Scarlett the Starlet: November 17, 2013 -- "I'm TWO!"

Max is TWO! He weighs 30 pounds, and I can't remember how tall he was at his recent appointment, but based on his height, Dr. Curry predicts that he'll be 6 ft. 1 in. when he's full grown (just like his Daddy). His hair is getting darker, especially after his last haircut that trimmed off all of his summer blond. He says too many words to list, and speaks in (mostly) complete sentences. Some recent examples:

"Mommy, don't go upstairs ANYMORE!" (when I kept going up and down the stairs instead of sitting with him to watch a show)
"Don't go yet Mommy, hold hands!" (when I try to sneak out of his room at night)
"Cats make me sneeze." (after sneezing, with no cat in sight; his Daddy is successfully brainwashing him, but meanwhile Scarlett is on a "let's get a cat" campaign)

He loves to close things -- doors (in particular the bathroom door on Scarlett, leaving her sitting in the dark), cabinets, drawers, the dishwasher, gates, car doors, you name it. And he is none too pleased if you do it before he has a chance to: "No, MAXWELL DO IT!" We spend a lot of time these days re-opening said doors, gates, etc. so he can do it himself. He then proudly announces his accomplishment: "I DID IT!" He loves to help in the kitchen pouring drinks (messy), putting waffles in the toaster (fire hazard), and stirring his chocolate milk (super messy), but good luck telling him no. Speaking of food, he can be a picky eater, and he's not much of a carnivore. He'd eat nothing but peanut butter sandwiches and fruit if we'd let him. And he has a sweet tooth like you wouldn't believe. Give that kid some chocolate, a lollipop, or a cupcake and you've got a friend for life. He also loves to feed Winnie, and occasionally dumps her food and/or water all over the floor for fun. His favorite show is Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, but he also likes to watch Sofia the First (a Scarlett favorite as well) and I think we've watched the original Peter Pan animated movie five hundred times in the last few months. He loves to go outside and hunt for rocks or make piles of leaves or seed pods from the big magnolia trees in the front yard. Modes of transportation other than cars -- trains, planes, buses, bikes, "big trucks", tractors, construction equipment -- are fascinating to him and each and every one is pointed out with great excitement and must be acknowledged by everyone in his presence. "Mommy, big truck! BIG truck! BIG TRUUUCK!!!"

Max is super affectionate and gives lots of hugs (especially sneak-up-from-behind hugs when you are crouched down on the ground or sitting on the floor) and kisses (I recently fell and he was quick to come and check on me -- "Mama ok?" -- and kiss my boo-boo). He wants me to carry him all the time ("Mama, pick me up!"), which is sweet, but he's such a chunk ("Too heavy, Mama?"). But the absolute sweetest of all is his regular proclamations of love ... "Luff you, Mama" or "I love you, too" (even when you haven't already said I love you).

He and Scarlett love each other and play well together for the most part, but they can also drive each other crazy. She pushes and pulls and wrestles with him (which he does not like), and he retaliates by messing with her things (which she really does not like). Regardless, he always wants her around, and is eager to wake her up in the morning and always gives her a big hug and kiss before bedtime. Whenever you ask him if he wants to do something or go somewhere, he confirms that we are all going as well before he agrees. "Max, do you want to go to the park today?" is almost always answered with, "Scarlett, too? Mommy, too? Daddy, too?"

Here are some photos of our sweet, handsome, smart big boy on his second birthday.