).
He's added a few words to his repertoire (which previously consisted of only Mama): banana, Wiener (as in Winnie), and duck. In fairness, he's only said each of these once. BUT, there were witnesses each time, so it's not just my crazy imagination.

And here is sweet Maxwell in all of his eleven-month-old glory.

Look at those chubby thighs.

This is typical Nosey Rosy Max in action, craning his neck to check out who knows what -- Winnie, a squirrel, a leaf, the sound of a lawnmower in the distance.