Max's turns 2!

I can't believe it, but Max turned two on December 31st. He got to have cupcakes twice (which Gabe has already put in his demand request for two birthday parties this year) because we were lucky enough to have visiting Grandparents at his actual birthday but put off his kid party to a better weekend, since most folks aren't planning to attend a kid play date on New Year's Eve. As you can see, Max was down with that plan.

We got Max the Thomas the Tank Engine Dieselworks Take N Go Set for his birthday, and I'm not sure which child was the most excited about it. Max is completely obsessed with the newest Thomas movie "Day of the Diesels". It's a fairly new obsession, expressed in constant demands to see the movie and constant refrains of "Daaaaaay Diesels! Thomas! Percy! Daaaaaay Diesels!" pretty much most moments he's not watching the movie. Gabe claims he doesn't like that movie anymore because we watched it too much...yet every time it's on he sneaks in to watch surreptitiously from he sidelines. Max also got some really cool presents from his Grandparents and Cousin Dayna sent him some cool letter blocks that he likes to stack up and knock over with a train.

A week later we had a kiddie playdate party for him. with Elmo cupcakes and a gaggle of awesome kiddos running a muck. For some reason most of the pics I took came out super blurry - I don't know what happened! We made mini pizzas that the kids got to top themselves, and then we had the BEST GF chocolate cupcakes I've had to date. I'm gonna do a separate post on them, because that recipe was a keeper! 

Then all his friends helped Max open presents, mostly one handed since he got a small Diesel 10 train and pretty much hasn't stopped clutching it since Saturday. Gabe and Ben desperately want to play with it, but Max is fully defending his turf, and no one plays with Diesel 10 but Max. He may only be two, but he's got enough pluck for a pack of kiddos. Happy birthday, Max!