Dear Max,

I think this picture says it all…CARS..you love cars and the movie CARS. WE watch it daily and you have all of the cars and the huge truck MACK that carries Lighting McQueen. There have been nights where Mack goes to sleep in your bed and there are many days where I have to wash your CAR MOVIE pajamas almost daily because that is the only pajama you want to wear. But it is awesome and you can play for hours with your cars and they are so important. I think your favorites are Mader the tow truck, Mack, Lightning Mcqueen of course, Doc, the Sheriff and well there are so many to even list but you love them..you are such a boy.

Your speech is expanding every month and now it is not uncommon for you to say multiple sentences together. You still work with a speech therapist named Miss Belkin at school two times a week on articulation but I think in the end it was also just your time to talk. I dont doubt that all our hard work (and you did not say a word in March-not even ma ma or dad da) did not pay off and clearing the strep from your gut and changing your diet according to your allergies but I also feel that it was just your time. I think school has been huge for you and your love your school and I do too…montessori learning has been awesome.

You have had a good month in general. You have watched the snow fall so much this past month and went sledding a few times at Nan and Pops house and went down the hill all by yourself. It was amazing to watch you be fearless and we were so proud of you…a little worried when you almost crashed into a tree but then daddy re-made the path and it worked-no more near crashes. We also went sledding at one of your school friends house and you had a blast.

You  have been amazing with your sister. You guys play and share and there are few times when you want to be alone except bath. You are very clear that you like to take a bath alone. I think the earlier days when your sister splashed you over and over has created this alone bath situation but so be it..because it is your time and I am happy that you are saying what you want and need.

You are still a great eater. You now love zucchini too. I swear you would be a vegetarian if beans worked well with your tummy but you do love your grass fed bison burger that you eat for lunch daily with rotating cultured veggies every other day.

This month we have had a few power struggles about saying the word sorry..which has always been hard for you but the other day you said it right away..I will also say that prior to this experience the other day we had three fights..one an hour long, then one 40 mins and then one 30 mins but then you said it with ease and I was so proud of you.

You are saying the funniest things these days and I can see already that you know how to use your words with saying things like..I don’t have the words to say it and I am tired and my body hurts..these words all the things you said to me during our SAY SORRY FIGHT but I held strong..which is so hard. I am sure one day you will know how hard it is to set boundaries with your kids because you just want them to be happy and feel no pain but I also know that giving your happiness and safety in your life is setting those boundaries.

You are now asking WHY to everything and I am trying my best to give you very complete answers. I know you are like me and you just want to understand the WHYS of the world.

You are an amazing little man and I love you dearly. You are the light of my life and I am so happy that I am your mom. Keep exploring and never stop asking WHY.

Love,

Mommy

Dearest Samantha,

So much to tell. You have turned into a little girl right before my eyes  this month. You babble, say words, walk with ease, carry your baby around and ask for your favorite movies. You can say the following words: Max, Ma Ma, Da Da Ba for bottle, Hi, Bye Bye, Re-for remote, ruff ruff, Do for Dog and more. I am sure there are others but those are the ones that I can make out currently.

You love to point at everything and you give this look..I know you are asking me WHY? I can see the future already..so many questions and so many answers. I have a feeling that you will always want to know the answer just like your momma.

You have been cutting two teeth this month-a molar on the bottom right and a tooth on the bottom right and I swear I feel a bump on the bottom left. OUCH. We actually had to give you motrin for a few days but things seemed to have calmed down since the tooth broke through. Poor baby. Teething stinks!

You are so sweet and so much fun. You love to play with blocks and you love to put things inside of other things. You enjoy playing with the little kitchen we have in the playroom. Every morning we go downstairs and you sit on this big bean bag and watch MILO and OTIS-a movie about a PUG and  CAT while I work out. You play and watch me and we sing songs..even though I can barely catch my breath as I am running.

You enjoy empty vitamin bottles, water bottles, and anything that is not a toy. You still love to sing and dance and enjoy yourself the most when music is playing. You are shy to a degree but the minute you warm up..you are chatty and dancing.

You were able to see two huge storms that totaled almost 40 inches here in Philadelphia and that is unheard of but you witnessed it and we had a lot of fun playing outside. You loved going down the hill with your Daddy, as I know you are such Daddy’s little girl. And by the way, he loves you so much too!

You still love to snuggle despite how independent you are and I love that. You have very curly hair, especially the day after we wash your hair and it reminds of the curls I had when I was your age.

Your favorite movie is SHREK. You have a little couch inf ront of the TV and you will sit there until your favorite scene and then you must go to the TV and watch close up..it can’t be good for your eyes but it is what you do and it is adorable.

You are doing great with your food and pooping..both subjects we talk about in this house a lot due to allergies. I think this protocol that we have had you on since November is working and we are addressing some issues that are finally getting your tummy in good order. You love squash, home made banana muffins, rice, apples, pears, carrots and kefir. I also give you a litle cultured veggies each week to help with your digestion and gut..we are just so happy that you are pooping daily. You are also on a homeopathic remedy called SULFUR, which is helping you to process the sulfur better in your little body-hoping that you will have less reactions wot foods with sulfur and almost every food has sulfur.

So things are good with you and you are just such a blessing in my life. I never knew how amazing it would be to have a girl. You have taught me so much about myself. I see my fire in you and I see that part of you that is a little volcano when you don’t get your way-kicking and screaming on the floor but then-I show you cups ands blocks and it is all over. You are a great kid and everybody that sees you just says you have so much personality and so much to say already.

Ever since you learned to walk, you are just so happy and you love to explore and hide and play games. You are playing great with your brother and you guys have a lot of fun together. We adore you. I guess there is not much more to say than that. Thank you for being my daughter.

Love you tons,

Mommmy

It snowed a lot here and we had a great time playing in the snow! The kids loved it and it was so nice to just be outside enjoying the sun and the snow. We went to my parents house where they have a great hill to sled down. Max actually preferred to go down by himself and he did a great job. He was so brave and had no fear. He just went down. It was awesome!! Samantha was all bundled up and it made me think of that movie..THE CHRISTMAS STORY BECAUSE SHE LOOKED LIKE SHE COULD NOT EVEN MOVE BUT AT LEAST SHE WAS WARM AND HAPPY. So take a look at our amazing day! It is these kind of days that make life all worth living.

Saturday was cold. Saturday was one of those days when you know your child it tired but YOU, being the mommy, wants to get out of the house. I thought it would be fun to go to the Whole Foods that just opened down the street and get some pear sorbet and then go and get Max’s shoe size checked at the kids shoe store in the same shopping center. So it all started out to be ok. We were laughing and singing and having fun. We were walking down the aisles and I was thinking to myself how lucky I am to have such amazing kids. It was one of those la la moments that we tend to have…you know the ones that allow us to survive when it all goes bad. We picked up some bananas and a few other things for home and then we got pear sorbet and I got a kombucha tea and we sat and watched the pastry chefs making some yummy desserts we cannot eat and it was great.

We left Whole Foods and went next door to the kids shoe place so Max could get his shoe size checked and without any crying he got onto to that little scale looking type thing and it scanned his foot and we found out he did not need new shoes but that did not make Max happy. Sam at this time was crawling all over..walking and pulling shoes down and just playing and looking out the big glass window. Well Sam pooped and so I scooped them up and left the store because I thought-why bring the baby diaper bag-she won’t poop. MISTAKE! Make started to cry but we got to the truck and changed Sam’s diaper. Max was crying saying NEW SHOES! NEW Shoes! And so being the sweet mom that I am, we went back and asked for his size…THEY DID NOT HAVE THEM IN HIS SIZE! OH BOY! He started screaming and throwing himself on the floor. Sam watched with amazement and I think she was even shocked at what she was seeing..and I was mortified. At this point, the store was packed and I could see those looks..like why can;t she handle her kid and omg-her kid is freaking out…which is not very common for my little guy. I tried to pick up both kids and could not at first and Max would not walk. Finally I scooped them both up and headed for the car so angry. I put Max in the car and then yelled and then got home and yelled some more..then cried and then Max and I talked about what happened and saying sorry-which he refused to do and finally after and hour he said he was sorry to me. Saying sorry is something Max hates and we have decided that he should be able to do this now and are forcing him. It was horrible. He cried in his room..I came in every 5 mins to ask if he was ready and he said things like
I dont know how to
I dont have the words
I am tired
You hurt me
I had to enforce the boundaries and it was horrible but he said he was sorry and the day finally went on..I guess this whole talking thing is actually making things quite interesting..I am sure he will love that I have documented these kind of interactions between us. LOL

I learned a huge mommy lesson: If your kid looks exhausted, don’t leave the house!!